Oklahoma Watchdog, editor

Posted: August 31, 2010

andrew@oklahomawatchdog.org

OKLAHOMA CITY — As we noted here at Oklahoma Watchdog a week or so ago, the pharmacy chain Walgreens has been aggressively pushing this season’s combined seasonal/H1N1 flu vaccine. This, after 2009′s swine-flu scare that resulted in tons of vaccine that was left to rot in warehouses, resulting in lost revenue for vaccine manufacturers and others who profit off of health-related scaremongering.

And while reading USA Today this morning I couldn’t help but notice the full-page Walgreens ad on 7A where a “mom” says she is arming herself for the ones she loves, saying, “I got a flu shot for my daughter.” That last part was underlined in the ad.

And now we see there is a strong effort afoot to make vaccine mandatory for health workers. As a Los Angeles Times story reported today that hospital chains are increasingly forcing employees to get vaccines or lose their job. The State of New York is working on a plan to make state health workers get the jab.

Notes the LAT: “Most studies suggest that healthcare workers should be vaccinated to help stop the spread of flu. But surveys show a sizable portion of people who work in hospitals, clinics and doctor’s offices don’t want to get an annual flu shot. According to a Rand Corp survey issued last year, 39% of healthcare professionals said they would not get a flu vaccine, even with the threat of pandemic flu.

What the story fails to explain is why these health workers are refusing to get the vaccines.

Could it be that these health workers and increasing numbers of people are educating themselves about the ingredients of these vaccines and deciding they don’t want these “nasties” in their bodies, ranging from viruses to squalene to mercury?

Note this Prison Planet article released this week headlined “Vaccine deaths and injuries skyrocket as cover-up implodes.” The story, written by Paul Joseph Watson, references a new Rasmussen poll that says over half – 52 percent – of Americans are concerned about the safety of vaccines.

There are already reports in countries like India where deaths have been reported following swine-flu vaccines. Will that happen here in the U.S. once people begin getting their annual jab, which includes the seasonal and H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine?

We will be staying on this story throughout flu season and beyond.

Copyright 2010 Oklahoma Watchdog

Oklahoma Watchdog, editor

Posted: August 31, 2010

andrew@oklahomawatchdog.org

OKLAHOMA CITY — This Thursday, the Office of the State Auditor and Inspector is scheduled to release the final report on the audit of the Broken Arrow Public Schools.

As the Tulsa World noted today, “According to a draft of the final version of the audit obtained by teh Tulsa World, former Broken Arrow school officials circumvented state competitive-bidding laws to steer nearly $3.2 million in business to Air Assurance, a heating and air-conditioning vendor.”

Adds the World: “The report also details instances in which city officials intervened in police and fire investigations involving the school.”

The story, which has been in the media spotlight, off and on, since April ’09, seems to get murkier and murkier and people are asking if ther has been a cover-up on the part of many individuals close to the case and perhaps at higher levels of state government.

This week, Oklahoma Watchdog spoke with Gary Jones, the Republican candidate seeking to replace Burrage, a Democrat from Antlers, in November.

Jones, of Cache,  told Oklahoma Watchdog that he can’t understand why it took Burrage so long to release the Broken Arrow audit, particularly in light of Burrage’s busy travel schedule and the time it took to refurbish the Auditor’s office in the months after Burrage replaced the disgraced former Auditor Jeff McMahan.

“That school system (Broken Arrow) is in an uproar because he hasn’t done his job,” Jones said. “Emotions are high.”

“Burrage is not in charge,” added Jones. “He is more worried about the image of the office.”

“He doesn’t have a sense of urgency,” noted Jones. “He’s more about self-promotion than about accomplishing the goal.”

Trey Davis, spokesman for the Auditor’s office said in an email, sent to Oklahoma Watchdog, that Burrage’s office wanted to make certain all aspects of the audit were included in the final version, which will be released in two days.

Writes Davis: “The audit wasn’t delayed. There was no established timeline and we would never release an audit report haphazardly. The audit took the time the audit took to ensure every aspect was verified, re-verified, cross-referenced and supported by documentation. The audit was still undergoing review into July. We had hoped to meet with members of the Broken Arrow School Board in July, but it was our understanding that one or more of the board members were unavailable and out of town.”

Davis continued: “We are very methodical and careful in the final report of any audit. These audits have the potential to impact peoples’ lives – sometimes negatively – and we bear the responsibility to make sure they are accurate. I believe Oklahomans expect nothing less.”

“I welcome a debate with Burrage at any place and at any time,” Jones said.

Note the Oklahoma Watchdog story from Aug. 14, 2010 – “Burrage’s ‘conviction’ claims don’t match the record.”

Copyright 2010 Oklahoma Watchdog

Oklahoma Watchdog, editor

Posted: August 22, 2010

andrew@oklahomawatchdog.org

OKLAHOMA CITY — It was last month that long-time Oklahoma resident Wayne Rohde left his home in Edmond and took his family to Minneapolis, Minn. where he and his wife Robyne could get the sort of help that their autistic son Nick needs – help that was not available in Oklahoma.

Rohde is a passionate advocate of Nick’s Law, which was legislation a couple of years ago that looked to require insurance companies to cover health care services related to autism.

Although he is now in Minnesota and getting the kind of care there that he could not here, Rohde is following the issue back here in Oklahoma.

As Rohde noted in a recent press release, “There are 21 states that have passed similar legislation (to Nick’s Law, which failed here) and with New York waiting for their governor’s signature, that will make 22 states. Most of these states see insurance coverage for autism and other special needs conditions as a fiscally conservative approach to health care, a true pro-life position, and the morally responsible thing to do.”

This past week, Rohde spoke to Oklahoma Watchdog about his battles with the legislature and the seeming disinterest in the subject by the incumbent Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland. That said, Rohde noted that he has received some interest in support of Nick’s Law, or legislation like it, from the two Republican insurance commissioner candidates John Doak and John Crawford.

“John Crawford and John Doak reached out to me – Doak yesterday and Crawford last week — and they said they want to talk about Nick’s Law and autism. Doak inquired as to whether there were any other options. It was interesting.”

Rohde said that Doak has come out publicly against insurance mandates. And he noted that the anti-big-government Tea Partiers that surround Doak will “give him hell” if he comes out in support of a mandate.

“I was pleasantly surprised,” Rohde said of Doak’s support. “The thing is that when you start getting into (the topic of Nick’s Law) and anybody sits down with myself or any other family with autistic children, they begin to realize there’s some merit to this. There’s a lot of merit to it. I’ve been promoting this as a conservative approach to health care.”

Contacted by Oklahoma Watchdog, Doak, man with over 20 years experience in the insurance field,  said he is indeed against mandates but that he does want to analyze all the options out here.

“I’m not afraid to look at this,” Doak said. “I don’t like mandates … but I want to look at what has been done in other states and come up with a plan of my own.”

Doak noted that his own daughter, who is now 14, has had three open-heart surgeries and understands what it is like to “navigate the minefield of health care.”

“As Wayne outlined to me, my focus is to get by Tuesday. Then I want to sit down and do an analysis and do a dialogue with these companies and say if you’re offering this in Minnesota and it’s not a mandate, why can’t we do that here?” Doak said. “(Wayne Rohde) tells me that in Minnesota there are some things that have been done that are not mandates. I’m interested to learn how they have accomplished this.”

“I am running a campaign on ideas … on one that will address issues that affects families like Wayne’s,” he said. “I’ve been in over 50 counties in Oklahoma, individuals are seeking a candidate who will address the needs of people in Oklahoma and as a regulator, use that to the advantage of the people.”

Added Doak: “This is a need Oklahomans have. When it affects kids, we need to understand what we can do.”

Rohde appreciates Doak’s candor and his compassion, particularly in light of his daughter’s health issues. Rohde said that often autism is covered, mandate or not, because lawmakers in other state’s have been personally affected by a health issue, usually affecting a child they know.

Crawford, meanwhile, talked to Oklahoma Watchdog on Sunday evening and said that he had talked to Rohde a few weeks ago and was “really impressed” with the information that Rohde had presented to him.

“He had some really interesting data,” Crawford said. “He has some actuarial studies that gives some strong indications it’s an affordable benefit.”

Crawford said Rohde has “the best unique approach for the long run. He’s talking about going down the road 20 years from now and allowing these people to be viable members of society.”

Noting that the information was “timely,” Crawford, an actuary, said he is encouraged, if elected, to work on the information he has received and then bring it forward to the insurance companies.

“If the numbers come up and it’s reasonable, let’s look at it,” Crawford said. “That’s the fair approach.”

As Rohde explains it, a “social net” needs to be available to families and that if the insurance companies would work with the state on a specific “insurance model,” and develop a network of providers, “the free market takes over.”

An increasing number of states are addressing insurance coverage for autism. He said they realized that eventually these children will grow up and be adults and require more state services. Why not, Rohde said, have the states like Oklahoma mandate the coverage and get these afflicted children the help they need before it worsens over time, particularly before the economy sours any more than it already has.

“If we don’t address this issue, we will have thousands of kids in Oklahoma who will grow up and rely on caregivers,” Rohde said. “The first big wave will hit ina couple of years. They’re going ‘ding, ding, ding’ and require more services and taxpayers pick up the tab.”

Continuing, Rohde said, “Jails will fill, health institutions in the state will be full … more homeless people.”

That is where Doak and Crawford come in. Both men, Rohde said, “were aghast at the underbelly of what has happened” in regards to Nick’s Law and how his family and other Oklahoma families with autistic children have been treated.

“The past three years at the Capitol we have tried to pass Nick’s Law. We have been hit by procedural rules in the House designed to shut us down specifically. In the 2009 legislative session we got a committee hearing the first day of session.” Rohde said this was simply a tactic which would get it out of the way – a “Do Not Pass” motion meant for Nick’s Law.

“It was designed to hit us and stop us. Rep. Kris Steele made sure everybody voted the correct way,” Rohde said with a tinge of bitterness in his voice.

Rohde is frustrated he had to leave friends and family in Oklahoma and make a new home in a new state. He said the change has been difficult for Nick, who requires a routine. Nevertheless Minnesota is an “autistic-friendly” state and Nick is getting the help he needs.

“A legislative mandate is not socialism,” Rohde said. “It’s telling the insurance company that ‘you must cover it.’ Free market health care takes over because insurance companies go out and find qualified therapists and set their own rates.”

Asked why the insurance companies are against these mandates – Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Illinois, New Mexico and Texas all have mandates – Rohde said the insurance companies have a monopoly and “they are free and clear to do what they want.”

Rohde said that in March 2010 SoonerPoll.com poll, three questions were asked about “the diagnosis and treatment of autism.” 79.5 percent of respondents supported health insurance to cover diagnosis and treatment of children with autism. Another question revealed that over half of respondents would “oppose” a candidate who was against such insurance coverage and in the final question, 67 percent supported “a state ballot initiative to make a law requiring health insurance to cover diagnosis and treatment of children with autism.”

Clearly, Oklahomans desire the goals Wayne Rohde and his family are seeking. Additionally, it is interesting to see that both Republican insurance commissioner candidates have sought more information on the subject and appear supportive of Rohde’s efforts, despite efforts by some conservative activists to stop Nick’s Law and related legislation.

“I told Doak and Crawford that the reason the costs (for insurance coverage) were not as high is that you want to throw as much as you can at them and scale it down as they get older. Highly-functional Asberger’s kids may not need (coverage),” he said, noting that “autism is a spectrum disorder and has different degrees of severity.”

Rohde points to the influential Oklahoma Conservative Political Action Committee, led by Charlie Meadows. Rohde said that he has attended some of their group meetings and has spoken before OCPAC, the group that endorsed John Doak.

“If you want to have a true conversation about (Nick’s Law), distance yourself from Charlie Meadows,” Rohde said, noting that at a meeting where he discussed the issue, Meadows allegedly told Rohde “why don’t you move to another state.” Rohde said he retorted, “Hey, your group isn’t getting any younger.”

“Charlie’s a nice guy, but when he get into the meeting he likes to dominate,” Rohde said, adding, “He can’t be a dominant player because he has very narrow views.”

Interestingly, Mark Croucher, the Tulsa Republican who came in third in the Insurance Commissioner’s race, was on “The Scott Mitchell Show” this weekend on KOCD 103.7 FM and when asked by this reporter about mandating health insurance for autistic children, he said he opposes mandates but sees other options as viable.

Croucher, by the way, has endorsed Crawford, saying, that “Crawford has the actual experience” when it comes up between a matchup of Holland against either Crawford or Doak.

Rohde compliments Sen. Jay Paul Gumm (D-Durant) and Rep. Mike Brown (D-Tahlequah), two Oklahoma legislators who have championed Nick’s Law.

Back to Doak and Crawford, Rohde said both men “are interested genuinely” and that he hopes when it comes to the weeks and months leading up to the Nov. 2 general election that this discussion about Nick’s Law and mandated coverage will come up in the race.

“I’m simply asking them to have a discussion and an open debate about it,” Rohde said. “This issue is not going away. Oklahoma has to address it.”

Copyright 2010 Oklahoma Watchdog

Oklahoma Watchdog, editor

Posted: August 19, 2010

andrew@oklahomawatchdog.org

OKLAHOMA CITY — Wayne Madsen, the unflappable investigative reporter who inspired this website’s research into Schlumberger’s “mud logs” as connected to the doomed BP Deepwater Horizon rig (here as well), has just released a three-part investigative series on President Barack Obama (aka Barry Soetoro) and his connection to the CIA and intelligence operations leading up to his election in 2008.

The series, all three parts linked at PrisonPlanet.com and called “The Story of Obama: All in The Company,” addresses how Barack Obama, the current U.S. president,  Obama’s alleged father, Barack Obama Sr., of Kenya, Obama’s mother Stanley Ann Dunham (later Soetoro) and her parents – Stanley Armour Dunham and Madelyn Dunham were involved in a decades-long secret operation. Madsen notes the Dunham-Obama-Soetoro links to CIA hotspots in Lebanon, Indonesia, Kenya and even domestically in Hawaii, where Barack Obama was allegedly born.

For instance, Madsen notes that Stanley Ann Dunham worked for Peter Geithner at the “Ford Foundation” in Indonesia. Of course Peter Geithner is the father of current Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. Later, Barack Obama visits Pakistan in 1980 and 1981 “during the time period the CIA was beefing up its anti-Soviet operations in Afghanistan and Pakistan.”

Madsen speculates that Obama has “twice postponed official state visits to Indonesia, perhaps fearful of the attention such a trip would bring to the CIA connections of his mother and Indonesian stepfather.”

Much of this information has appeared on various Internet sites before. Investigative reporters Webster Griffin Tarpley (Obama: The Post-Modern Coup), Aaron Klein (The Manchurian President) and Jerome Corsi (The Obama Nation) have all written about Obama and his mysterious past and connections.

We believe Wayne Madsen and these other serious investigative reporters are on the right track. More and more people question everything Obama says and polls show his popularity numbers dropping precipitously as he takes yet another holiday trip.

We will post more here as we come across new information related to the mysterious Barack Obama (aka Barry Soetoro).

Copyright 2010 Oklahoma Watchdog

Oklahoma Watchdog, editor

Posted: August 19, 2010

andrew@oklahomawatchdog.org

OKLAHOMA CITY — For those concerned about the impending flu season, the government will be making the seasonal flu vaccine available again this year.

Except this year, there is a difference -the normal seasonal flu vaccine will be combined with swine flu (H1N1) vaccine as well.

“The 2010-2011 seasonal flu vaccine will include the H1N1 strain that was responsible for the 2009 pandemic,” said Vicki Monks, media spokesperson for the Oklahoma City-County Health Department.

Monks pointed to a February 2010 press release on the Flu.gov website that states: “Today’s recommendation to include protection against the 2009 H1N1 flu strain in next season’s flu vaccine was made by the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee.  The committee’s recommendations typically guide vaccine manufacturers in preparing each season’s flu vaccines.  The World Health Organization has made the same recommendation.This recommendation will go into effect for next fall’s flu season.  In the meantime, you can still protect yourself against the H1N1 flu by getting your H1N1 vaccine now.”

More information on this vaccine plan is noted at the Virology blog with the story “Trivalent influenza vaccine for the 2010-2011 season.”

Monks said the seasonal flu vaccine will be available at OCCHD sometime around the first week in October, although a precise date was not yet made available.

“We will be charging $25 for flu shots this year, because of budget cutbacks at the state level,” Monks said. “All of the county health departments in the state will implement the $25 charge.”

Monks added that children who qualify for the “Vaccines for Children” program are eligible to receive the flu vaccination at no charge., while the Oklahoma State Department of Health is “currently in discussions with the counties about guidelines for providing flu shots for adults who cannot afford to pay.”

Currently, over 750 clinics and doctor’s offices in Oklahoma participate in the “Vaccines for Children” program.

Said Monks: “We will not turn anyone away because of an inability to pay. Our primary goal is to protect public health by reducing the incidence of disease, and vaccinations are an important part of that effort.”

Monks did also note that private providers such as pharmacies and physicians may have flu shots available before the October release date.

And it appears local pharmacies in Oklahoma City are already pushing the flu vaccines, considering that on two recent visits to a Walgreen’s, pharmacists aggressively tried to get this reporter to sign up for a flu vaccine. This website discovered that Walgreen’s is pushing this in a press report that said “the CDC expects the 2009 H1n1 virus to cause illness again this upcoming season along with other season flu viruses …”

For more information on Oklahoma Watchdog‘s coverage of the swine flu (H1N1) issue, note our recent story “Swine flu hype has passed in Oklahoma but concerns remain.”

And in today’s edition of the Tulsa World, health reporter Kim Archer wrote that the H1N1 virus had “largely run its course.” Of course it was noted that 45 Oklahomans died last year and 1,300 were hospitalized during the swine flu pandemic of ’09.

Copyright 2010 Oklahoma Watchdog

Oklahoma Watchdog, editor

Posted: August 18, 2010

andrew@oklahomawatchdog.org

OKLAHOMA CITY — While much of the political world has been chattering these past few weeks about the proposed Muslim mosque near the Ground Zero site in lower Manhattan, 5th congressional district candidate Kevin Calvey said in an interview with Oklahoma Watchdog back in June that while he supports freedom of religion, building a mosque near the former World Trade Center site “sends the wrong message.”

Many Oklahomans agree with Calvey’s position on the controversial mosque, according to a recent McCarville Report Online poll showing three-fourths of readers of that site are against the mosque going there.

Calvey, who has been unapologetically vocal about the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the fact that they are considered a front organization for Hamas, a terrorist outfit, also said in that interview that CAIR is “the moral equivalent of the KKK” and that CAIR should be “shunned by decent Americans.”

Calvey also said America and her allies going after Iran’s nuclear sites would be morally justifiable.

“The thought of a nuclear Iran should be horrifying to every sane person on the planet,” Calvey said at the time.

Calvey faces fellow Republican James Lankford in a runoff on August 24th.

Copyright 2010 Oklahoma Watchdog

Oklahoma Watchdog, editor

Posted: August 18, 2010

andrew@oklahomawatchdog.org

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Mary Fallin for Governor campaign held an online press conference for bloggers and online journalists on Wednesday, addressing issues related to the campaign and answering questions brought forth by the participants, including Oklahoma Watchdog.

Representing the Fallin campaign were Alex Weintz and Aaron Cooper. Among the other participants were Michael Bates of BatesLine, Steve Long of The Otter Limits, and Conservative Pup.

To read the full transcript, click here and it will take you to The Otter Limits.

As for Oklahoma Watchdog‘s specific questions to the Fallin campaign:

1. Does she listen to any talk radio?

“Yes. She’s been doing interviews with Reid Mullins on KTOK for years and she lives in OKC so that’s something she listens to frequently. Although as we travel around the state she listens to talk radio wherever we are we spend a lot of time in the car and on the road, so she listens to plenty of radio.

On the road we frequently tune in Rush.

Basically, as a communications team, and as a candidate, we are trying to hit every possible kind of media — radio, TV, print, online…”

2. “An issue I have been following is the state’s tax credit system. There have been some real problems with it – i.e. Altus bank, Quartz Mtn. Aviation. If elected governor, would Mary call for an investigation of these tax credit issues?”

Basically when it comes to tax credits Mary’s policy is that everything needs to work and everything needs to be open and transparent. So if something is getting a tax credit we need to know why and it needs to be generating jobs and helping the economy. If it’s not accomplishing that than it is not a worthwhile investment.

3. “Another question I had has to do with the turnpike system. It seems to me that economic development is stunted along our state turnpikes and one wonders why this is the case. Exits are few and McDonald’s is the only option out in the middle of nowhere. Does Mary see this as a problem?”

“Well, obviously Mary wants there to be as much development as possible along the turnpikes. Do you know why there are only McDonalds, besides the fact that Big Macs are awesome?”

Continuing, Oklahoma Watchdog answered: “I assume it was some bidding war. People zip on by many communities, not knowing they are there because of these hermetically-sealed highways called turnpikes. I don’t understand why there isn’t more of a debate about the turnpike system in the state. I suspect it has to do with the attitude I got from the OTA sign engineer who told me “Well, that’s the way it’s always been done.”

Copyright 2010 Oklahoma Watchdog

Oklahoma Watchdog, editor

Posted: August 16, 2010

andrew@oklahomawatchdog.org

OKLAHOMA CITY – When District Judge Patricia G. Parrish ruled Monday morning that EPIC 1 on 1 Charter School deserved to have a district code assigned to it by the State Department of Education, the defendant in the hearing at Oklahoma County District Court, there was a sigh of relief from many in the gallery.

“I do think the State Department of Education does have an obligation to assign this charter school a school code,” Parrish said, after hearing from Bill Hickman, attorney for EPIC and from the attorneys representing the State Department of Education.

The case, which put Oklahoma City-based EPIC 1 on 1 Charter School against the State Department of Education in a lawsuit because they would not allow the online school a district number which they would need to receive critical funding.

Additionally, EPIC and the University of Central Oklahoma had signed a contract so they could have a sponsoring university, which is required by law. It was clear that UCO had agreed to sponsor EPIC, even though the DOE was trying to interfere and say the Board of Regents had to approve the EPIC application, something Hickman explained was not required.

“What this is really all about is the authority and power the State Department (of Education) has,” Hickman said.

In addressing the court, Hickman explained that the state would offer “smoke and mirrors” in trying to explain the reasons why EPIC was being denied a district number despite following all the necessary steps to be fully approved to “open their doors.”

The attorney for the state made a crack that since the charter school was a “virtual, online” school, there were no doors to open.

Hickman, however, went point-by-point in explaining that EPIC had done everything they could to make sure it was following the law so they could open in the fall. Approximately 400 students were signed up for their online classes and a building, owned by UCO in Oklahoma City, was being made available to EPIC, with keys being made available to open the doors of the office where teachers are made available for one-on-one tutoring and teaching.

Later, after a break, Judge Parrish ruled that transfer students have to wait until the period of time that transfer students are accepted and that emergency transfers are not acceptable.

Oklahoma City resident Jennifer Oldfield was in the courtroom and after Parrish called for a break, she told Oklahoma Watchdog out in the hallway that she and other parents were ecstatic over the ruling.

“We think it’s great,” Oldfield said. “At this point (EPIC) is allowed to get a district code and we can start the school year.”

Oldfield said that she and her family are taxpayers and that their tax dollars “should go towards education in the way that we want it to be.”

And in this case, Oldfield and other supporters of EPIC 1 on 1 Charter School want to have a choice. In Oldfield’s case, her two school-aged children attend Moore public schools but felt the online option that EPIC offers was more suitable.

Asked her thoughts on why the State Department of Education was meddling in the affairs of EPIC, Oldfield speculated that it was “money” and that some of the Board of Regents have a financial interest to make sure online charter schools like EPIC are not successful.

“They’re failing our kids,” Oldfield said. “They’re starting to see why we’re pulling our kids out.”

To read our previous report on the EPIC case, go here.

Copyright 2010 Oklahoma Watchdog

Oklahoma Watchdog, editor

Posted: August 15, 2010

andrew@oklahomawatchdog.org

OKLAHOMA CITY – The attorney for the Bricktown-based  online EPIC 1 on 1 Charter School provided Oklahoma Watchdog with documents this week that show that the University of Central Oklahoma did indeed have a contract with the upstart online school, despite a denial by a UCO representative reported last week in The Oklahoman.

As reported in the local media, EPIC 1 on 1 is a unique school in that it is online, but is a public school which would be privately operated and funded with state dollars, as has been noted in The Oklahoman. The online school has been denied a district code by the State Department of Education and UCO claims they are no longer involved with EPIC.

However, law requires EPIC to have a sponsoring university and has been reportedly working in good faith with UCO to achieve that. A new report in that newspaper notes that some parents of the nearly 400 students who have signed up to take EPIC classes believe State School Superintendent Sandy Garrett is behind the problem.

Said Karen Tingle, a supporter of EPIC 1 on 1 Charter School to The Oklahoman: “Sandy Garrett did this all by herself. She went to the whole Board of Regents at UCO and told them that they should not support this contract.”

Brad S. Clark, an attorney with the Hickman Law Group sent a letter to Brad Morelli, UCO’s senior legal counsel, explaining that UCO’s executive vice president, Steve Kreidler, “signed a contract with the UCO – Office of Legal Counsel – seal of approval.”

Clark declined to comment for this story.

Clark later writes: “(C)onsidering the intelligence and reasonableness that Mr. Kreidler and you have, along with the titled of Senior Legal Counsel and Executive Vice President of UCO, I presume that had Mr. Kreidler and yourself believed that Mr. Kreidler did not have the authority to execute the Contract, the Contract would not have been executed.” Yet, notes Clark, the Contract was signed.

Later in the letter, Kreidler contacted Epic’s founder, Ben Harris, and told him that the use of UCO office space was being made available for EPIC’s use and that Kreidler “also had keys made (for the office) this afternoon.”

Clark also sent Oklahoma Watchdog a copy of the contract between Epic 1 on 1 and UCO. It state the term of the Contract as commencing July 1, 2010 and terminating on June 30, 2015 – a five-year contract. It is stamped with UCO’s Brad Morelli’s signature.

UCO’s Morelli comes up again in a voicemail he left saying, on August 9, 2010, he was calling to “see what the status is of the EPIC Charter School, umm, at least from your end” and he then leaves a phone number so EPIC can call him back. So, less than a week ago, UCO’s Senior Legal Counsel was calling to get a status update.

The final document provided to this website by Brad S. Clark was a copy of the State of Oklahoma’s “Race to the Top” application where in phase two it provides that the State is committed to “promoting the development of new school models that leverage student achievement through the use of technology, including virtual school …” – something EPIC 1 on 1 Charter School would certainly qualify as being.

There is a hearing in the courtroom of Judge Patricia G. Parrish in Oklahoma County District Court on the seventh floor tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. Oklahoma  Watchdog will be following this story.

Copyright 2010 Oklahoma Watchdog

Oklahoma Watchdog, editor

Posted: August 14, 2010

andrew@oklahomawatchdog.org

OKLAHOMA CITY – After a bizarre press conference earlier this week where State Auditor Steve Burrage called Rep. Mike Reynolds (R-Oklahoma City) a “liar” for claiming that Burrage had told him the audit of the Broken Arrow Public Schools was imminent, more information has come out regarding claims being made by Burrage.

Burrage, who was appointed to the position of State Auditor two years ago by Gov. Brad Henry after the previous holder of that position, Jeff McMahan, was sent to prison, is looking to be officially elected to that position in the fall. His opponent is Gary Jones, former Oklahoma Republican Party chairman from Comanche County.

In a video sent to Oklahoma Watchdog, Burrage, a Democrat from Antlers, is shown speaking at an almost manic pace at a political event in Ada, Okla. where he makes some claims about the success of his investigative audits.

Burrage tells the Ada audience about his investigative audits and that he has gone after “hundreds of thousands of dollars of waste, fraud and abuse” in Skiatook Public Schools where he claims, “My audit got two felony convictions against the superintendent … and the school board president.”

But news accounts last month in the Tulsa World show that while ex-Superintendent Gary Johnson had been indicted on charges of embezzlement and bribery of a public official, he had not been convicted. As for the school board president Burrage notes in his speech, that person, Kenneth Cooper, had his indictment dismissed by a Tulsa County judge in late July.

As reported in the Tulsa World: “The indictments were returned four months after a state audit indicated that the school district paid Oklahoma City middleman Rick Enos – through his companies E and E Sales and Austin Security – $570,000 more than it would have paid for custodial supplies and security equipment had it bought them directly.”

Burrage then tells the Ada audience that he is “fixin’ to release Broken Arrow,” meaning that the audit of that school district was to be released. Recall that this video was filmed over four weeks ago.

This also goes back to Thursday’s press conference where Burrage reacted strongly to Reynolds’ criticisms of his office and the length of time it had taken to release the audit finding in the Broken Arrow Public Schools case. Burrage had allegedly told Reynolds since late 2009 that the release of the audit was imminent.

As Patrick B. McGuigan of Capitol Beat OK wrote, Burrage told Reynolds, “You tell lies. I’ll say right to Rep. Reynold’s face, that you lie.” He also said Reynolds had a bad attitude and was arrogant.

“I don’t have to put up with this,” Burrage said, before storming out.

When Oklahoma Watchdog spoke to Reynolds about the encounter, he said he had never seen anything quite like it and stands by his remarks at the press conference.

On Friday, a report in the Broken Arrow Ledger noted that Burrage will finally meet with the Broken Arrow Board of Education, along with an attorney, to discuss the results of the audit into the district’s finances. This will take place on Aug. 18 and is not open to the public. The audit findings will then be released on Sept. 2.

Keith Isbell, Executive Director of Communications for Broken Arrow Public Schools responded in an email to Oklahoma Watchdog that an attorney will be present in the auditor’s exit briefing because the new Broken Arrow Superintendent Jarod Mendenhall wanted “an additional set of eyes to look at this situation.” So, the person who requested that Rosenstein, Fist & Ringold’s attorney be present at the exit briefing was Mendenhall.

Oklahoma Watchdog sent a series of questions, via email, to Burrage’s office late Friday. While we did not receive a response, we did inquire as to why the results of the Broken Arrow audit had been delayed for so many months. We also inquired about the protocol regarding the exit briefing and if it is typical to have an attorney sit in on the exit briefing as is planned in the Broken Arrow case. We will include that information if we receive a response.

Back in the Ada video, Burrage emphasizes that he is “not a politician” and that he has “brought trust and respect back to that office.”

Continuing, Burrage said: “I will not sacrifice my integrity, my judgement or knowledge for anybody.”

Concluded Burrage: “Please do not put a professional politician back in this office, we’ve had one for many years in the State of Oklahoma. Thank you very much.”

Copyright 2010 Oklahoma Watchdog