New East St. Louis Mayor Seeks Review of Legal Expenses

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (AP) — The new mayor of East St. Louis wants a review of the city’s growing legal expenses, including nearly $800,000 paid to a state legislator’s law firm.

The Belleville News-Democrat reports that East St. Louis paid Illinois Sen. James Clayborne’s firm $778,039 in 2014, its first full year as the city’s corporate counsel. The Belleville Democrat is Senate majority leader.

Records show that’s more than twice what nearby Belleville paid for similar legal services and is an increase of more than 50 percent over what East St. Louis paid in 2012 to a different firm where Clayborne was previously a partner.

Clayborne said the city’s 2014 legal costs include bills for the previous year’s work.

The fiscal review is being sought by Mayor Emeka Jackson-Hicks, who took office in May.

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