Delaware treasurer cleared of harassment claim

DOVER, Del. -- Delaware state Treasurer Chip Flowers has been cleared of accusations that he harassed his former deputy.

Dover police spokesman Mark Hoffman says investigators cleared Flowers after looking into a claim that he had harassed former Deputy Treasurer Erika Benner with unwanted texts and phone calls.

Benner filed the harassment complaint after an encounter between Flowers and her 16-year-old son as the treasurer was waiting to participate in Dover's Fourth of July parade.

Flowers denied harassing Benner and gave investigators several text messages showing that she repeatedly contacted him after complaining that he was harassing her.

Flowers dropped his re-election bid a week after the harassment claim was filed, saying he was tired of fending off false accusations regarding Benner. Benner resigned last year after repeatedly misusing her state credit card.