Three of Denver Mayor Mike Johnston’s top political appointees have been named in a lawsuit alleging retaliation for spotlighting concerns over the city’s Park Hill Golf Course land swap and its decision to vote down an airport lease with Key Lime Air.
Denver International Airport Executive Vice President and General Counsel Everett Ben Martinez filed a complaint Wednesday in federal court, suing the City and County of Denver, City Attorney Michiko “Miko” Brown, Chief Financial Officer Nicole Doheny and Johnston’s chief strategist Jeff Dolan.
In the 40-page lawsuit, Martinez alleges that the city and individual defendants retaliated against him for pleading with them to follow the strict legal mandates of the Federal Aviation Administration “in all aspects” of the Park Hill real estate deal.
The suit also alleges that Johnston’s top brass had ambitions to boot Airport CEO Phil Washington.
Martinez repeatedly warned the defendants that violating FAA mandates could subject the city to “legal and potentially catastrophic financial penalties under the FAA revenue diversion rule,” according to a statement issued on behalf of Martinez’s legal representatives.
Revenue diversion, as defined by the FAA, is the illegal use of airport-generated revenue, such as that from concessions, fuel sales and ground leases, for any non-airport use.
Martinez argues that Johnston’s appointees pushed for the 155-acre Park Hill Golf Course deal against his initial concerns that proper...
Grace Kang has worked as an attorney specializing in intellectual property and business law for 20 years, the last 16 in the greater Los Angeles area. A graduate of Stanford Law School, she said h...