El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa.
As the Colorado Springs Gazette's Matt Steiner reports, El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa may have survived a recall attempt against him as he defiantly serves out his final days in office after an explosive sexual misconduct/cronyism scandal, but the county is done paying for the expensive legal representation he's been enjoying:
El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa will be on his own if he wants to continue using high-profile defense attorney Pamela Mackey to defend recent accusations against him.
Senior assistant county attorney Diana May reiterated that the county would no longer pay for Mackey's services in a July 17 letter obtained by The Gazette that highlights ongoing friction between the county attorney's office and the Sheriff's Office. The county had agreed in early June to hire Mackey temporarily for a fee of $250 per hour with a cap of a $10,000. The county commissioners needed to approve anything above that amount.
"El Paso County did not authorize your retention past the initial $9,999 engagement," May wrote in a letter to Mackey. "That engagement has concluded."
Mackey, who previously represented professional athletes Kobe Bryant and Patrick Roy, could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
It's not unreasonable for an organization to defend an employee in erstwhile good standing, but El Paso County Sheriff Maketa is serving out the last months of his term against the wishes of the county's leadership. After claims seeking almost $4 million in damages over Maketa's professional and personal improprieties, the El Paso County Board of Commissioners took a vote of no confidence in Maketa and asked for his resignation. Maketa's refusal to go away quietly after this massive disgrace has greatly worsened the embarrassment felt by his former political allies–from fellow sheriffs who followed his lead in last year's recalls and anti gun control litigation, to those who believed Maketa's political future beyond elected law enforcement was very bright.
Today they're just waiting for the end, which can't come soon enough for everyone except Terry Maketa.
EPC must have determined that their losses are going to far exceed their deductible so why bother. I expect their insurance company will still provide defense as they are the ones who stand to suffer the deepest losses. I don't see Maketa paying for it regardless of what he has said
I guess that's *one* way to reduce government spending.
And there is more:
http://m.krdo.com/news/sheriffs-office-mystery-account-raises-questions/27103006
Bob Balink. Didn't he used to be…Bob Balink?
Yep, used to be El Paso County Clerk Bob Balink, before the term-limited muscial chairs: Balink from Clerk to Treasurer, W Williams from Commissioner to Clerk, now Assessor Lowderman moving to Treasurer…
Well, Balink's doing the right thing now – urging Lowderman to be cool! Don't be so blatantly corrupt! Avoid an "appearance of impropriety!" From KRDO's coverage, which, BTW, they picked up from my diary.
(Yes, I really am going to shamelessly plug that, every chance I get).
When is Doug Bruce's turn to return to Board of Commissioners?
Here in El Paso County, his return is possible!