Albany County District Attorney David Soares says he'll be returning additional payment he received late last year, following scrutiny from lawmakers.

The decision comes after Assemblymember Phil Steck, a fellow Democrat, accused Soares of using his position for personal gain.

A letter from three members of the Albany County Legislature says the district attorney's office paid Soares more than $22,000 out of an aid-to-prosecution program, and another $1,500 out of a discovery reform grant. They cite a memo from an outside law firm suggesting those payments were not permitted under the county charter, as the legislature would have had to pass a local law approving them.

The district attorney's office released a video statement from Soares on Sunday, defending the legitimacy of the payments. However, in a second update Monday night, Soares announced he would be giving the money back.

County lawmakers are asking Soares to answer their questions publicly later this month at a joint committee meeting.