One local political blogger says the only way to fairly investigate allegations of favoritism at City Hall is for Mayor Dewey Bartlett, Jr. to stay hands-off.

Michael Bates has published e-mails on his website between Vickie Beyer and Chief of Staff Terry Simonson. Beyer is the director of the city's Management Review Office. She was appointed by Bartlett to serve on an internal panel to determine whether allegations are true that Simonson used his position as pressure to get his son a spot in the Tulsa Fire Academy.

Simonson and Fire Chief Allen LaCroix are on administrative leave while an internal and external panel investigate the allegations.

The e-mails are dated from November and December 2010 and were obtained as part of an open records request, according to Bates.

As to the content, says Bates, "In one e-mail she (Beyers) refers to herself as the 'president of the fan club' referring to Simonson. There's a kind of mutual admiration going on." He says an e-mail to Beyers from Simonson praises her as the logical candidate for her current position in the Office of Management Review.

Bates explained his position to us Wednesday, one day after Bartlett called a news conference the mayor said was to show transparency in the investigation.

"It's the type of issue the public's interested in and they need to be given current information on how it's progressing," said Bartlett at the news conference.

Bates says there are more fundamental problems with Bartlett being involved.

"Since all these people are appointed by Mayor Bartlett to serve on this committee, ultimately anything that makes Terry Simonson look bad is gonna make Dewey Bartlett, Jr. look bad. It's really not an objective setup to begin with."

Bates offered what he believes is a good solution to the situation.

"Really what should happen is the mayor should be hands-off. The auditor ought to look into this matter since he is an independently elected official."

We asked Bates if, in light of the dismissal of Simonson friend Dick Cagle from the committee and in light of the afore mentioned e-mails, the mayor's internal panel could be fair. He reiterrated.

"Any panel appointed by Mayor Dewey Bartlett, Jr. is not going to be objective."

He says the mayor has already reached his own conclusion.

"The mayor has already come out and more or less said that expects the conclusion of the investigation to be one that exonorates Simonson and allows him to get back to work."

The e-mails have been made public through Bates' blog site.