$50 Million--for WHAT?

The muck and mire of big-time litigators.

Dickie Scruggs, big-time Democrat, brother-in-law of Trent Lott, and the litigation lawyer who made ~$1 billion on the tobacco deal, had an employee.

The Times also picks up on Scruggs's liberal dispensing of resources to sway Mississippi political influence-holders during the tobacco caper:

In his deposition with Mr. Merkel in 2004, he discussed some $10 million in payments he made to P. L. Blake, a onetime college football star in Mississippi. After running into financial troubles, Mr. Blake became a political consultant for Mr. Scruggs, helping his boss navigate the back rooms of state politics and tobacco litigation.

In the deposition, where he was represented by Mr. Balducci, Mr. Scruggs praised Mr. Blake for keeping “his ear to the ground politically in this state and in the South generally, and he has been extremely helpful in keeping me apprised of that type activity.” Mr. Blake could not be reached for comment.

When Mr. Merkel further pressed Mr. Scruggs about Mr. Blake’s services, Mr. Scruggs elaborated: “He has numerous connections -- in terms -- when I say connections, I don’t mean that in a sinister way, I mean he just has a lot -- he knows an awful lot of people in the political realm.

And he -- depending on the stage of tobacco litigation proceedings was keeping his ear to the ground, prying, checking. I mean, I never asked who or what or all that.”

It wasn't $10 million. It was $50 million.

Well, for only $5 million, I'd pretend to be a coat-rack, too.