Scoop: Auditor accuses mayor's office of withholding records

Driving the news: Auditor Timothy O'Brien told Axios in an exclusive interview Monday that a long-planned audit of Denver's budget process has stalled.

• "We're being blocked from doing that," he said.

The intrigue: O'Brien's office alleges the administration has failed for more than a year to provide specific documents and examples to complete its review.

• "We would expect the Mayor's Office and the Finance Department to be transparent with this information," spokesperson Michael Brannen told Axios in a statement.

The other side: Johnston spokesperson Jon Ewing disputed the characterization, saying the city has cooperated with auditors for months, and provided hundreds of pages of documents.

• "Furthermore, the budget itself is a public document that goes through a public process," Ewing said.

Between the lines: Denver's charter gives the auditor broad access to city records. But O'Brien says the Johnston administration has withheld specific documents his office needs for the review.

Zoom in: O'Brien first included the audit in his 2026 plan to examine transparency and fairness in how Denver allocates taxpayer dollars.

• He said residents, City Council members and event administration officials voiced concerns about the process.
• "His own administration doesn't know how the budget process really works," he told Axios.

What's next: O'Brien kept the review on his 2027 audit plan, but time's running out.

• His term ends next July, and his successor could abandon the audit if his office doesn't finish first.