ST. PAUL (AP) -- The Minnesota Senate's top leader says he's not interested in settling with a former employee who sued on Monday and expects the Senate to win in court.

Senate Majority Leader David Senjem said Monday that the 10-count lawsuit filed by former top aide Michael Brodkorb is "without any merit whatsoever."

Brodkorb is claiming gender discrimination because he was fired for having an extramarital affair with Senjem's predecessor, Amy Koch, while female employees who had affairs with male legislators kept their jobs.

Senjem said the Senate has done nothing wrong and instead has acted "carefully and appropriately."

He says the Senate and its lawyers will do "everything in our power to protect the interests of the taxpayers."

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

 

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