How Hancock's Sexy Texts Apology Could Cost Taxpayers More Than $300K

As hinted at this past March, the attorney representing former City of Denver employee Wayne McDonald, who was paid $200,000 in 2016 to settle a lawsuit over his firing, has filed a notice of claim that foreshadows a potential new complaint focusing on Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and Denver City Attorney Kristin Bronson.

Among the claim's arguments: Hancock broke the 2016 suit's non-disparagement agreement in his apology to Denver Police Department Detective Leslie Branch-Wise, a onetime member of the mayor's security team, over inappropriate, sexually themed texts dating back to 2011-2012, including one in which he asked her if she'd ever taken a pole-dancing class.

When we reached out to Hancock spokesperson Amber Miller, who was also a defendant in the 2016 suit, she offered the following comment from City Attorney Bronson: "No lawsuit has been filed, and I am confident that nothing I've said, nor anything the Mayor has said about Mr. McDonald, constitutes defamation."

The document, which is accessible below and alludes to previous Westword coverage, was obtained by KNUS talk-show host and attorney Craig Silverman, the man who broke the latest development during his August 25 radio show. He's been working on the story in conjunction with a media consortium that includes Denver7, Fox31, 9News, the Denver Post and his station.

Read more: https://www.westword.com/news/how-mayor-hancocks-sexy-texts-apology-could-cost-denver-taxpayers-more-than-300000-10711407