J.E.D
Gold Member
- Jul 28, 2011
- 14,159
- 2,229
- 280
- Banned
- #1
Apparently, Republicans don't mind taxing you as long as those taxes support a conservative ideology. Come on, Tea Party patriots, where's the outrage?
DOMA Defense: Taxpayers On The Hook For $1.5 Million To Defend Law Barring Same-Sex Marriage
WASHINGTON -- House Republicans have agreed to a new contract to pay a private law firm up to $1.5 million to defend the Defense of Marriage Act, which bans same-sex marriage on the federal level.
The amount is three times the figure originally agreed upon between the House and the firm Bancroft PLLC. The original contract, drawn up in April, read, "The General Counsel agrees to pay the Contractor for all contractual services rendered a sum not to exceed $500,000.00."
A new contract, released to the press by House Democrats on Tuesday, raises that cap to $1.5 million: "The General Counsel agrees to pay the Contractor for all services to be rendered pursuant to this Agreement a sum not to exceed $750,000.00. It is further understood and agreed that, effective October 1, 2011, the aforementioned $750,000.00 cap may be raised from time to time up to, but not exceeding, $1.5 million."
The original contract contained a clause stating that if the $500,000 cap was reached before the litigation was complete, the sum could be increased. The new contract also leaves the door open to raising the cap, stating, "It is further understood and agreed that should the cap be reached before the Litigation is complete, and if the cap has not been raised under the terms of this Agreement, Contractor shall not be obliged to continue providing legal services under this Agreement."
House Speaker John Boehner's (R-Ohio) decision to have the House defend DOMA came after Attorney General Eric Holder announced in February that the administration had concluded that the law was unconstitutional and would no longer argue in support of it.