ST. PAUL — Attorneys for fired Minnesota Senate staffer Michael Brodkorb deny deliberately publishing details about other sexual affairs they allege occurred at the Capitol.

In court filings Thursday, the attorneys say documents that were supposed to be filed under seal were accidentally posted to a public court site. The documents respond to a motion by Senate lawyers seeking dismissal of Brodkorb’s case and punishment over the disclosure.

Brodkorb is suing over his 2011 firing, which came after his extramarital affair with the top Republican senator became known.

Brodkorb’s lawyers said it would be drastic to toss the case over the error. They document unsuccessful efforts to get a judge to keep the misfiled documents from resulting news stories about the affair allegations.

A sanctions hearing is set for next week.