Mayoral probe sent to Oklahoma Attorney General

TULSA - Tulsa City Councilors are turning to the Oklahoma Attorney General for answers; they want his opinion in the investigation into the mayor's administration.

The findings of a report show Mayor Dewey Bartlett and Chief-of-Staff Terry Simonson may have lied to city councilors about a federal police grant.

"We haven't tried anybody or conducted a criminal hearing or anything like that. We conducted an investigation, we have findings, we just need to know who we're supposed to give them to," Councilor GT Bynum said during a Thursday afternoon meeting.

Chairman Rick Westcott hopes the attorney general can
answer some questions, "One, determine what we as a city council can legally do regarding hiring an outside prosecutor and possibly whether the state attorney general and his office should serve as the outside prosecutor."

That outside prosecutor will then determine if criminal charges should be filed.

Councilors could also pass a resolution waiving the city attorney's conflict-of-interest allowing her to appoint a special prosecutor; a judge or the Tulsa County District Attorney could do the same.

The city will contact the attorney general's office either Friday morning or early next week.

Councilors say they'll wait to make any decisions on administrative or internal actions until after there's a conclusion on the report.