An ethics complaint against Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, who flew to Texas during the Thanksgiving holiday even after telling his constituents to limit travel, was dismissed by the state’s Ethics Council on Wednesday.
Council chairman Joseph Michaels acknowledged that Hancock’s actions angered city dwellers, who considered them hypocritical, but said they did not violate the city’s code of ethics, the Denver Post reported.
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“This advice certainly does not support this trip,” he said.
A board representative told Fox News that they receive numerous complaints about elected officials to examine their behavior, but “unless an actionable section of the code is involved, the board, as a body, cannot act or actually issue an opinion ( or statement) with respect to such conduct. ”
Hancock flew to Texas during the holiday, rented a car and drove to Mississippi to stay with his family while sharing messages on social media asking residents to avoid traveling.
Minutes before his flight, he released a tweet alerting people to “Pass the potatoes, not COVID” and advised them to “Organize virtual meetings instead of face-to-face dinners” and “Avoid traveling if you can”.
Hancock apologized for the trip after the reaction of public health officials, residents and politicians.
Tonia Wilson, a member of Safe and Sound Denver, a group that condemned Hancock for his travels and hypocrisy, filed a complaint against him on November 28, saying he disrespected the city’s code of ethics. She also accused him of using his personal security and transportation team – paid with tax dollars – for personal gain.
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“I regret my decision to travel on Thanksgiving. It was a mistake for which I took responsibility and apologized to the people of Denver, and although it was alleged that my conduct somehow violated the Denver code of ethics, the complaint appears to be based on incorrect facts and / or assumptions, “said Hancock in a written response, as requested by the ethics board in January.
Michaels said on Wednesday that Hancock did not use city funds to purchase the flight ticket.
“As the board has mentioned with respect to other complaints, the board is concerned with the allegations and expects all public officials, officials and elected representatives to follow the highest standards of ethical behavior,” he said during the hearing.
Hancock and Wilson’s spokesmen did not respond to Fox News’s requests for comment.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.