Speaker Boehner hires attorney/firm with TAXPAYERS' money that charges $460 to $900 'per hour'

[Tx4obama]

House Speaker John Boehner has hired former Solicitor General Paul Clement to defend the Defense of Marriage Act, at a cost to the American taxpayer that he has so far refused to reveal (via Think Progress). Because the Department of Justice has decided it will not defend this law, Boehner wants funds from the DOJ to be given to the House to fight it.

Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. has previously criticized that idea, saying Justice Department lawyers have plenty of work to do with the funds they have. Pelosi, in a letter to Boehner in March, requested an estimate of how much the marriage litigation would cost.

In a rejoinder today, Pelosi said she still wants to know what the litigation will cost. “I would like to know when the contract with Mr. Clement was signed, and why a copy was not provided to Democrats on the Committee,” she wrote in a letter to Boehner. (Separately, The National Law Journal has also requested a copy of Clement’s contract.)

Clement’s firm, King and Spalding, charges between $460 and $900 an hour.

http://www.alan.com/2011/04/18/speaker-boehner-wont-reveal-cost-to-defend-anti-gay-law/


Additional short article at CNN: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/18/boehner-hires-top-lawyer-for-fight-over-marriage-law-sources-say/

[Drale]

1. Does he have the power to do that?

I thought it was the executive branch that had the power to defend or not defend laws in court?

[Tx4obama]

2. You got me. Also, doesn't 'Congress' have a say & have to vote when money is spent? n/t

[sasha031]

3. unbelievable same old culture wars, thanks for the post