An ex-U.S. congressman avoided having to pay the full rate of attorney fees for the work of an Am Law 50 firm after a federal district court in Tampa dismissed his lawsuit over the alleged “vitriolic, hateful, false, and maliciously defamatory statements” by his political opponents during his 2018 congressional campaign.

In the case, the plaintiff, former U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, an attorney who founded a 1990s telecom startup, sued the defendants, including No Labels Inc. and its CEO Nancy Jacobson, in state court for more than $10 million. Soon after, the case was removed and assigned to U.S. District Judge Paul Byron of the Middle District of Florida.