The mayor and the Topeka City Council have been squabbling for months over the acquisition of a new police helicopter.

Today, District Attorney Robert Hecht is criticizing the city council for its handling of the matter.

February 20 was the deadline for the DA to show that a legal defense existed to investigate the council for a violation of the Kansas Open Meetings Act. That day came and went, but today a new development: Hecht will move forward with the investigation after more than a month of research, according to a news release from the DA's office.

The council approved the purchase an $800,000 police helicopter via a document called a communication Dec. 4, 2007, which city attorney Brenden Long said the mayor can't veto. The council's action came after Mayor Bill Bunten vetoed a 8-1 vote by city council to buy the helicopter in July 2007.

Hecht investigated whether this communication was even lawful. The city attorney says it was.

But, Hecht says Bunten did have the right to veto the council's communication to buy a new helicopter.

Hecht's news release did not specify when or what charges would be filed against the city, it only said "this office will move as quickly as prudent to fulfill our professional responsibilities and obligations to the law and Topeka's citizens."

Read Hecht's entire news release here (.pdf).