“Frivolous” is how El Dorado County Auditor Joe Harn described a lawsuit filed by a political consultant.

Joe Harn

A Sacramento County judge essentially agreed when he ordered Dan Dellinger to pay Harn’s attorney fees ($14,392.42) as well as the county’s ($30,681.53). Dellinger had filed the lawsuit in May 2015.

Harn and Dellinger have been squabbling for years. The latest incident stems from Dellinger believing he had a right to money from the Pioneer Fire District. The district hired Dellinger as a consultant. This was all part of grand jury investigation.

However, at no time has the district asked the auditor to pay Dellinger any more money. Dellinger was seeking $12,000.

Harn told Lake Tahoe News the lawsuit was “political retribution.”

— Lake Tahoe News staff report