Denver Mayor Hancock’s ethics complaint over Thanksgiving flight dismissed

Denver’s Board of Ethics unanimously dismissed an ethics complaint on Wednesday that was filed after Mayor Michael Hancock flew to Texas for Thanksgiving despite urging city residents to avoid travel over the holidays.

Board Chairman Joseph Michaels acknowledged Hancock’s actions were concerning and disappointed or angered city residents. All the same, he said, the board’s discussion during closed executive session found that the Democratic mayor had not specifically violated the city’s code of ethics.

Michaels added: “This board certainly does not condone that travel.”

Hancock flew to Texas over the holiday, where he rented a car and drove to Mississippi to be with his wife and youngest daughter. All the while, he shared messages on social media asking residents to avoid leaving town. The travel drew swift condemnation from public health officials, residents and politicians and Hancock ultimately apologized.

The complaint was filed against Hancock on Nov. 28 by Tonia Wilson, who recently took umbrage with a city proposal to increase Denver’s group-living limits. Wilson is also a member of Safe and Sound Denver, a group that lambasted Hancock for his travels and sought to link that hypocrisy with his support for the group-living measure.

In her complaint, Wilson said Hancock’s actions constituted a disregard for the city’s code of ethics and she accused him of using his personal security detail and transportation– paid for with tax dollars — for private gain.

The ethics board voted unanimously in January to seek a formal response from Hancock. In that response, first reported by CBS4’s Brian Maass, Hancock pushed back, acknowledging the trip was a mistake but did not violate the city’s ethics code.

“I regret my decision to travel over the Thanksgiving holiday. It was a mistake for which I have taken responsibility and apologized to the people of Denver, and while it has been alleged that my conduct somehow violated Denver’s Ethics Code, the complaint seems to rely on incorrect facts and/or assumptions,” Hancock said in his response.

Hancock’s representatives and those of the city’s Board of Ethics denied The Denver Post’s request for that written response.

On Wednesday morning, Michaels said Hancock’s actions don’t violate any part of the city’s code of ethics, adding that transportation and security services are standard for Hancock and any other mayor. Hancock did not use city resources to purchase his flight, he said.

Wilson briefly interrupted the virtual meeting to take issue with the board’s findings but Michaels told her the floor was not open to public comment.

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