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Kim Dotcom's oft-delayed extradition hearing began on Monday 21 Sep, nearly three years and 10 months since the infamous raid of Dotcom's New Zealand mansion. Over that time span, Dotcom's legal team has managed to drag out the affair through 10 extradition hearing delays and various other legal maneuvering. And according to some number crunching from the New Zealand Herald (confirmed by the Crown Law Office, the NZ prosecutors representing the US there), Dotcom's trials and tribulations have cost NZ taxpayers nearly NZ$5.8 million in legal fees (or approximately $3.7 million).
The total cost is just one of the eye-dropping[sic] Dotcom-related numbers the Herald outlined this weekend. To start, it's been 1337 total days since the raid. And in total, 29,344 hours of legal work has been made possible through taxpayer investments; two-thirds of those hours have gone specifically towards the extradition request according to the paper. With the base rate for Crown solicitors set at NZ$198/hour, the Herald puts the current cost at the NZ$5.8 million figure above. Dotcom took to Twitter to note that such a calculation means NZ has spent almost the equivalent of half of its 2014 budget for Crown prosecutions on Dotcom alone. (In contrast, the Herald reports Dotcom has spent an estimated NZ$10 million, roughly $6.4M, on his defense.)
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Mr Big in the Pants on Thursday October 01 2015, @05:01AM
Reasons why:
- The US told them to. John Key is a blatant US sycophant and narcissist - sucking up to the US and looking good are two of his major goals.
- He is in bed with the movie industry and recently changed our employment law at their behest to suit them.
- Its not the current Govt's money so they could not care less about the cost.
- Should their case be found wanting Dotcom will have the right to sue and even a failed attempt at this will get major media traction
- This governemnt is extremely poll focused so bad media is something they fear.
- Should Dotcom win people will refocus from this media circus to the ACTUAL important issue which is the police, govt and spy agency conduct throughout which has been embarrassingly atrocious.
In NZ's tiny democracy this case is a big deal and there is a LOT of egg waiting to spill on someone...
(Score: 2) by PartTimeZombie on Friday October 02 2015, @12:39AM
I absolutely agree with Mr Big in the Pants. John Key has ruled by focus group since the beginning, and it's always been my personal conspiracy theory that he will leverage all his goodwill with the Yanks when his time as PM finishes and get some great job.
I always thought it would be Ambassador to Washington, but maybe he would aim higher, perhaps some plum UN thing?
(Score: 2) by Mr Big in the Pants on Friday October 02 2015, @04:17AM
Jim Bolger did that previously and he has a holiday home in hawaii...