The Billings Gazette is reporting that the city of Billings, Montana spent $20,761 in defending against the lawsuit filed by Representative Denny Rehberg, R-Montana. The congressman sought a monetary award from the city to compensate him and his wife for a 2008 wildfire that burned undeveloped property owned by the couple. He alleged that the fire department was negligent in allowing the fire to flare up 2 days after it was contained.

The city hired a lawyer and after much back and forth between attorneys on both sides, the city refused offers to settle. Congressman Rehberg, who is running for the Senate seat occupied by Senator John Tester, dropped the suit in November, 2011.

The newspaper reports that the city was billed for 151.8 hours of the attorney’s time, for a total of $20,638.50, plus $123.10 in costs.

An attorney for Representative Rehberg contacted at least two retired wildland firefighters  inquiring if they would be interested in working as expert witnesses for the lawsuit, but they refused.

We have written previously about Representative Rehberg’s lawsuit.