IN A STATE FAMILAR WITH POLITICAL SCANDAL, EPIC MAY BE THE BIGGEST!

 Weekly Opinion Editorial

A THING OR TWO ABOUT SCANDALS!

by Steve Fair

     Oklahoma has a population of 4 million people- 1.2% of the total U.S. population- but when it comes to political scandals, the Sooner state has more than their fair share.  Just 11 governors have been impeached in U.S. history across all 50 states.  Oklahoma has removed 2- Henry Johnston and Jack Walton, both in the 1920s.  Corruption hasn’t been limited to governors.

     In 1965, three Oklahoma Supreme Court justices- Nelson Corn, N.B. Johnson, and Earl Welch- took a $200,000 bribe to reverse a tax claim against an investment company.  They were impeached and removed from office.  In 1975, former Governor David Hall was convicted of extortion in federal court shortly after leaving office and served 19 months of a 3-year sentence.   

      In the early 1980s, Oklahoma became the state with the most elected officials ever convicted of a felony in a single scandal.  When it was all over, federal prosecutors had gained convictions of more than 200 people.  110 of the states 231 incumbent county commissioners and 55 former ones were involved in the kickback scheme.  60 of the state’s 77 counties were involved.  Millions of tax payer dollars were stolen and the state’s secondary infrastructure has never recovered. 

     In the 1980s, a state corporation commissioner, Bob Hopkins and a Southwestern Bell attorney were convicted and sentenced in federal court of bribery.   Current Corporation Commissioner Bob Anthony courageously cooperated with the FBI to help expose Hopkins’ corruption, which cost ratepayers millions.  Hopkins wasn’t the first Oklahoma corporation commissioner removed from office.  A.P. Watkins was kicked out in 1915.    

     In 2000, the federal government found corruption at the Oklahoma health department.  A multicounty grand jury found cases of ghost employees on the payroll.  They were primarily people Democrat legislators had used their influence to get on the public dole without performing any work, costing Oklahoma taxpayers millions. 

     The Oklahoma tax commission had a trucking tax scandal in 2003.  In 2004, Insurance Commissioner Carroll Fisher, a Democrat, resigned from office after being charged with embezzlement and perjury.   He wasn’t the first Okie insurance commissioner to be removed from office- Parry Ballard was, back in 1913. 

     In 2008, State Auditor Jeff McMahan, a Democrat, and his wife Lori were convicted in federal court of taking more than $100,000 in illegal campaign contributions.  McMahan served eight years in federal prison.  He wasn’t the first auditor to get booted out- Leo Meyer was back in 1913.

   In 2009, former state representative Mike Mass, a past chair of the state Democratic Party, was sentenced to two years in federal prison for taking kickbacks to divert millions in taxpayer dollars to a gambling machine company and a non-existent dog food production facility.  

     In 2021, Epic Charter Schools repaid state taxpayers $20 million dollars after State Auditor Cindy Byrd’s audit uncovered Epic’s misappropriation of monies from the state legislature.  Byrd has called the misuse the ‘Enron of Education.’ 

    On Thursday, the OSBI concluded their six-year investigation into Epic and on Friday, Oklahoma attorney general John O’Connor said he was turning prosecution over to Oklahoma county DA David Prater.  Three observations:

     First, O’Connor shouldn’t have punted to Prater.  The responsibility of the state AG is to ensure state laws are followed, not dropkick it to a local D.A.  The former operators of Epic, who are under investigation, are politically connected, and have made thousands of dollars of political contributions to candidates- mostly Republican- to keep the money flowing.    Handling a scandal of this magnitude is the responsibility of the AG, not the local DA.

     Second, Oklahoma officials have a history of punting.  Most of the scandals cited above were uncovered and prosecuted by the federal government.  Local Oklahoma officials have historically turned a blind eye to corruption by their fellow state elected officials.  It takes courage to go after people you know, but if an elected official doesn’t have the iron rail up the shirt tail, perhaps they should go home. 

     Third, Oklahoma taxpayers are the real victims in a political scandal.  Oklahoma’s secondary roads and infrastructure is in the shape it’s in because the state had crooked politicians and people who were funding them.  They stole tax dollars to line their own pockets.  Kickbacks, bribes, and payola by elected officials have a long history in Oklahoma. Preventing, exposing and stopping corruption should be the job of every elected official.  Oklahomans should elect people they can turn their back on.  

     Epic Charter School’s misuse of millions of tax dollars is the biggest political scandal in the history of a state that knows a thing or two about political scandals. Taxpayers should demand those responsibility be brought to justice.  It should be the highest priority of the leadership in the state, not treated as unremarkable.  After all, it’s our money!