The chair of the Oklahoma Senate Appropriations Committee announced Wednesday he intends to file legislation revoking power over the state tourism department from the governor following the scandal involving Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt's administration and the Swadley's restaurant chain.
"You can turn on the television, you can pick up a newspaper, you could listen to the radio and know the conflict we've had at [the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department] with the Swadley's contract that is being investigated by the [Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation]," said Sen. Roger Thompson (R-Okemah) in a video message.
Thompson said his proposed legislation would revert the management structure at the tourism department back to a board of commissioners providing oversight, rather than giving the governor direct power over the hiring and firing of the agency's director, a change that was made in 2018.
"We need accountability. We need checks and balances. We are here for one purpose, and that is to protect the taxpayers' money, and right now that is not being done," Thompson said.
The Stitt administration's deal with Swadley's to manage restaurants in state parks has already led to the resignation of state tourism director Jerry Winchester, the cancelation of the contracts, a legislative investigation, and the OSBI's criminal investigation. Lawmakers from both parties have questioned the millions of state dollars given to restaurateur Brent Swadley's business.
Stitt called a press conference in April to announce Winchester's resignation and deny knowing Swadley personally, but then fled the room without taking reporters' questions after reading from a prepared statement.
The House panel investigating the deal called its first witnesses in May. Despite a subpoena, Stitt cabinet secretary and director of the Oklahoma Office of Management and Enterprise Services Steven Harpe did not appear to testify.
The Frontier has reported that Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell personally signed off on $16.7 million in expenses to be paid to Swadley's, at one point okaying a $1.5 million payment without even receiving or reviewing an invoice.