Tulsa City Councilor Jim Mautino
When Jim Mautino announced his candidacy for Tulsa City Councilor he said he wanted to serve the citizens of Tulsa, Oklahoma.
So the voters of Tulsa's District 6 elected him.
At the time it probably sounded like a good idea. Of course the voters did not have a clue as to how Mr. Mautino would ultimately serve them.
Now they do.
On May 26, 2005 Tulsa City Councilor Jim Mautino served Tulsans with a $6,000 law suit.
Councilor Mautino claims in his lawsuit that he is owed the money for attorney fees which he incurred as a result of a lawsuit by a local bank. A bank which sued not only the City of Tulsa but several City Councilors individually for the councilors' alleged failure to abide by the law regarding the approval of a controversial plat for a branch bank.
The bank's lawsuit was originally filed in Tulsa County District Court but at the behest of Councilors Mautino and Medlock was moved to federal court where it was ultimately settled. The Tulsa City Council on a subsequent vote approved the plat, although Councilors Mautino, Medlock and Turner walked-out on the vote, as they are prone to do frequently when thing are not going their way.
Regarding Councilor Mautino's lawsuit against the City of Tulsa, City Attorney, Alan Jackere, was quoted in the local media as stating:
From what I'm hearing, $6,000 is a lot of money to have done nothing other than remove the case to federal court.
Tulsa District 6 voters may wish to take into account how Councilor Mautino served them when he faces a special Recall Election on July 12.
Links of Interest:
Reprint of Tulsa World Report on Mautino's LawsuitBank's Lawsuit Against Mautino and Others
Mautino's Lawsuit Against Tulsans
