Pennsylvania Statutes Title 53 P.S. Municipal and Quasi-Municipal Corporations § 41512. Council to act as a body;  individual influence or interference;  dealing through manager;  investigating committees or commissions;  misdemeanor;  forfeiture of office

It is the intention of this article that the city council shall act in all matters as a body, and it is contrary to the spirit of this article for any of its members to seek individually to influence the official acts of the city manager, or any other officer, or for the council or any of its members to direct or request the appointment of any person to, or his removal from, office or to interfere in any way with the performance by such officers of their duties.  The council and its members shall deal with the administrative service solely through the manager and shall not give orders to any subordinates of the manager, either publicly or privately.  Nothing herein contained shall prevent the city council from appointing committees or commissions of its own members or of citizens to conduct investigations into the conduct of any officer or department, or any matter relating to the welfare of the city, and delegating to such committees or commissions such powers of inquiry as the city council may deem necessary.  Any councilman violating any of the provisions of this section is guilty of misdemeanor in office, and upon conviction thereof in a court of competent jurisdiction, shall be disqualified and forfeit his office as councilman.