The Empire Strikes Back

In today's Register-Star, Jamie Larson reports that Phil Gellert has evicted the tenant at 718-720 Union Street who criticized him in the newspaper: "Landlord evicts outspoken tenant." Gellert claims that the reason for the eviction is that the tenant owes him $152 (it seems that Section 8 pays about 80 percent of the $750 rent, and the tenant must pay the balance), but the tenant says that when she asked Gellert if she could pay the $152 and stay he told her, "We don't need people like you." 

The article recounts this incident that occurred when Larson was interviewing the tenant in question outside the entrance to the building. Gellert drove up "in a gold Jaguar" and told Larson to "leave private property." He also instructed a work crew on the site not to talk with the press.