(La Porte, IN) - The La Porte County Auditor is being sued again for withholding payment on a bill for legal services performed for county government.

 

Alan Sirinek filed a lawsuit alleging Tim Stabosz is acting beyond his duties as auditor by withholding a $681 payment he’s owed for his legal services on behalf county government.  He also alleges Stabosz is ignoring orders from the La Porte County Commissioners to make payment.

 

Stabosz was previously sued by former La Porte County government attorney Shaw Friedman who was owed around $30,000.

 

Stabosz said he withheld those funds due to questions he had whether those services were for actual legal work and Friedman not supplying him with more information to substantiate his claims.  Eventually, the two men reached an out of court settlement for a vast majority of the amount.

 

Stabosz told the La Porte County Council Monday night he is willing to settle with Sirinek out of court for half of the amount owed.

 

“I would be happy to do that,” Stabosz said.

 

Stabosz also said the lawsuit was filed “a week before the election in an attempt to embarrass me.”

 

Councilman Earl Cunningham questioned his political claims, saying after being defeated in the May primary that Stabosz is not on the November election ballot.

 

Stabosz said it is political because he’s supporting candidates in the election and Sirinek is a former legal partner of Friedman.

 

The lawsuit was filed in La Porte Circuit Court.