County to pay for recall attorneys

Whitman County taxpayers will pay for lawyers to defend commissioners Pat O’Neill and Greg Partch against a possible recall.

County commissioners in a pair of 2-0 votes Monday approved use of county funds to pay for lawyers to represent the two in an upcoming court hearing and in any subsequent appeals.

Authorization of public funds for the lawyers meant two separate votes, as neither O’Neill nor Partch could vote to grant themselves the funding. Largent and Partch voted to fund fee payments for O’Neill; Largent and O’Neill approved payments for Partch.

Recall actions were initiated earlier Ju...