COUNTY OF ORANGE LEGAL BILLS AT $2 MILLION MARK
California Desk
August 03, 2009
SUPERVISORS MEET TO DISCUSS WHETHER TO APPEAL UNSUCCESSFUL LAWSUIT TO CUT DEPUTY SHERIFF PENSIONS.
Fledging Lawsuit Has Been Tossed Out Of Court Twice.
SANTA ANA – Ignoring the advice of three different law firms hired to give them expert outside legal advice, the County of Orange has spent nearly $2 million in legal bills for a failed lawsuit to cut deputy sheriff pensions that has quickly been thrown out of Superior Court twice. County Supervisors are scheduled to meet in closed session Tuesday to determine whether to fund an effort by Supervisor John Moorlach for a third legal attempt.
Kirkland & Ellis, the fourth outside law firm hired by the County to assist their 3-year effort to declare deputy sheriff 3% at 50 pension benefits in Orange County unconstitutional, have been paid a handsome $1.7 million, despite having their case thrown out of court twice before even making it to trial. Their main litigator is from Washington, D.C. and has to be flown back and forth to California at county expense to assist the county with their case.
"It doesn´t make much sense for the county to continue to waste taxpayer dollars on this misguided lawsuit," said Wayne Quint, President of the Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs. "At a time when the County Board of Supervisors are laying off a record number of public safety officials and have suggested that upcoming deputy sheriff contract negotiations include pay cuts and furloughs, it is hard to believe they would continue to spend public money on a legal case they know they can´t win".
"One would have to question the fiscal sanity and motivation of their continued effort," continued Quint. "Two million dollars on a legal whim by Mario Mainero, a bar preparation class instructor and part-time aide to John Moorlach? Once you also factor in the county´s payment of our legal bills, the Moorlach/Mainero effort has cost the County of Orange significant dollars at a time when County Supervisors are publicly saying they are broke and have to layoff Assistant Deputy Sheriffs, captains, probation officers, and other county employees."
Fledging Lawsuit Has Been Tossed Out Of Court Twice.
SANTA ANA – Ignoring the advice of three different law firms hired to give them expert outside legal advice, the County of Orange has spent nearly $2 million in legal bills for a failed lawsuit to cut deputy sheriff pensions that has quickly been thrown out of Superior Court twice. County Supervisors are scheduled to meet in closed session Tuesday to determine whether to fund an effort by Supervisor John Moorlach for a third legal attempt.
Kirkland & Ellis, the fourth outside law firm hired by the County to assist their 3-year effort to declare deputy sheriff 3% at 50 pension benefits in Orange County unconstitutional, have been paid a handsome $1.7 million, despite having their case thrown out of court twice before even making it to trial. Their main litigator is from Washington, D.C. and has to be flown back and forth to California at county expense to assist the county with their case.
"It doesn´t make much sense for the county to continue to waste taxpayer dollars on this misguided lawsuit," said Wayne Quint, President of the Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs. "At a time when the County Board of Supervisors are laying off a record number of public safety officials and have suggested that upcoming deputy sheriff contract negotiations include pay cuts and furloughs, it is hard to believe they would continue to spend public money on a legal case they know they can´t win".
"One would have to question the fiscal sanity and motivation of their continued effort," continued Quint. "Two million dollars on a legal whim by Mario Mainero, a bar preparation class instructor and part-time aide to John Moorlach? Once you also factor in the county´s payment of our legal bills, the Moorlach/Mainero effort has cost the County of Orange significant dollars at a time when County Supervisors are publicly saying they are broke and have to layoff Assistant Deputy Sheriffs, captains, probation officers, and other county employees."
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