One of the attorneys who was a member of the St. Louis stadium task force has been removed as counsel from NFL litigation so that he is free to testify once the trial begins in January.
However, nothing about the prohibition against Bob Blitz prevents him from participating in the planning of the case, according to a local sports commentator.
“From the standpoint of the NFL, I don't know that their opposition is any less great than it would have been had he been part of the day in court,” said Randy Karraker, 101 ESPN Radio morning host. “He's a much greater weapon for St. Louis as a witness then he would be as an attorney because he was directly involved with the lack of faith negotiations by the NFL and I would think there's a chance that he could probably provide some information that the NFL doesn't want out there.”
As previously reported, St. Louis Circuit Court Judge Christopher McGraugh ruled last week that veteran St. Louis attorney Robert Blitz is likely a necessary witness at trial after NFL counsel asked that Blitz be disqualified from representing St. Louis.
“Blitz is a 40-year attorney,” Karraker told the St. Louis Record. “He's a cagey veteran and he's a very, very good attorney. He certainly isn't going to be tricked into anything by these NFL attorneys.”
The St. Louis Regional Convention and Sports Complex Authority, the City of St. Louis, and the County of St. Louis sued the Los Angeles Rams and Rams owner Stan Kroenke in 2017 for leaving St. Louis city and county officials on the hook financially for a new stadium that was never built.
“Blitz is a highly respected attorney who was one of the people that the plaintiffs, St. Louis and St. Louis County, claimed were lied to by the NFL,” Karraker said. “What they claimed, which is the basis of all of this, is that St. Louis was instructed to build a stadium so that they could keep the Rams. Blitz and Peacock went through a year of pretty much missing their families growing up.”
Last month, McGraugh rejected the NFL’s motion for summary judgment, allowing a scheduled trial to start on Jan. 10.
“Bob will be able to in detail (explain) how and why it happened because obviously not only is he going to be examined by the NFL attorneys but the St. Louis attorneys as well and I have to believe that because of his history and his respect, which will be made known to the jury, that whatever he says on the witness stand will be taken to heart.”