OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The workplace of Oklahoma’s new legal professional normal confirmed Monday that it’s going to take over two separate legal investigations into alleged misuse of public funds at state businesses, together with the tourism division’s contract with a barbecue restaurant.
A legal probe into the barbecue deal involving the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department and a separate corruption investigation on the Commissioners of the Land Office will probably be transferred from the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office to the workplace of Attorney General Gentner Drummond.
Former Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater requested the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to look into each issues final 12 months. An OSBI spokesperson confirmed Monday that each investigations are ongoing. The switch of the investigations was first reported by the net news group The Frontier.
“This case includes allegations of fraud involving millions of dollars in taxpayer funds,” Drummond stated in regards to the investigation right into a multimillion-dollar contract between the Tourism Department and Swadley’s Bar-B-Q to renovate and rebrand eating places at state parks. “The Office of Attorney General is the appropriate entity to determine if the findings merit prosecution and, if they do, to prosecute any wrongdoers. One of my top priorities in this office is to end the culture of corruption and scandal.”
A state watchdog agency told state lawmakers last year that under the contract, the state agreed to subsidize the restaurant’s financial losses, which ultimately cost the state $2.1 million, and pay the restaurant management fees of $1.34 million. In addition, the restaurant company served as the general contractor overseeing the construction and charged the state management and consulting fees on virtually every invoice that ranged from 5% to as much as 35%.
Officials with Swadley’s Bar-B-Q have denied wrongdoing.
In the investigation into the Commissioners of the Land Office, the Tulsa World newspaper reported that the CLO’S secretary, Elliot Chambers, fired the agency’s internal auditor after she questioned him about his personal investment relationship with Victorum Capital, which was being paid by the CLO as a consultant on investments. Chambers later resigned.
Both the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department and the Commissioners of the Land Office were headed by officials selected by Gov. Kevin Stitt. Drummond, a Republican, defeated Stitt’s handpicked Attorney General John O’Connor in a GOP primary last year.
“Governor Stitt fully supports the continuation of these investigations he called for to ensure taxpayers are protected and looks forward to the continued impartiality of the investigations to uphold the rule of law and shine a light on corruption in state government,” Stitt spokesperson Carly Atchison said in a statement.
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