Bakk questions why taxpayers on the hook for sex scandal legal bills

Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk doesn't think that taxpayers should be on the hook to cover the legal expenses incurred by a Republican sex scandal. Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch stepped down from her leadership position and Senate GOP Caucus Communications Director Michael Brodkorb was fired when the details came out about their illicit affair.

Brodkorb has filed a lawsuit seeking $500,000 in damages. He claims that he was treated differently than female Republicans who had affairs. He's threatening to put every Republican politician, staffer and lobbyist who had an affair on the witness stand. Since Brodkorb is a former sleaze blogger, I'm sure he knows ALL the MNGOP dirty laundry.

"Tax payers had nothing to do with creating last year's scandal and subsequent litigation with a former Republican staffer, but now they're on the hook for the ballooning legal expenses," Bakk said. "We ought to make sure there is an open, fiscally responsible process in place for paying the first $46,150 and the mounting costs in the months ahead."

"I am reluctant to sign off on dispensing tens of thousands of tax payer dollars until we establish an accountable and transparent process for handling these legal expenses," Bakk continued. "$46,150 is just the early down payment on what I expect to be a long, contentious, and expensive ordeal for the State Senate."

Senate DFLers proposed several changes to Senate policy to deal with scandals which will accrue massive legal bills but Republicans rejected them all. Any legal bill topping $50K requires a public hearing and the MNGOP's bill was conveniently just under it.

Bakk just wants some transparency when taxpayers are on the hook for fallout from scandals like this.