The Minnesota Senate's latest legal bill in an ongoing lawsuit by ex-employee Michael Brodkorb totals nearly $6,000.

The Senate released the latest total Friday ahead of a Monday Rules Committee meeting on the matter. To date, the Senate has racked up about $200,000 in lawyer costs related to the case. The most recent total covers early November to the end of January.

Brodkorb sued the Senate last year claiming gender discrimination after he was fired for an affair with the Senate majority leader. A judge dismissed several other of Brodkorb's claims earlier this week, but the discrimination case is still pending.

Senate officials say Brodkorb was an at-will employee who could be fired at any time.

ASSOCIATED PRESS