A newly unsealed multicounty grand jury report in Oklahoma discovered mismanagement of tens of millions of {dollars} within the Governor’s Emergency Schooling Reduction Fund (GEER).
The report said that they discovered a “grossly negligent dealing with of federal grant cash” and misspending of $40 million leaving the residents of Oklahoma unable to get the assistance they honestly wanted.
“However, we discover the grossly negligent dealing with of federal grant cash and utter lack of inner controls and oversight over the grant-funded initiatives to be irresponsible, disappointing, and indefensible. What’s extra, the waste and misspending of tens of millions of {dollars} in emergency support was simply preventable. This mismanagement prevented probably the most weak Oklahomans from getting assist they desperately wanted throughout a worldwide pandemic. Residents deserve extra from their Authorities,” the jury mentioned.
Kevin Stitt, governor of Oklahoma, speaks throughout a gathering with U.S. President Donald Trump and governors within the State Eating Room of the White Home in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Thursday, June 18, 2020. (Chris Kleponis by way of Getty Photos)
The report claims there have been different troubling practices and actions, however in the end there was no ample proof to show past an inexpensive doubt {that a} crime was dedicated.
“Though our investigation uncovered deeply troubling practices and actions (and inactions) by the state workplaces, non-state entities, and personal people tasked with establishing and administering the BTG and SIS initiatives, we in the end discover inadequate proof exists to ascertain, past an inexpensive doubt, {that a} crime was dedicated. Nor do we discover willful or corrupt misconduct or willful malfeasance,” the report said.
WASHINGTON STATE DIVERTED $340M IN FEDERAL COVID FUNDS TO IMMIGRANTS, INCLUDING VIA $1,000 CHECKS
A voter fills out his poll throughout early voting at ONEOK Area in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Oct. 30, 2020. (REUTERS/Nick Oxford)
The report highlighted that the grand jury in the end discovered a majority of the problems resulted from the state’s disregard of current administrative safeguards, “EKCO Director’s authorization of all built-in distributors on the platform successfully disregarded all inner management choices supplied by the Firm.”
It went on to level out that in consequence, “no restrict was positioned on the objects households might buy with BTG funds within the first occasion, and no person was monitoring purchases to make sure they complied with program necessities on the again finish. It ought to come as no shock then {that a} large portion of BTG awards—over $1.7 million by the State Auditor’s evaluation—went to the acquisition of things that would not fairly be deemed to serve an emergency academic objective.”
A few of the objects listed have been widespread family luxuries and had nothing to do with the training system.
“Such unallowable purchases included however weren’t restricted to: 817 televisions, 385 watches or smartwatches, 179 doorbell cameras, 174 cell telephones and associated equipment, 71 fridges, 27 Xbox programs, and three Christmas timber. Not solely did using these funds to buy non-education objects breach the State’s responsibility to make sure GEER Fund cash was solely used for pandemic-related emergency academic help, however that cash might have been directed to offer supposed pandemic reduction the place it was truly wanted,” the report said.
DEM STATES, CITIES OVERRUN BY MIGRANTS FUNNELED MILLIONS IN FEDERAL COVID-19 AID TO SUPPORT ILLEGALS
An Oklahoma appeals court docket has agreed to a plan by state Legal professional Basic Gentner Drummond to halve the tempo at which executions are performed. (AP Photograph/Sue Ogrocki, file)
“The State bestowed these people and organizations with management over tens of millions of {dollars} in federal funding with none vetting course of or formal settlement assuring their accountability to the State,” the grand jury mentioned.
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The Oklahoma State Division of Schooling additionally launched a press release on the investigation’s findings.
“Superintendent Walters has prioritized rigorously and effectively utilizing taxpayer funds. Sadly, on this case, the seller concerned didn’t adhere to the identical requirements. Superintendent Walters’s deep dedication to fiscal accountability and taxpayer accountability has been borne out throughout his time as Secretary and now as State Superintendent. Below his management, OSDE has instituted the best requirements to make sure probably the most environment friendly use of taxpayer cash attainable,” the division mentioned.
