GOP vote suit payout: $135,000

State and national Republicans will pay $135,000 to settle a suit involving a scheme to jam Democratic get-out-the-vote calls on election day 2002.

Republicans hired a telemarketing firm to place hundreds of hang-up calls to phone banks for the Democratic Party and a nonpartisan group offering rides to the polls.

Democrats had wanted more than $4 million in damages -- the cost of seven months’ work for the vote drive. Republicans said they should only have had to pay about $4,000 -- the cost of rental and use of the phones.