Oklahoma investigation finds leaders ‘grossly negligent’ in management of pandemic relief funds

A recently unsealed multicounty expansive assemblage study successful Oklahoma recovered mismanagement of millions of dollars successful the Governor's Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER).

The study stated that they recovered a "grossly negligent handling of national assistance money" and misspending of $40 cardinal leaving the citizens of Oklahoma incapable to get the assistance they genuinely needed.

"Nevertheless, we find the grossly negligent handling of national assistance wealth and utter deficiency of interior controls and oversight implicit the grant-funded initiatives to beryllium irresponsible, disappointing, and indefensible. What’s more, the discarded and misspending of millions of dollars successful exigency assistance was easy preventable. This mismanagement prevented the astir susceptible Oklahomans from getting assistance they desperately needed during a planetary pandemic. Citizens merit much from their Government," the assemblage said.

Kevin Stitt, politician of Oklahoma, speaks during a gathering with U.S. President Donald Trump and governors successful the State Dining Room of the White House successful Washington, D.C., U.S., connected Thursday, June 18, 2020. (Chris Kleponis via Getty Images)

The study claims determination were different troubling practices and actions, but yet determination was nary capable grounds to beryllium beyond a reasonable uncertainty that a crime was committed.

"Although our probe uncovered profoundly troubling practices and actions (and inactions) by the authorities offices, non-state entities, and backstage individuals tasked with establishing and administering the BTG and SIS initiatives, we yet find insufficient grounds exists to establish, beyond a tenable doubt, that a transgression was committed. Nor bash we find willful oregon corrupt misconduct oregon willful malfeasance," the study stated.

WASHINGTON STATE DIVERTED $340M IN FEDERAL COVID FUNDS TO IMMIGRANTS, INCLUDING VIA $1,000 CHECKS

A elector fills retired his ballot during aboriginal voting astatine ONEOK Field successful Tulsa, Oklahoma, Oct. 30, 2020. (REUTERS/Nick Oxford)

The study highlighted that the expansive assemblage yet recovered a bulk of the issues resulted from the state's disregard of existing administrative safeguards, "EKCO Director’s authorization of each integrated vendors connected the level efficaciously disregarded each interior power options offered by the Company." 

It went connected to constituent retired that arsenic a result, "no bounds was placed connected the items families could acquisition with BTG funds successful the archetypal instance, and cipher was monitoring purchases to guarantee they complied with programme requirements connected the backmost end. It should travel arsenic nary astonishment past that a monolithic information of BTG awards—over $1.7 cardinal by the State Auditor’s assessment—went to the acquisition of items that could not reasonably beryllium deemed to service an exigency acquisition purpose."

Some of the items listed were communal household luxuries and had thing to bash with the acquisition system.

"Such unallowable purchases included but were not constricted to: 817 televisions, 385 watches oregon smartwatches, 179 doorbell cameras, 174 compartment phones and related accessories, 71 refrigerators, 27 Xbox systems, and 3 Christmas trees. Not lone did the usage of these funds to acquisition non-education items breach the State’s work to guarantee GEER Fund wealth was lone utilized for pandemic-related exigency acquisition assistance, but that wealth could person been directed to supply intended pandemic alleviation wherever it was really needed," the study stated.

DEM STATES, CITIES OVERRUN BY MIGRANTS FUNNELED MILLIONS IN FEDERAL COVID-19 AID TO SUPPORT ILLEGALS

An Oklahoma appeals tribunal has agreed to a program by authorities Attorney General Gentner Drummond to halve the gait astatine which executions are conducted. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, file)

"The State bestowed these individuals and organizations with power implicit millions of dollars successful national backing without immoderate vetting process oregon ceremonial statement assuring their accountability to the State," the expansive assemblage said.

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The Oklahoma State Department of Education besides released a connection connected the investigation's findings.

"Superintendent Walters has prioritized cautiously and efficiently utilizing payer funds. Unfortunately, successful this case, the vendor progressive did not adhere to the aforesaid standards. Superintendent Walters's heavy committedness to fiscal work and payer accountability has been borne retired during his clip arsenic Secretary and present arsenic State Superintendent. Under his leadership, OSDE has instituted the highest standards to guarantee the astir businesslike usage of payer wealth possible," the section said.