The taxpayers' final tally for being sued by ex-Senate employee Michael Brodkorb came to just about $400,000.
Senate leaders approved the last bill -- for just over $7,000 -- on Wednesday. Much of the last tranche of legal fees was for destroying sensitive documents and confirming protected information stayed protected. The suit was settled last year.
"I feel pretty good about the outcome but obviously it was way too expensive," said Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook
Brodkorb, a former Republican Senate communications director, had sued over his 2011 firing. He was dismissed by Republican leaders in the wake of his affair with then-Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch.
In 2012, when Republicans were still in charge, Brodkorb sued over his firing.
The suit continued even as control of the Senate changed hands in 2012. It settled in the fall of 2013 for $30,000, far less than the $500,000 Brodkorb initially sought.
"I'm glad we have it behind us," Bakk said.
Brodkorb is now blogging at Politics.mn and, since late last month, as a community blogger for the Star Tribune.
