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.
