Three of Bell’s indicted officials have asked the Court to order the city to pay at least some of their legal bills.
Their argument is that while their salaries may have been high for little or no work, they didn’t technically do anything illegal. And since the lawsuit has to do with their duties as City officials, the city is responsible for the cost of their defense.
From the LA Times:
Three present and former Bell City Council members charged with public corruption are asking a judge to order the city to pay some of their legal bills. Attorneys for Mayor Oscar Hernandez, Councilwoman Teresa Jacobo and former Councilman George Cole in court filings argue that the city should cover their legal expenses in a suit filed last year by the California attorney general’s office.
Jacobo and Cole also want the city to pay their legal bills in a criminal prosecution by the L.A. County district attorney.
Read the full article here.