Golden – Jefferson County commissioners are urging county employees to cooperate with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation as it probes the hiring of a private investigator with public money.
Last week, Jefferson County District Attorney Scott Storey asked the CBI to look into allegations that Commissioner Jim Congrove and former County Attorney Frank Hutfless used taxpayer money to hire a friend of Congrove’s to investigate county workers and private citizens.
Congrove has said he welcomes the CBI investigation as a way to answer any questions about the work.
Professional Investigators Inc. – operated by former Denver police Officer Daril Cinquanta – was paid more than $7,500 last year to investigate a county critic and others over a 16-month period.
In a memo posted Wednesday on the county’s intranet, the three commissioners listed a CBI phone number that employees can call.
If employees are contacted by the CBI, the commissioners are asking them to provide any information that will assist the investigation.
A watchdog group, Colorado Citizens for Ethics in Government, asked Storey and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office to investigate what it called a potential embezzlement of public funds.
Storey said he asked the CBI to step in because of citizen interest in the allegations and because he wanted to avoid a potential conflict of interest since his office’s budget is set by the commissioners.
“I applaud the DA for bringing in the CBI,” said Greg Stevinson, a prominent Jefferson County businessman and Republican who contributes to political campaigns, including Congrove’s. “The issue needs to be investigated.”
Staff writer Ann Schrader can be reached at 303-278-3217 or aschrader@denverpost.com.
