New Mexico taxpayers will pay up to $133,000 to cover legal fees for U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce’s campaign.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports the Secretary of State’s Office said the Republican’s campaign could not transfer hundreds of thousands of dollars Pearce had accumulated running for Congress to finance his bid for governor. Then the office said the transferred funds would be capped at $11,000.
The Pearce campaign sued the state.
Rather than continue to fight the case, the two sides settled, with the state agreeing to pay some of the campaign’s legal fees.
State Attorney General’s Office spokesman David Carl said Monday the sides agreed lawyers can receive up to $133,032.15, or 85 percent of the legal fees the Pearce campaign incurred during the case.
