UPDATED: Seattle Councilman McIver accused of ethics breach

The Seattle Ethics Board accused City Councilman Richard McIver of breaking the city's ethics laws for awarding a no-bid contract to a friend's company just weeks after staying in the friend's Virgin Islands condominium, according to a report from the Seattle Times.

McIver awarded a consulting contract to the firm of Griffin, Hill and Associates, a firm that had just hired his friend Joann Francis, who owns the Caribbean condo where McIver had stayed.

Wayne Barnett, the executive director of the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission, said these "were activities that would cause a reasonable person to believe that his independence of judgment was impaired," despite the fact that Griffin, Hill and Associates was qualified to do the work. McIver vehemently denies any wrongdoing.

"These charges are frivolous and totally without merit," McIver said in a statement proclaiming his innocence. "The council standards and existing contracting procedures were followed to the letter in this case, and the contract was authorized by the council president."

This is the third public hiccup for the City Councilman. Last year McIver was charged with assault, charges which were later dropped, in a domestic dispute. He also had to pay a $200 fine to the Ethics Board after an inappropriate lunch with former Gov. Al Rosselini who was lobbying to change strip club zoning laws.

UPDATE: Erica Barnett at The Stranger points out that Francis is not merely a friend, she was also McIver's attorney during his assualt case last year.