Public to pay for Gonzales' lawyer in lawsuit over firings

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department has agreed to pay for a private lawyer to defend former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales against accusations he encouraged officials to inject partisan politics into the department's hiring and firing practices.

Lawyers from the department's civil division often represent employees sued in connection with their official actions. However, Gonzales' attorney recently revealed in court papers that the department had approved his request to pay private attorney fees arising from the federal lawsuit.

Dan Metcalfe, a former high-ranking veteran Justice Department official, filed the suit on behalf of eight law students.

He called the department's decision to pay for a private attorney rather than rely on its civil division "exceptional."

"It undoubtedly will cost the taxpayers far more," he said.

The Justice Department has imposed a limit of $200 an hour or $24,000 a month on attorney fees, according to a person with knowledge of the case who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Top Justice Department attorneys generally earn no more than $100 an hour.

Asked why Gonzales made the request, Gonzales spokesman Robert Bork Jr. said his client thinks that "private counsel can often be useful where (department) officials are sued in an individual capacity, even where the suit has no substantive merit."

Justice Department spokesman Charles Miller said the department would have no comment on the reasons for the approval and wouldn't answer questions about the cost.

The lawsuit accuses Gonzales and four other former and current department officials of instituting hiring practices that blocked liberal-leaning applicants from two department programs for law students.

Gonzales resigned last year amid a controversy over the hiring practices and over the firings of nine U.S. attorneys, including Seattle's John McKay.

Miller wouldn't say whether other defendants in the suit have asked the department to pay for private attorneys.