DENVER – DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Independent Ethics Commission held former Gov. John Hickenlooper in contempt Thursday for defying orders to appear at a hearing on a Republican complaint that private plane trips he took while governor violated the state's gift ban.
The commission had subpoenaed Hickenlooper to testify after his legal team argued that the hearing's remote format violates his right to face his accusers.
His taxpayer-funded attorney, Mark Grueskin, appeared instead. Late in the day, Grueskin offered to have Hickenlooper appear at a June 16 hearing but the commission rejected the last-minute offer.
Commissioners voted unanimously on the contempt motion and will reconvene Friday to discuss sanctions against Hickenlooper, a