Tulsa Mayor's Office: Attorney To Interrupt City Work

By Emory Bryan, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- A spokesman for Mayor Dewey Bartlett says the Mayor's personal attorney, Joel Wohlgemuth, will not represent the City of Tulsa while he is working on behalf of Bartlett.

Wohlgemuth's work for the Mayor, at no cost, has drawn criticism from the City Council because Wohlgemuth works as outside counsel for the City of Tulsa. Wohlgemuth represented the City long before Bartlett took office, and according to Council research, has earned almost $1 million in fees over the last decade.

The Council voted Tuesday to make an ethics complaint against Bartlett over the situation. Bartlett spokesman Lloyd Wright said late Friday that Wohlgemuth will no longer represent the City while he is working as the personal attorney for Bartlett.

8/5/2010  Related Story: Tulsa City Council Approves Ethics Complaint Against Mayor

Whether Wohlgemuth's decision will have any bearing on the ethics complaint, or on the cases he's working on for the City, remains unclear.