SC Supreme Court OKs suit over $75M fee to private lawyers

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The South Carolina Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that a judge needs to decide whether the state attorney general had the right to give $75 million of a $600 million settlement with the federal government over nuclear material storage to private attorneys who helped broker the deal.

Government watchdog John Crangle sued over the fees paid as pat of the 2020 settlement of South Carolina’s lawsuit because the federal government repeatedly failed to meet deadlines to remove plutonium at the Savannah River Site near Aiken. His South Carolina Public Interest Foundation said they were excessive.

Attorney General Alan Wilson argued he had the sole discretion to determine how much was paid to the private lawyers who helped his agency. Law firms Davidson, Wren & DeMasters and Willoughby & Hoefer were given $75 million, or 12.5% of the $600 million overall settlement.

The state Supreme Court overturned a lower court ruling that Crangle didn’t have the legal right to challenge the fee.

Whether the $75 million was excessive will now be decided by a lower court.

In Wednesday’s ruling, the Supreme Court pointed out the matter was of great public interest because Wilson’s office has seven other similar agreements with private firms helping his office out with other lawsuits including opioids, insulin and Google advertising.

The General Assembly spent the remaining $525 million as part of this year’s budget.