The Los Angeles Times, Times Community News and the Sacramento Bee filed a lawsuit Friday seeking disclosure of state Assembly members' annual budget records in the wake of a dispute between Assemblyman Anthony Portantino (D-La Cañada Flintridge) and top lawmakers.

The Assembly Rules Committee in July slashed Portantino's staff budget, resulting in furlough notices to all 11 of his staffers in Pasadena and Sacramento.

Portantino said the budget cut is designed to punish him for voting against the state budget Democrats proposed in June, and demanded an accounting from the Assembly Rules Committee. The committee refused to disclose most of the figures, and said the cuts were imposed because Portantino had exceeded his staff budget in the past.

More in the Pasadena Sun.