Costello weighs in on OCPAC's agitation against State Auditor Cindy Byrd

From the folks over at IgniteLiberty, here is another post in the saga of OCPAC President Bob Linn's obsession with attacking State Auditor Cindy Byrd:

Letters to the Editor: Cathy Costello Letter to OCPAC Following Romero Attack 

Rumors have been swirling recently that Bob Linn and OCPAC's crusade against Cindy Byrd was going to culminate in the organization endorsing Mike Romero to run against Cindy in the upcoming statewide primaries. Many conservatives believe that this is one of, if not the main, reason why OCPAC invited Romero to give a presentation about the OSDH scandal a few years back which involved the "missing" $30M (it was never actually missing).  

Curiously enough, and in a manner that would be fitting with an attempt to attack a future political opponent, Romero's presentation made a point of attempting to tie Cindy Byrd to the audit of the OSDH scandal, even though Gary Jones was the State Auditor and Inspector at the time that was responsible for the audit. 

Following Romero's presentation, Andrew Speno and Cathy Costello went to talk to him about the inclusion of Byrd in the presentation. What follows is a letter from Mrs. Costello sent to Bob Linn, president of OCPAC, that details that account:

Bob, I wanted to give a little time and space from the incident last week before responding. When you invited me to sing for OCPAC, I was unaware who Mike Romero was. You told me he would be talking about corruption at the health dept. I did remember hearing something about 30 million missing from the health dept., but that it was eventually found.

It is always good to hear all sides of a story, even if it's 4-5 years old. I saw several people in line speaking to Mr. Romero after his presentation. I decided to go over and simply introduce myself. I shook his hand and told him I was the widow of Labor Commissioner Mark Costello.

While I was standing there, I heard Andrew Speno ask Mr. Romero, in a CALM tone, why he kept showing Cindy Byrd's picture next to Gary Jones, frequently referring to "they," and mentioning her name. He asked what Cindy Byrd had to do with this situation at the health dept. Mr. Romera became agitated and denied he had done this during the presentation. But...he had in fact said, "Gary Jones and Cindy Byrd would not talk to me" and he did in fact show Cindy Byrd's photo multiple times, saying "they" and giving the impression that she was involved. He then began blaming Cindy and holding her responsible.

Mr. Romero's response to Andrew Speno's question was so adolescent. Raising his voice, he yelled, "I'm the son of immigrants!! Those people on the screen made fun of my last name because it ends in an O!!!" I immediately thought to myself, this man is so thinned skinned and immature, he has no business in government. I also thought, my name ends in an O and so does Andrew's.   

Click here to read the rest of Costello's letter.

Lawmakers Comment on OSDH CFO's Resignation

Lawmakers Comment on Health Department CFO’s Resignation

OKLAHOMA CITY – House Special Investigative Committee members Kevin Calvey (R-Oklahoma City), Bobby Cleveland (R-Slaughterville), and Tom Gann (R-Inola) reacted with concern to the resignation of Mike Romero, chief financial officer of the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH).  Romero resigned today in protest of illegal OSDH “compromising activity” regarding the FBI/Oklahoma Attorney General grand jury investigation into the OSDH.  Romero was one of the OSDH whistleblowers who alerted state officials to illegal financial practices that led to at least a $30 million agency shortfall and hundreds of layoffs.

In his resignation memo to state Secretary of Finance and OSDH Interim Commissioner Preston Doerflinger, Romero made the shocking allegation that Doerflinger “is using others, including his General Counsel, to stay abreast of the [grand jury] proceedings and to analyze the financial communications provided by me with this compromising activity.”  Romero alleged the OSDH General Counsel divulged his confidential grand jury testimony to Doerflinger and others.

“We appreciate Mike Romero for his integrity and courage in blowing the whistle on illegal acts and wasteful spending at OSDH,” Calvey said.

 “We are concerned about what appears to be an attempt to influence grand jury proceedings with a bureaucratic cover-up of wasteful OSDH spending, including spending on Information Technology (IT) services,” Cleveland added.

Noting that OSDH IT services were often paid to the Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES), and that the former director of OMES, Preston Doerflinger, currently heads the OSDH, the three committee members further expressed concern for the integrity of oversight at all state agencies.

“How many other agencies have had wasteful spending covered up by putting pressure on potential whistleblowers?  How many OMES audits were ineffective at uncovering what Doerflinger himself called agency ‘bloat’ and ‘mission creep’ because bureaucrats wanted to suppress the truth?”  Gann asked. “Mr. Romero’s resignation opens up an entire new perspective about the lack of oversight in our state budget.”