Sacramento, CA…Senator Ted Gaines (R–El Dorado) today issued the following statement condemning California’s Democratic legislative leaders for their decision to hire outside legal counsel to advise on potential legal challenges with the incoming Trump Administration.

“President-Elect Trump hasn’t even been sworn into office and a high-powered former U.S. Attorney General and his legal team of overpriced lawyers have already been hired to fight Trump’s policies? That’s the job of our state attorney general and the team of smart, capable legislative lawyers already on the payroll. Instead, we’re putting a disgraced, unelected individual in charge of protecting California against possible federal overreach.

“My Democrat colleagues are spending millions attempting to ‘safeguard the values’ of Californians based on tweets and phantom proposals. What about the 4.2 million California voters who supported Trump?

“Hardworking California taxpayers will be left footing the bill for these exorbitant attorney fees. I demand to know the exact price tag once the contract is negotiated and call for full government transparency related to this matter. My constituents deserve tax relief, not more irresponsible, unnecessary government squandering that will be taken right out of their pockets.”

Senator Ted Gaines represents the 1st Senate District, which includes all or parts of Alpine, El Dorado, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, Shasta, Sierra and Siskiyou counties.