Tulsa City Council To Pursue Ethics Inquiry Against Mayor

By Emory Bryan, The News on 6

TULSA, OK -- The Tulsa City Council is considering making an ethics complaint against Mayor Dewey Bartlett and his Chief of Staff Terry Simonson. The inquiry would be handled by City Auditor Preston Doerflinger.

The Council completed an investigation of Bartlett and Simonson that could have resulted in city charges of lying to the council, but the City Prosecutor recused himself from the case, leaving the prosecution dormant without anyone to pursue it. The ethics complaint would be handled separately.

The City Council is looking into whether it can appoint a special prosecutor to pursue city charges, while attorneys for Bartlett and Simonson argue the council doesn't have that authority.

City Councilor Chris Trail placed the ethics item on the Council agenda for Thursday night.

7/16/2010 Related Story: Tulsa Mayor, City Council Chairman Exchange Barbs