Denver councilman probes DNC expenses

DENVER, Aug. 6 (UPI) -- A Denver city councilman says he wants to know how the mayor's office is spending $27 million in security grants for the Democratic National Convention.

The city received a $50 million federal grant to pay for security measures, but Mayor John Hickenlooper's budget only accounts for $23 million of it, and Denver City Councilman Doug Linkhart is looking for answers, the Rocky Mountain News reported Wednesday.

The mayor's office doesn't have to get City Council approval for expenditures under $50,000, but Linkhart maintains it's not likely there were multiple $50,000-or-less purchases adding up to $27 million, the News said.

Linkhart told the newspaper he's not angry but "mostly curious" about where the rest of the money is going, saying, "I'm not accusing the administration of trying to get around council. I'm just concerned that council have more knowledge of how the money is being spent."

Katherine Archuleta, a senior adviser to Hickenlooper and his DNC liaison, said she's willing to answer council members' questions, the newspaper said.