Oklahoma Auditor and Inspector Gary Jones has a message for State Attorney General Mike Hunter who won’t release a state audit of the public trust that handled the buyout of homes at the Tar Creek Superfund site…..Let the Audit Speak for Itself.
It’s the message delivered by Jones in a news release this week in which he also suggested there’s a coverup underway by the attorney general.
“The only issue here is when the prosecutor determines not to proceed—don’t cover up the issue by withholding a public document, paid for with public funds and conducted on behalf of the public,” said Jones.
In his release, Jones said under the state constitution, his office is not an agent of the attorney general and it does not work for the attorney general.
In the audit performed a few years ago, Jones suggested there was criminal wrongdoing by the Lead Impacted Communities Relocation CuzTrust. Then-Attorney General Scott Pruitt declined to prosecutor and would not release the Jones audit. Then when Mike Hunter became attorney general, he too refused to make the audit public.
“The LICRAT audit wasn’t about Scott Pruitt,left-wing environmentalists, Andy Lester or polices,” continued Jones. “As the State Auditor, I have taken the position that the people of our state deserve to know why the LICRAT Board spent over $3.6 million on a project when the cost could have been less than $600,000.”
Jones even suggested that perhaps the attorney general doesn’t understand the audit and might not feel capable of making a criminal case.
“Audits are complicated. Many times, fraud and embezzlement are complicated. Often audits are confusing to a prosecutor who isn’t confident he can sufficiently explain ity to a jury in order to obtain a guilty verdict. As such, muc white-collar crime goes unprosecuted,” said Jones.
“We stand by the courage of our convictions while others cast aspersions on the reputation and integrity of those who favor accountability and transparency.”
Jones is also a candidate for the Republican nomination for Governor.