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ABQ city attorney denies allegations of ‘conflict of interest’ made by City Council president
Head of the council says she believes city attorney participated in meetings, drafted and reviewed legal documents for Mayor’s Office
Published
After the president of the Albuquerque City Council accused the city attorney of colluding with the Mayor’s Office in ongoing litigation against the council, the attorney has denied such claims.
In an emailed statement attributed to City Attorney Lauren Keefe, sent to the Journal by a spokesperson for Mayor Tim Keller’s office, she denied any conflict of interest.
“I take my ethical duties very seriously,” Keefe said in the statement. “As soon as this dispute arose, I informed (the) Council that I had a conflict and could not represent it. I then ensured that the City hired well qualified lawyers to represent the interests of all parties, including City Council. While I am not representing any party, I have received updates on the ongoing proceedings. These actions were not only appropriate, but I had a duty to do so in order to ensure the interests of the City were protected.”
Keefe did not respond to requests for comment after multiple emails and phone calls Thursday.
According to the City Charter, the city attorney represents and advises both the City Council and the Mayor’s Office. If there is conflict between the two branches of local government, the attorney must recuse himself or herself because of a conflict of interest.
Council President Brook Bassan said Tuesday that she believes — although Keefe told the council otherwise — that Keefe actively participated in meetings and drafting and reviewing legal documents for the Mayor’s Office.
Currently, the city has multiple lawsuits against the City Council, which Bassan said may be jeopardized by Keefe’s involvement.
If true, Bassan said that Keefe’s actions violated the City Charter and could warrant her firing.
Bassan has called for an independent investigation into Keefe’s conduct, which the council will take up in the new year.
Gillian Barkhurst is a local government reporter for the Albuquerque Journal. She can be reached at gbarkhurst@abqjournal.com or on Twitter @G_Barkhurst.
