On the Records: Texas Legal Spending on Redistricting
The redistricting battle has cost Texas taxpayers nearly $1.5 million in legal expenses — a total that could rise as more invoices filed by Bancroft PLLC, the outside counsel hired by the state to argue its case before the U.S. Supreme Court, are approved for payment.
Although the state's contract with Bancroft included a much steeper hourly rate for lawyers than the state pays its own staff — $520 an hour compared to about $100 — the majority of the Texas Attorney General’s Office spending was for in-house litigation and general counsel, $815,000. Texas has paid $376,800 ...
Comments (6)
Rudyg43
This is what you get in a one party state run by TEA-GOP-Republican Legislator's and Rick Perry!
Neil Moyer via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Total fiscal irresponsibility!
L Dungan
I would like to know both the incremental costs and the opportunity costs of this litigation. This reporter has failed to offer any explanation for the Attorney General outsourcing any of this litigation. Of the million dollars in "in-house" costs, which would not have been incurred but for this litigation? The travel and court costs would likely be incremental costs directly arising because of this litigation. Has the Attorney General hired additional employees solely to pursue the redistricting cases? Have employees been diverted to the redistricting work and away from other work the Attorney General needs to get done?
Regardless of the actual "costs" of the redistricting litigation, this litigation reflects the intellectual and moral bankruptcy of the Republican majority that controls the Legislature, the Lieutenant Governor, the Attorney General and the Governor.
John Carhart via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Let's see; how many teachers' salaries would that equate? I'm guessing around thirty or so. All for the sake of a gerrymander!
JC DemocratofTejas
Total b.s. Something the repugs wanted to skewer votes. I'm paying for this? Bancroft and the Supremes out to be run out of this country on a rail. Your tax dollars working against you once again!
Samdavis
Don't worry, Abbott will get lots of contributions from these firms when he runs for office next time. The man doesn't have the morality of a sidewinder.