Denver Board of Ethics "appalled" by Denver International Airport spending on overseas conference
Denver's Board of Ethics on Friday cleared Denver International Airport and its Chief Executive Officer, Phil Washington, of an ethics violation related to a trip to a conference in Madrid earlier this year. That trip was the subject of a CBS Colorado Investigation, but the board said it was "appalled by both the amount of funds that were expended for this conference and by Mr. Washington's seemingly cavalier attitude in responding to this complaint."
Washington and eight of his top executives flew in April to the three-day airport conference in Madrid, with all of the executives flying either first class or business class for every leg of the trip, both to and from Madrid. CBS Colorado found that one of the tickets was over $19,000, and another cost nearly $16,000.
The ethics board said it received an anonymous complaint about the expenditures shortly after the CBS Colorado investigation was broadcast, and it began investigating whether Washington and his associates had violated the ethics code by using public office for private gain.
In the lengthy opinion, the board concluded Washington had not used public office for private gain, but the board blistered Washington for the amount of money spent and the rationale used for the spending.
The board said Washington told them he "had no idea of the cost of those tickets." He told the board the upgrades were compliant with Denver International Airport policy as the overseas flights were over 8 hours long. According to the opinion, Washington stated, "that upon reflection, had he known the price of the tickets was that high, he would not have allowed the trip." But the board questioned that assertion, saying Washington had approved cost estimates for flights before they were purchased.
The board also questioned Washington's contention that flying first or business class was necessary so that he and his colleagues could "hit the ground running" at conferences. In this case, the board pointed out that most of the airport personnel did not participate in any panel presentations until two to three days after they arrived in Madrid.
The board also said it could see no link between flying the highest class of service and securing new air routes for Denver International Airport. The board went on to question "the need to send as many delegates as were sent to Madrid, and because this is an annual conference, disagrees with Mr. Washington that this was a "once in a lifetime" opportunity.
The funding for the trip comes from Denver International Airport revenues, which are derived from what passengers pay for concessions, parking fees, rental car revenues, and other user fees.
"While a violation of the Denver Code of Ethics is not proven by clear and convincing evidence," wrote the board, "the conduct here falls short of the Board's basic expectations and erodes the confidence of the citizens of the City and County of Denver that persons in positions of public power are acting for the benefit of the city's best interests."
Read the full opinion of the board below:
