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Governor says forensic audit underway after state agency report finds a shortfall, disputes "bad culture" characterization
Summary
The governor responded to a state auditor’s report about a state agency, saying the administration has hired forensic auditors to review finances, disputed characterization of a "bad culture," and said a $29 million shortfall will be addressed as staff changes are identified.
Governor (name not specified), the governor of Oklahoma, said he asked the state auditor to review the last five years of financials for a state agency after press reporting and an auditor’s report drew criticism and political attention.
"I asked the auditor to, you know, audit the last 5 years of financials," the governor said, adding he views some public statements about "bad culture" as political commentary rather than an accounting finding.
The governor said the administration has hired forensic auditors David Greenwald and Robert McCampbell to investigate the figures and that the state expects to plug a roughly $29,000,000 shortfall. He said senior finance staff, including a CFO and payroll employees, have been dismissed as part of the agency’s reorganization.
"We issued our statement. I think there's a $29,000,000 shortfall that we're gonna get, plugged," the governor said. He described the staffing changes and promised the administration will "get to the bottom of it."
The governor also pushed back on media reports that the administration was cutting mental-health funding, saying the same or more dollars went into mental-health services this year than last.
He framed some critical public statements about the agency as politically motivated ahead of elections and said the forensic review is meant to provide clarity for Oklahomans. The governor did not provide a timetable for the audit's completion or detailed accounting of the shortfall during the press conference.
No formal action or new statutory measures were announced at the conference; the administration characterized the work as internal financial review and oversight steps, and reporters asked for additional documentation.
