TERRE HAUTE, Ind. — Congressman Madison Cawthorn is the subject of a civil lawsuit filed by an Indiana law firm that claims he hasn't repaid them more than $193,000 in legal fees this year.
According to the suit filed in the US District Court in Southern Indiana, Rep. Cawthorn retained the Bopp Law Firm from Terre Haute to handle a challenge about if Cawthorn was qualified to run for his seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. The suit claims Cawthorn hired the firm in January 2022 for the task, producing eight documents as exhibits when filed.
The lawsuit's exhibit includes the signed service agreement between the firm and Cawthorn, along with seven invoices showing the fees the congressman apparently racked up over the course of six months, from February through July. The final bill from the Bopp Law Firm comes out to $193,296.85 before unpaid interest and fees for collecting unpaid amounts.
WCNC Charlotte reached out to James Bopp Jr., lead counsel and founder of the firm for further information. Bopp said while they had filed suit, Cawthorn has promised to repay the fees, and that the firm was hopeful that would happen.
WCNC Charlotte also reached out to Cawthorn's offices in Washington and North Carolina for comment but was unable to reach anyone immediately. A voicemail was left with the Washington office, but it is unknown when or if a reply could be provided since Cawthorn's in-person office on Capitol Hill has apparently been vacated before his term ends. Calls to his field offices in North Carolina were also unsuccessful.
Cawthorn's hopes to stay in office were dashed during the Republican primary elections earlier this year. Fellow Republican Chuck Edwards, who currently represents Asheville in the North Carolina state Senate, won the 2022 election for Cawthorn's federal seat.
The civil suit, filed on Dec. 1, is the latest legal case Cawthorn faces. He will face trial in Jan. 2023 for bringing a loaded gun to Charlotte Douglas International Airport in April. Cawthorn was also fined $14,000 by the House Ethics Committee for financially benefiting from a cryptocurrency he promoted, deemed a conflict of interest. Cawthorn was also fined by the Federal Election Commission in August for failing to file his quarterly campaign finance report.
The Bopp Law Firm is noted as a powerhouse in conservative political spheres. The firm's website touts work with candidates, political action committees, and non-profit groups on causes such as anti-abortion action and litigation.