Greene suit says PHA ruined reputation

Haines said that even if the board was sincere in its attempt to give Greene a fair hearing, that would be close to impossible.

"I don't care how well-intentioned Mr. Street is, he can't prove a claim of sex harassment. He just can't prove that," because confidentiality agreements in three cases prevent the allegations from being scrutinized.

Last week, Street said two other women had approached the board with accounts of inappropriate advances and attention from Greene, a disclosure that angered Haines.

Street has also questioned whether PHA rules were violated when two checks were used to pay a $200,000 settlement from a 2004 sexual-harassment case.

One from the insurer was for $101,000, and one from PHA was for $99,000, apparently an effort to stay below the $100,000 expenditure ceiling that would have required a board vote, Street said.

Haines said the disclosure "issue" did not involve only Greene but also the "PHA administration."

"There are lawyers involved in these transactions," said Haines. "To say it is Carl Greene and Carl Greene alone, that he controls everything, is a little excessive."

Mark J. Foley, a lawyer now with Cozen O'Connor, handled three of the cases while working at the now-defunct firm of Klett, Rooney, Lieber & Schorling.

Foley moved to Cozen in 2006 and continued to handle PHA cases. The head of that firm, Thomas "Tad" Decker, said Thursday that Cozen was fired from representing PHA after recommending that the board be informed of all issues related to a 2008 sexual-harassment complaint filed by a senior management specialist.

That case was settled for $350,000.

Contact staff writer Nathan Gorenstein at 215-854-2797 or ngorenstein@phillynews.com.