Four Norman lawmakers released a joint statement Thursday thanking Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond for requesting the state auditor and inspector’s office to open an investigative audit of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority.
The OTA announced its 15-year, $5 billion long-range transportation plan ACCESS Oklahoma in February 2022. Drummond wrote in a letter Wednesday to State Auditor Cindy Byrd he heard concerns regarding the authority from legislators, community leaders, residents and state employees.
“These concerns include but are not limited to improper transfers between the OTA and the Department of Transportation; improper contracting and purchasing practices; and inadequate internal financial controls,” Drummond wrote.
In the statement from Sen. Mary Boren (D-Norman), Rep. Jacob Rosecrants (D-Norman), Rep. Annie Menz (D-Norman) and Rep. Jared Deck (D-Norman), Boren wrote OTA’s turnpike plans threaten homes, wildlife, fair and reliable funding for roads and the Norman community.
Drummond cited a December 2022 ruling against the OTA in an Open Meeting Act lawsuit filed by 246 Cleveland County residents. Associate District Court Judge Timothy Olsen ruled that the authority had “willfully violated” the act in meetings on Jan. 25 and Feb. 22, 2022 where ACCESS was first publicly discussed.
“Such a blatant disregard for openness and transparency suggests to me a willingness to engage in any manner of unlawful conduct,” Drummond wrote.
Rosecrants wrote the audit will increase accountability and transparency from OTA and the entire state government.
“While I agree that we need to improve roads and transportation systems in our state, I also know that Oklahomans deserve to have a collaborative and proactive voice in projects that will drastically affect their lives and businesses,” Rosecrants wrote.
Menz wrote OTA failed to consider the concerns of the Oklahomans that the proposed turnpike routes would affect. She wrote the issue is non-partisan and invited all Oklahoma lawmakers to work together.
Tassie Hirschfeld, lead plaintiff in the Open Meeting Act lawsuit, said she was thrilled to see the audit request and was impressed by Drummond’s decision, believing that the legal team that represented the plaintiffs unearthed evidence of “bad behavior” from the OTA.
“(Drummond) actually recognizes that there's a problem here,” Hirshfeld said. “We need more information to fully understand the problem and figure out a good response, and that's what an audit is supposed to do.”
Stan Ward, lead attorney for the plaintiffs, wrote in a statement to the OU Daily that his clients are “heartened” to see Drummond shares their concerns in regard to the OTA.
“We are optimistic that when all is said and done, Auditor Byrd and her team will ferret out the truth of what appears to be an empire of crony capitalism, secrecy and mismanagement,” Ward wrote.
Ward and his co-counsel, Richard Larbarthe and Alexey Tarasov, also represented the Open Meeting Act plaintiffs in a qui tam lawsuit that seeks to recover $57 million in money paid to 12 engineering firms under contracts ruled invalided by the willful violations.
OU Daily reached out to the OTA for comment but did not receive by the publication's deadlines.
This story was edited by Karoline Leonard and Jazz Wolfe.
