Mass. lottery OKs $300,000 to defend treasurer

BOSTON (AP) -- The Massachusetts State Lottery Commission has agreed to pay up to $300,000 to defend Treasurer Tim Cahill and the lottery executive director in a bingo software company lawsuit.

The commission voted Thursday to pay outside legal contracts for Cahill and Mark Cavanagh.

Rhode Island-based Bingo Innovative Software filed a $20 million federal lawsuit against the treasurer in December, saying its bingo product for a new daily race game was superior to that of Scientific Games, but Scientific Games was chosen because company executives donated campaign funds to Cahill.

Scott Harshbarger, Cahill's attorney, says the unique nature of the federal case merits outside counsel and authorizing up to $300,000 will avoid having to go back to the commission every time money is needed.