NY Yankees: Subpoena Will Cost More Than $5M

MICHAEL VIRTANEN

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York Yankees officials said Monday that taxpayers would face more than $5 million in document costs if the team is forced to provide internal records sought by lawmakers looking into public financing of the club's new stadium.

Assemblymen Richard Brodsky, a Westchester Democrat, and James Brennan, a Brooklyn Democrat, are questioning what Brodsky claims is nearly $4 billion in financing and tax breaks over 30 years that was used to build the new ballpark. The legislators say many ticket prices have been hiked beyond the reach of fans.

Yankees' attorney George Carpinello said the estimated $5 million is for legal review of some 1.4 million relevant e-mails and attachments and doesn't include reams of other documents.

"If he wants the documents, the standard rule is he pays for them," Carpinello said. "That's the law in New York. That's the case law.

"I hope they're spared. I hope the bill isn't put on the taxpayers."

Brodsky said the Yankees didn't provide information they promised and he disputed that the team's document costs would fall to him or the public, saying the Yankees are looking for another subsidy from the taxpayer.