Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett Violated Ethics Code, Report Says

NewsOn6.com & Emory Bryan, News On 6

TULSA, Oklahoma –Tulsa Mayor Dewey has violated two sections of the city's ethics code, according to a report released by the city auditor Thursday.

Read part of the report

The complaint originated with the Tulsa City Council and is just one of the issues between the Council and Mayor.

Last August, then Council Chairman Rick Westcott complained Mayor Bartlett was taking free and personal legal advice from a city contractor, a prominent attorney named Joel Wohlgemuth. He's represented the City for more than decade in all sorts of cases and last year volunteered to represent Bartlett for free.

The ethics complaint was released Thursday by the new city auditor Clift Richards.

5/10/2011 Related Story: City Of Tulsa's New City Auditor Now On The Job

The Auditor found that two ethics violations occurred:

1. The free legal aid gives the appearance of impropriety
2. Mayor Bartlett, in accepting it, leaves the perception there's some influence coming out of the relationship.

The report cleared the Mayor of other claims, concluding there was no city money spent for the mayor's representation and that the Mayor did not conduct city business with contractor while he was being represented. The Auditor also found the Mayor has no financial relationship with Wohlgemuth.

The Auditor also recommended that Bartlett ask the council to approve any donations of legal service and seek the advice of the ethics committee as well to avoid the appearance of impropriety.

2/22/2011 Related Story: Ethics Inquiry Against Tulsa Mayor Continues