OPEN WIDE

So did Westword, first through a formal open-records request--and then in a lawsuit filed Monday in Denver District Court.

Within an hour of being served, Muse notified councilmembers that he wanted to meet with them during the recess of their regular meeting that night.

Even though Muse had protested that the Debevoise bills provide a blueprint for anyone who wants to sue the city, in executive session--which is private, of course--he now told councilmembers that wanted to make edited versions available. (Webb, as it happens, is also running for mayor this May.) And so by a 7-5 vote, councilmembers agreed to the release of the records--with names of those interviewed by the SEC and legal strategies removed. The five members who dissented pushed for fuller disclosure.

But the matter doesn't end there. Westword has requested not just the Debevoise bills--certainly the most worrisome to the city, given the SEC's interest--but all the attorneys' billing statements that were once considered public before Muse reread the law.

Open wide, Dan. This won't hurt a bit.