Iowa Capital Dispatch
June 9, 2026
The Attorney Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Iowa has sanctioned a former attorney for the City of Davenport for allegedly withholding information from select city aldermen.
Former Davenport City Attorney Thomas D. Warner violated professional ethics rules by excluding elected officials from critical financial settlement discussions and also by acting without authorization from the full Davenport City Council, the board recently concluded.
The board’s order of public reprimand states that, as the city’s attorney, Warner had intentionally communicated only with select city council members, opting to exclude others from settlement discussions before entering into agreements exceeding $50,000 without obtaining the approval that’s required by law.
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The board noted that the “consequences of this conduct were significant,” in that a district court later determined that two of the settlements were unauthorized and void.
“Your actions contributed to additional litigation and undermined the validity of the agreements entered on behalf of your client,” the board stated in its decision.
In its letter of reprimand, the board noted that Warmer explained his actions by stating that he believed certain members of the Davenport City Council had conflicts of interest related to the settlements because they were “identified in the underlying allegations.”
The board indicated the proper course of action would have been for Warner to advise the full council of those potential conflicts and let the council members themselves determine whether to participate in the decision-making process involving the settlements.
The settlements involved employees who alleged they faced workplace harassment while employed by the city. Former City Administrator Corri Spiegel received a $1.6 million settlement, while two former executive assistants, Samantha Torres and Tiffany Thorndike, received settlements that totaled roughly $300,000.
Last year, a district court judge ruled that the Torres and Thorndike agreements were unlawful, but upheld the $1.6 million settlement with Spiegel.
Warner served as the city’s attorney from 2007 until his retirement in 2024. The Iowa Capital Dispatch was unable to reach Warner for comment.
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Iowa Capital Dispatch is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Iowa Capital Dispatch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Kathie Obradovich for questions: info@iowacapitaldispatch.com.
