Senate approves payment for Brodkorb lawsuit legal bill

A Minnesota Senate panel voted Monday to pay the final legal bill related to the recently settled Michael Brodkorb lawsuit.

The Senate Committee on Rules and Administration approved the payment of $77,000 to the Larkin Hoffman law firm for four months of work.

The total bill reached $396,000.

Brodkorb was the Republican staffer who lost his job in 2011 after revelations of an affair with then-GOP majority leader Amy Koch.

DFL Sen. Tom Bakk, the current Senate majority leader, said it was good to have the matter resolved. “It was a couple pretty difficult years for our institution,” he said. “Nobody likes being sued.”

A settlement agreement reached in September ended the litigation and paid Brodkorb a $30,000 severance. He originally wanted $500,000.

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