By Patrick Crowley
The Cincinnati Enquirer

COVINGTON - A prominent Northern Kentucky lawyer says that questions a Kenton County official has raised about legal fees charged to the region's sewer district are "personal and political."

Erlanger lawyer Bill Robinson, who has represented Sanitation District No. 1 of Northern Kentucky for 26 years, says Kenton County Attorney Garry Edmondson's request for billing records was made because Mr. Robinson supported Mr. Edmondson's opponent in the Nov. 5 election.

Mr. Edmondson, who won the election, has not said why he is seeking billing records related to the legal work done by Mr. Robinson and his firm, Greenbaum Doll & McDonald.

But Mr. Robinson, well-known in Northern Kentucky political and legal circles and mentioned as a possible lieutenant governor candidate, accused Mr. Edmondson of engaging in a vendetta.

Mr. Robinson said he supported his good friend and former law partner, Democrat Kate Molloy, in the county attorney's race, contributing $2,000. Mr. Edmondson, a Fort Wright Republican, defeated Ms. Molloy on Nov. 5 to win a third term.

"I stood by my friend, and I think that was very upsetting to Mr. Edmondson," Mr. Robinson said. "I have been asked by Mr. Edmondson in the past to support him for county attorney.

"I refused to do that," he said. "I've chosen not to do that. He has not been happy about that. In fact he has been openly resentful and upset about that and has made no bones about that."

Mr. Robinson said he also angered Mr. Edmondson by supporting Republican Kevin Murphy, whom Mr. Edmondson - then a Democrat - barely beat in bitter race in 1993.

Furthermore, Mr. Edmondson and one of his assistant county attorneys, Brandon Voelker of Taylor Mill, are upset they were removed from a case they handled in their private practice because of a potential conflict of interest, Mr. Robinson said.

The voters elect Mr. Edmondson but he hires his assistants, among them Mr. Voelker. Mr. Voelker also works as an associate in Edmondson & Associates, Mr. Edmondson's private law practice in Covington.

Edmondson & Associates was hired by plaintiffs who brought a lawsuit against a Campbell County manufacturer Mr. Robinson represented.

In November 2001, a judge removed Mr. Voelker from the case because Mr. Edmondson also represents the Northern Kentucky Area Planning Commission, and zoning issues were part of the case.

"They haven't gotten over that," Mr. Robinson said.

Mr. Edmondson, pointing out the manufacturing case was eventually settled out of court, said his request of billing records "has nothing to do with work done by associates in my private practice."

Mr. Edmondson said his office also plans to seek billing records from the Northern Kentucky Water District and the Kenton County Airport Board, which oversees the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.

"This isn't about Bill Robinson," Mr. Edmondson said in an interview. However he refused to state why he wants the records.

But Mr. Robinson provided documents showing Mr. Edmondson is also seeking billing records from two other agencies he and his firm represent.

The Northern Kentucky Area Development District, which provides assistance to local governments and social agencies.

Northern Kentucky Tri-ED, the region's job recruitment and retention agency.

Request on plain stationery

According to Mr. Robinson the requests for billing records first came "out of the blue" in January from a clerk in Mr. Edmondson's office, who used plain stationery, not office letterhead.

The requests were quickly withdrawn without explanation after Mr. Robinson discovered the source of the inquiries, he said.

The requests were once again made shortly after the Nov. 5 election - one came a day after Election Day - this time from Mr. Edmondson on county attorney letterhead.

Mr. Robinson said Mr. Edmondson waited until after the election "so this wouldn't be an issue, that he was making waves" during his campaign against Ms. Molloy.

Mr. Edmondson would not comment on the timing.

Mr. Robinson said he has only done "about $45,000" work for Tri-Ed, an organization he helped start, since 1992. He has donated, he said, more than $150,000 worth of legal work to the agency.

And, Mr. Robinson said, he does not even do any work for the Northern Kentucky Area Development District. Another lawyer at the firm does that.

Jeff Eger, the sanitation district manager, said legal bills from Mr. Robinson and other lawyers at his firm were $311,000 last year.

Mr. Robinson bills the firm at $149 an hour, far less than a lawyer of his experience and expertise could charge, he said.

Members of the sewer district's board defended Mr. Robinson and the work he has provided.

"I'm baffled by this," said board chairman Rick Kennedy, a builder. "Bill Robinson does an excellent job. This is a growing district in a growing area. We've needed a lot of legal work and we get our money's worth from our attorneys, all of them."

E-mail pcrowley@enquirer.com.