The office of Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine has set a budget of $500,000 for Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, the law firm handling Ohio State's investigation of head football coach Urban Meyer, according to a report by Jenn Smola of the Columbus Dispatch.
Pending Controlling Board approval, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWines office has set a budget of $500,000 for the law firm handling Urban Meyer investigation, which Ohio State will pay
— Jenn Smola (@jennsmola) August 13, 2018
That does not necessarily mean that Ohio State will spend $500,000 on its investigation, Smola reported, but that the university – which is paying for the investigation – is not to exceed that budget. The hourly rate charged by Debevoise & Plimpton is not to exceed $1,620, per Smola.
Mary Jo White, a partner at Debevoise & Plimpton who has previously led the NFL's investigations of former Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson and the New Orleans Saints' "Bountygate" scandal and counseled the league on its investigation of domestic violence accusations against former Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott, is leading Ohio State's investigation of Meyer.
The Controlling Board of the Ohio Office of Budget and Management is set to vote on approval of that budget next Monday, Aug. 20, at which point Ohio State's investigation of Meyer is expected to be complete. Ohio State said on Aug. 5 that its investigation of Meyer, in which the university is looking into how he handled allegations of domestic violence against former wide receivers coach Zach Smith, was expected to be completed within 14 days.
