Wichita Mayor won't face charges over gifts he received

(KWCH)
Published: Oct. 18, 2019 at 11:02 AM CDT
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Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett says he will not file charges against Wichita Mayor Jeff Longwell over gifts the mayor received from companies involved in building the city's new water treatment plant.

Bennett said he has asked Longwell to report gifts he received in the past from Professional Engineering Consultants and Wildcat Constructors. The Wichita Eagle has reported Longwell received hundreds of thousands of dollars in gifts such as meals, travel and golf outings from the companies while the bid for the water plant was under consideration.

Bennett said Thursday he didn't pursue changes because state law doesn't clearly define what constitutes "financial interactions" between local office holders and the public.

Longwell has said the presidents of the two companies are friends and their golf outings and dinners were not related to city business.

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