For the first time, Kathy McGuiness will save the taxpayers some money. Just not of her own volition:
McGuiness hired Steve Wood, a former state prosecutor, who’s now a partner at McCarter & English LLP, a month before she was indicted. He petitioned the court to represent her in the case for $550 per hour in a cost he claimed should be paid for by the state. Wood cited a Delaware law that allows state employees facing charges tied to their public work to have a publicly funded attorney.
The attorney general’s office argued, instead, that under the statute McGuiness was entitled to a public defender at a much lower cost of $100 per hour to conserve taxpayer funds.President Judge Jan Jurden agreed, and in her denial, noted McGuiness would be appointed an attorney from the Office of Defense Services.
Of course, the millionairess is free to hire a high-powered attorney on her own dime. Maybe Mitch Crane will do some pro bono work for her…