In 2005, Governor Matt Blunt ordered an audit of the agency following news of massive cost overruns on the new cross-county light rail line.
But Metro refused to hand over some documents because officials said that would have jeopardized the agency's lawsuit against a group of contractors.
However a St. Louis County jury ruled against the agency in November, forcing Metro to pay more than $2.5 million to the contractors, who had countersued.
After that CEO Larry Salci resigned. And now, the contractors are trying to recover $27 million in legal fees.
Metro is still refusing to disclose how much it spent on the lawsuit and three-month-long trial. But court documents indicate the agency spent more than 17 million in taxpayer money on attorneys and expert witnesses.
© Copyright 2012, St. Louis Public Radio
