October 13, 2008 02:10 AM UTC

Jefferson County federal wiretap suit will proceed

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• by: JeffcoBlue

( – promoted by Colorado Pols)

This is a major setback for our infamous Republican commissioners here in Jefferson County, whose Byzantine cronyism and culture of payback against citizens has embarrassed us for too long.

Check out the latest from the Columbine Courier:

A judge has approved the addition of County Commissioner Jim Congrove and former assistant county attorney Duncan Bradley as defendants in a federal lawsuit involving alleged wiretapping and character defamation.

Mike Zinna, a longtime county gadfly who has been involved in several lawsuits against the county, has alleged for two years that Congrove, Bradley and private investigator Daril Cinquanta, while he was working for the county, illegally intercepted Zinna’s e-mails and phone calls. Zinna says they used the materials to defame him on a website, www.coloradowackoexposed.com. Records show the site was established by Robert Cook of Lakewood, who Zinna alleges is a friend of Congrove. The site apparently was a response to the website Zinna operated skewering Jeffco public officials, www.coloradoexposed.com.

The county tried to prevent Congrove and Bradley from being added as defendants, but an Oct. 6 ruling did just that. A status conference has been set for Nov. 25 in federal court in Denver…

“I think the judge’s ruling speaks for itself,” Zinna said. “There exists in this case substantial forensic computer evidence and sworn statements from at least seven individuals, all of whom are friends or co-workers of the accused in this case. Furthermore, a significant portion of the (Colorado Bureau of Investigation’s) independent investigation substantiates the wiretapping allegations.”

Congrove, whose second term as commissioner will end in January, said he couldn’t comment on the matter “until it’s all over with.”

Kevin McCasky, the third county commissioner, said: “I am not a party to this case; however, this individual that is bringing the suit has never prevailed in any suit against the county or any of our employees. I don’t expect him to prevail in this one, either.”

“How can I be expected to prevail when county attorneys are wiretapping my house?” Zinna said. “… Jefferson County attorneys have outspent me 10-to-1 trying to stall this case, and now we’re finally going to trial.”

Full story: https://www.columbinecourier.co…

Kevin McCasky