The city of Atwater paid more than $55,000 in legal fees this past summer to its law firm, Merys Nave, so that they could handle the fallout following the publication of a series of e-mails sent by Councilman Gary Frago in late 2008 and early 2009 that denigrated Barack Obama, Michelle Obama and Black people in general.
The law firm chalked up 228 hours of legal work going over public information requests, meeting with the City Council and staff, and preparing for and participating in public meetings, among other things.
Mayor Joan Faul simply said, "It was very costly." Faul explained that the city had to take the action it did to protect itself from litigation.
While Frago has apologized, at first he said he didn't regret sending the e-mails.
Gary Frago and Glenn Beck are both realizing that there is a price to their brand of racism.
The law firm chalked up 228 hours of legal work going over public information requests, meeting with the City Council and staff, and preparing for and participating in public meetings, among other things.
"This is an outrageous cost," said City Councilman Nelson Crabb, who initially requested a price tag on legal fees. "This is basically a police officer-and-a-half that we are dealing with and we are not done yet."
Crabb wonders why the city is expending so much effort to protect itself. If he were arrested for drunken driving, Crabb said, the city would not pay for his lawyers. And they wouldn't be forced to undergo classes on drunk driving, he added.
Mayor Joan Faul simply said, "It was very costly." Faul explained that the city had to take the action it did to protect itself from litigation.
While Frago has apologized, at first he said he didn't regret sending the e-mails.
Gary Frago and Glenn Beck are both realizing that there is a price to their brand of racism.
3 comments:
Oh well!
It would seem to me that since he took it upon himself to send the e-mails without anyone in the city government authorizing him to do so-he would need to find legal counsel on his own.
If the people who pay taxes to their city government don't mind the strain on the budget-what to do? Apparently they are not upset-at least not yet about the drain he has created.
It is definitely money that should be put to a better use. Like providing services to their community.
Hey guys, you have the wrong angle on this.
Read the line about "this is a police officer and a half" : that's what they'd have preferred to use the money for. So, what would you prefer, thowing money away at lawyers or having "a police officer and a half" on the streets abusing people?
Lady D - I agree with you wholeheartedly. I don't understand why the citizens of Atwater accept him as a civic leader...
Bilejones - In the choice you give ... I would choose the support for the police department. They do much, much more good than evil.
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