Sidran's Suit Secures Sorry Depositions In $1.6MM Davenport Giveaway

Three days of depositions in Sidran v. Davenport were concluded at the end of September (the depositions were supposed to occur on September 15, 2025, but the city stalled it out for another week). This lawsuit was filed because the city of Davenport deliberately withheld the “Spiegel Demand Letter” from numerous legitimate FOIA requests for approximately 300 days in violation of Iowa Code Chapter 22 and the Belin v. Reynolds Iowa Supreme Court ruling. I was one of the people that put in a Freedom of Information Act request for the Spiegel Demand Letter. Rather than give me the letter, as required by law (Iowa Code Chapter 22), the city of Davenport sued me to hide the letter. I defended myself, won in court, and the judge ruled that the Spiegel Demand Letter is a public record.

If you are unaware of the Spiegel Demand Letter (also known as the $1.60MM Nothing Burger as reported on the cover of the May 2024 River Cities' Reader), here is a summary: Davenport City Administrator Corri Spiegel on September 15, 2023, wrote a letter to Davenport Mayor Matson and the Davenport City Council demanding $2.5 million plus other benefits including health insurance and free college tuition. You can find the actual letter at RCReader.com/y/spiegel1. Eventually, Spiegel would be paid $1.6 million dollars plus health insurance and free college tuition.

Those deposed were current city council members Gripp, Jobgen, T. Dunn, R. Dunn, Meginnis, Mayor Matson, and former city council members Condon and Dickman.

All eight current and former elected officials testified, under oath, during their depositions, that they had not seen nor read the Spiegel Demand Letter until I acquired it and made it public by releasing it to the media approximately one year after the Spiegel payoff.

All eight current and former elected officials testified, under oath, during their depositions, that they never requested a copy of the Spiegel Demand Letter.

In other words, elected Davenport officials gave away $1.6 million to Corri Spiegel without knowing the contents of the Spiegel Demand Letter (the allegations). They simply gave away the city's money with no idea as to why.

I have asked my attorney if I can release the videos of the depositions. He replied:

“I am not aware of any protective order in place in this case. Nor am I aware of any rule that would prohibit the dissemination of these videos. I looked up the local rules for the Seventh Judicial District, and I did not see anything.” Consequently, I am releasing the videos of these depositions. You may watch the videos yourself at RCReader.com/y/depositions.

Jobgen deposition

Matson deposition

Gripp deposition