Philadelphia settles another suit against ex-register of wills
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A former clerk who says he was fired for refusing to donate to former Register of Wills Tracey Gordon's campaign has reached a $155,000 settlement with the city.
Why it matters: Philadelphia has now paid out $280,000 to settle three of five lawsuits related to allegations that Gordon retaliated against employees for not supporting her re-election efforts.
Driving the news: Former clerk Mark Wilson's attorneys reached a last-minute agreement with the city last week, averting the need for a federal jury trial slated for later this month, per court records obtained by Axios.
- The settlement includes attorneys' fees, and the city has also agreed to pay the parties' mediation costs, city law department spokesperson Ava Schwemler told Axios. She couldn't immediately provide the cost for those sessions.
Catch up quick: Gordon, who ended her term in January, was among the witnesses expected to testify at the trial, along with Thomas Campion, Wilson's former supervisor.
- Campion also settled a lawsuit against the former register of wills this year for $90,000.
- The city also paid Malik Boyd, Gordon's former press spokesperson, $35,000 to settle a suit against Gordon.
- The city declined to comment on the settlements.
Meanwhile, the city's new register of wills, John Sabatina, was hit with a discrimination lawsuit last month. Several of Gordon's former employees say they were fired for supporting his predecessor.
- Sabatina declined Axios' request for comment.
What we're watching: How much the city's legal tab grows.
- Former administrative deputy Patrick Parkinson's and former clerk Nicholas Barone's lawsuits against Gordon are ongoing in federal court, per court records.
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect that the settlement includes attorneys' fees, and that the city has also agreed to pay the parties' mediation costs.