LITTLETON, Colo. -- The battle over the Arapahoe County Clerk and Recorder's office was still undeceded Friday afternoon.

Tracy Baker's attorney requested a court order forcing the county to accept the $250,000 bond Baker needs to stay in office. A hearing on that matter was postponed until next week.

County commissioners have voiced concerns that the insurance company did not know about the allegations surrounding Baker before it agreed to insure a public official bond for him.

Baker is accused of financial mismanagement and is part of a sexual harassment complaint that his former deputy has filed against the county. County commissioners have asked him to resign but he has refused, denying any wrongdoing.

Baker's lawsuit, filed Thursday, claims the commissioners maliciously raised the mandatory bond from $10,000 to $250,000 and delayed deciding whether to accept his bond to try to force him from office.

The bond must be approved by Feb. 12 or Baker could face removal from office.

County Attorney Kathryn Schroeder said the lawsuit was premature because the deadline hasn't passed and the commissioners haven't said they won't accept the bond.

Schroeder said it's also unclear whether a judge can order the commissioners to act because state law gives them wide discretion.

State law requires a bond for public officials to protect the county against theft. The commissioners demanded a huge bond for Baker because of the allegations against him.

Baker has secured the bond from State Farm Fire and Casualty. The commissioners said Tuesday they would take a week to review the bond, backing Baker up against the deadline.

Baker's troubles began last year when the commissioners hired a private investigator after a former assistant complained that Baker's affair with his assistant chief deputy, Leesa Sale, created a hostile working environment.

The investigation uncovered allegations that Baker misused public money and cast suspicions on the $20,000 in overtime and bonuses given to Sale.

The commissioners said the investigation also led to discovery of hundreds of sexually explicit e-mails between Baker and Sale, written on county time and computers.

A district court ruling that the e-mails between Baker and Sale should be made public is on hold while Baker appeals the decision.

The commissioners said the e-mails should be released because the public has a right to know what's going on in the clerk's office.

Some of Baker's fellow Arapahoe County Republicans have also urged him to quit. Baker has refused and can't be fired because he is an elected official.

Baker was appointed as clerk in 2000 to fill a vacancy and won election in November.