(The Center Square) - An Oklahoma House committee will begin public hearings next month concerning vendor agreements between the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department (OTRD) and Swadley's Bar-B-Q after a report alleged taxpayer funds were misused.
The report released in March by the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency showed excessive spending as a result of the contract. OTRD announced Monday it was terminating its lease contract with the company "due to suspected fraudulent activity and questionable business practices."
House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, announced the committee's formation on Thursday.
"Law enforcement's job is determining if laws were broken," McCall said in a news release. "This committee's job is determining if laws need to change to protect against future abuses of resources by state agencies."
The Oklahoma Bureau of Investigation is probing the contracts at the request of Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater, according to a report in The Oklahoman. Prater has also asked State Auditor Cindy Byrd to investigate the matter.
McCall appointed 15 representatives to the committee, which he said is tasked with getting a 'full explanation for the taxpaying public."
Rep. Ryan Martinez, R-Edmond, is chairing the committee.
"The contract alone reeked from top to bottom, and continuing revelations about the activities surrounding it have been even more troubling," Martinez said in a statement. "There have been too many incomplete, inconsistent answers to legitimate questions about how millions of tax dollars were spent."
Martinez said he is talking with senators about joining them in the investigation.
The committee will subpoena witnesses, Martinez said in a news conference Thursday. When asked if that list would include Gov. Kevin Stitt, Martinez said, "We are going to go where the evidence leads us. If it leads us down that path then we will have that conversation."
Stitt issued a statement after the news conference.
"I have called for more audits than any other governor in state history and welcome the Legislature joining me to protect the taxpayers and shine a light on any kind of corruption or bad actors involved in state government," Stitt said. "The state does business with more than 4,600 companies and I welcome a review of each one to provide maximum transparency for Oklahomans."
Martinez said "it's concerning" that OTRD Executive Director Jerry Winchester still has his job.
"I think there are a lot of things seemed very questionable and a lot of questions need to be asked and answered," Martinez said. "Whether or not Executive Director Winchester is still employed at the Department of Tourism, this committee will ask him to come and we want to hear his side of the story and hear exactly what happened."
The restaurant issued a statement on its Facebook page earlier this week.
"From the beginning, every aspect of the Foggy Bottom Kitchen project has been directed and approved by state officials," the statement said. "We stand by our team and all that we have done to benefit the people of our beautiful state."
via Oklahoma's Center Square News
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