House GOP replaces firm handling Obama suit
House Republicans said they’ve hired new counsel to represent them in their lawsuit against President Obama after their previous lawyer backed out of the case over “political pressure.”
They inked a contract on Friday with William A. Burck of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart. The New York Times reported that the GOP’s previous attorney, David Rivkin of Baker & Hostetler, pulled out after the firm faced political backlash from several of its clients.
{mosads}Republicans voted in July to sue Obama over what they see as his abuse of executive power, specifically his decision to unilaterally delay several deadlines in the health care law.
Burck previously represented House Republicans when they sued Attorney General Eric Holder to compel him to release documents in the “Operation Fast and Furious” gunwalking scandal. A former New York City prosecutor, Burck also served as special counsel to President George W. Bush. He helps manage the firm’s office in Washington, D.C.
According to the contract, Burck will be paid $500 dollars an hour, with total payments capped at $350,000. Democrats have called the lawsuit a waste of money and a political ploy designed to rev up Republicans right before the midterm elections.
“We knew that Speaker Boehner’s $500-per-hour taxpayer-funded lawsuit was unpopular with the American people,” said Drew Hammill, spokesman for Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). “Now, we know it’s just bad business.”
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