Looks like Denver Mayor Hancock’s office spoke out of turn when they assured reporters the man picked to head DIA was not the subject of any criminal investigation or named in any criminal warrant.
Because it turns out Phillip Washington is named in a search warrant as part of the Los Angeles DA’s investigation into his former agency’s sexual harassment hotline that cost taxpayers $8,000 per call under multiple no-bid contracts.
The warrant didn’t just come about in the last few days. It was signed by a judge on Feb. 18 and sought all communication between Washington and other LA officials linked to the bid and the agency that received the contract.
Here’s our report on that from earlier this week.
Axios has the scoop on the search warrant, and that Hancock’s office is changing their tune from what spokesman Mike Strott told the Denver Post on Tuesday.
Washington “is not the subject of any criminal or grand jury investigation, nor is he named in any criminal warrant,” Strott said in an email. “Authorities in Los Angeles have confirmed with our office that these allegations are completely unfounded.”
Hancock’s office now sings a different tune:
On Thursday, confronted with the new information, Strott told Axios he was unaware Washington was named in the warrant, but issued a new statement that Hancock’s office continues to “look forward to his confirmation as (DIA’s) first African American CEO.”
The city council is expected to vote on Washington’s nomination in July.