After a seven-year legal battle, taxpayers are footing the bill for University of North Carolina Wilmington’s lost lawsuit against criminology professor and Townhall columnist Mike Adams.
As far back 2004, school officials refused to promote Adams to full professorship citing his “political activity” as a reason for concern. The court found UNCW was directly violating the First Amendment by denying him a promotion on the basis of his religious and conservative beliefs.
A federal court announced the bill for the lengthy lawsuit Tuesday; and it doesn’t look great for taxpayers:
It is ordered, adjudged and decreed that the plaintiff’s motion for attorney fees and costs is granted in part and defendant shall pay to the plaintiff attorney and support staff fees in the amount of $698,131.50 and non-taxable costs in the amount of $12,495.00 for a total award of $710.626.50.
Lawsuits cost the United States an estimated $264 billion each year, according to the U.S. Chamber’s Institute for Legal Reform. That’s about $850 per person every year.
It’s unfortunate that this unnecessary lawsuit will consume taxpayer dollars all because of the bias and closed-mindedness of UNCW.