Cochise County supervisors retain outside counsel and approve lawsuit to recover $130,000 settlement

Cochise County supervisors voted 3-0 Sept. 30 to retain Timothy Lasota as outside counsel to represent the board in matters related to the jail-district litigation and then approved initiating a lawsuit to recover a $130,000 settlement tied to case CV2023-00363.

The move came during a special meeting in the Board of Supervisors hearing room at 1415 Melody Lane in Bisbee. Supervisors Crosby, Gomez and Chairman Antonori were present; Crosby attended remotely.

The retention vote preceded public comment in which Allison Morse opposed hiring Lasota and filing suit. Morse said she reviewed an earlier March 27 meeting and the settlement and expressed concern about legal spending and Lasota’s public stances. "He's been legal counsel for Carrie Lake and Abe Hamadeh and Mark Finchem, all related to baseless, unproven election fraud," Morse said. She also questioned…