State paid law firms $111 million for advice

Tom Barnes of the Post-Gazette reports that Pennsylvania taxpayers have paid law firms $111 million for legal advice to state government under the Rendell administration (note: I believe this total is only for the adminstration, and does not include lawyers hired by the legislature for bonusgate and other reasons).

This follows news that Governor Rendell's former firm has been paid $1.8 million for work related to a possible Turnpike lease, without any competitive bidding and doing much of the work without a contract.