Michigan Taxpayers Face Paying Millions In Legal Fees Over Flint Crisis

Michigan taxpayers may face at least $2.7 million in legal fees under new requests from the state's governor and attorney general over the Flint water crisis.

Gov. Rick Snyder (R) requested on Tuesday $1.2 million for legal services, more than double the $500,000 already earmarked. Attorney General Bill Schuette asked for a separate increase in funds to $1.5 million to pay a firm investigating the government's involvement in the crisis.

Dean Del Mastro legal fees subsidized by taxpayers

Canadians subsidized the legal fees of Dean Del Mastro, the former parliamentary secretary to the prime minister, through a fundraiser organized by his riding association that allowed it to provide tax receipts to contributors.

Political contributions are eligible for a tax credit of up to $650, depending on the amount contributed. A spokeswoman for the commissioner of Canada elections says there are no guidelines for how a riding association spends its money outside of an election period. That means the Peterborough Conservatives broke no rules.

Refugee health care fight cost feds $1.4 million in legal fees

The federal government is refusing to reveal the full price tag for its ongoing legal battle over the interim refugee health program.

But so far, the tally exceeds $1.4 million.

Last December, Toronto New Democrat MP Andrew Cash filed a written request seeking the total amount spent on legal fees and related costs to date.

Ottawa’s bill for extra legal services has soared over seven years

OTTAWA—Spending on extra legal services has increased fourfold under the Conservatives in Ottawa, ballooning from $106.7 million in 2006 to more than $462 million last year, a Star analysis shows.

The drastic spike in outside legal support outstrips increases in every other category of contracted work for the federal government. A Star report revealed Tuesday that spending on contracted professional services has increased 27.8 per cent between 2006, when the Conservatives took power, and the past fiscal year.

Tories legal bills far outstrip those of opposition parties

Responding to questions in the House of Commons this week about the Conservative Party paying Sen. Mike Duffy’s legal fees, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said such arrangements were not unusual and were practised by all parties.

“The party regularly reimburses members of its caucus for valid legal expenses, as do other parties,” Harper told the Commons Tuesday.

Indeed, while all parties retain legal help from time to time, records filed with Elections Canada suggest that the Conservatives do it a lot more often.

Financial statements for 2012 show the Tories spent $3.4 million on “professional services,” which would typically include lawyers, accountants and consultants.

Tory Decision To Pay Duffy's Legal Bills Draws Scrutiny

OTTAWA — The Conservative Party of Canada’s decision to use its donors’ money to pay Mike Duffy’s legal bills isn’t sitting well with Tory members of Parliament, but few were willing to say so Tuesday.

Tory MPs John Weston, Ryan Leef and Daryl Kramp avoided reporters’ queries as they left the House following Question Period. Under condition of anonymity, however, several other Conservative MPs told The Huffington Post they believe the party membership would be upset.

“I would certainly think so,” one MP said.