Ward II Casper City Council member Craig Hedquist is claiming attempted political sabotage in a countersuit filed last month against the city of Casper and its city manager.

Defense attorneys claim city manager John Patterson held secret meetings that “explored ways to keep Hedquist’s candidacy from succeeding” prior to Hedquist taking office. The suit also claims Patterson launched a “campaign of retaliation” against Hedquist after Hedquist learned of allegedly secret land meetings between the city, the Boys and Girls Club of Central Wyoming and the Natrona County School District.

The complaint was filed in district court on Feb. 27.

Court documents claim Patterson, after a confrontation with Hedquist, armed city employees with concealed recording devices – one of those devices yielded audio from an argument Hedquist had with city engineer Andrew Beamer in regard to progress that was being made on a Hedquist Construction project near Poplar Street.

Using evidence gathered from that recording, an arbiter later found Hedquist guilty of committing workplace violence.

Hedquist is the owner of Hedquist Construction, a Casper-based road construction firm. He is accused violating conflict of interest laws by using his position as a councilperson to leverage better road construction deals between his company and the city.

Hedquist faces possible removal from city council.

Patterson could not be reached for comment on Tuesday. In a statement released Tuesday morning, Hedquist says he nor his counsel will comment further on the pending litigation.

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