Adams County to 9NEWS: Sue us for requested records

From 9NEWS (Denver):  Adams County paid a quarter of a million dollars of taxpayer money to three employees in 2014 and won’t release the documents that would explain why — even after the employees involved gave the county permission to do so.

9NEWS started asking questions about the payout and asking the county, under the Colorado Open Records Act, to release the documents that would explain it.

Long-time Adams County prosecutors Corinne Magid, Daniel Kopper and Caryn Datz left their jobs in 2013.

The next year, Adams County paid them $83,000 each.

According to their attorney, a confidentiality agreement prohibits the three from talking about it or releasing the documents associated with the payout directly to 9NEWS.

But after 9NEWS asked, the three, through their lawyer, sent a letter to the county last week authorizing the release of 294 pages of documents associated with the payout.

Adams County gave 9NEWS the settlement agreement and the checks. It is refusing to provide the 294 pages of information.

“Employees should know their documents are protected and if they would like to give them up to you, they can, but the county is going to stick with CORA, stick with the law and make sure that we never give up any sensitive documents,” said Jim Siedlecki, director of public information for Adams County. “There is a legal process in place to resolve those sort of disputes, if you all believe that we’re in violation of the law, a judge can decide that.”

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