Latest news with #GentnerDrummond
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Financial issues found leading up to Mental Health Commissioner appointment
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — The Oklahoma Attorney General has shed light on financial troubles seen in Mental Health and Substance Abuse Commissioner Allie Friesen's past. The Commissioner then allegedly sent an email to employees calling out the AG on that. 'How can we expect a taxpayer who doesn't properly handle their own personal finances to be in charge of hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars?' Attorney General Gentner Drummond posted on social media Wednesday night, along with several past Tax Commission documents that showed Commissioner Friesen received liens from the state for several years of unpaid taxes. Drummond is running for Oklahoma's Governor, and recently called for Friesen's firing after lawmakers found several dozen million dollars were missing from the department. The documents the Drummond posted on Wednesday showed that Commissioner Friesen's recent lien on her property was released a day before Governor Stitt announced her appointment as Mental Health Commissioner. Report: Oklahoma mental health agency facing nearly $30 million budget hole When Stitt's office was asked if they knew about the financial troubles leading up to her appointment and for a statement, they responded with, 'Her taxes are paid. This is a desperate campaign tactic by Gentner Drummond. Oklahomans see through his game, and I'm sure they truly wish he would return to the work their taxpayers are paying him to do.' This comes as her department is under much scrutiny. The state auditor's office released findings from a scathing audit that reported their preliminary recommendations included hiring a qualified CFO with state government financial experience as soon as possible, evaluating the qualifications of recent executive hires, and scrutinizing recent and ongoing terminations to ensure they aren't retaliatory. An anonymous employee under the Department of Mental Health sent News 4 an email that was allegedly sent by Commissioner Friesen, which reacted to the AG's social media post. It reads in part: 'A Message from Commissioner Friesen: Recent Social Media Post Team, I want to address a recent social media post made by the Attorney General regarding tax liens that were filed against me personally— an issue that is, without question, fully resolved. These matters have been paid in full, long ago, and are not reflective of my ability to lead or serve. To be very clear: this is a non-issue being weaponized for political gain. What is an issue and one I cannot ignore—is the blatant violation of character, the disturbing misuse of public office, and the sustained campaign of political bullying I have endured from the Attorney General of our state. His anger toward me stems from one thing: I was the first leader in Oklahoma to remove him from a position of influence—and that decision was the right one. This is what it looks like when someone with power chooses to abuse it rather than use it for good. His post wasn't about accountability. It wasn't about truth. It was about retaliation. It was about ego. Let me say this plainly: we will not be distracted by individuals who see our agency's financial challenges-and our bold, courageous leadership to transform this system— as an opportunity to attack, rather than a chance to stand shoulder to shoulder in service to the people of Oklahoma. It is disheartening that some view our work as a threat to their influence. It is disappointing that, instead of leaning in to support meaningful reform, they choose to tear down those who are willing to do the hard work. But I will not be deterred and neither should you. To every single employee: You may not agree with every decision we make as an administration. That's okay. That's healthy. But you do have a choice in whether you support good over evil. And make no mistake—this kind of response is exactly what happens when you call out corruption. If we weren't doing something right, they wouldn't come for us like this. Our mission remains clear. Our purpose is stronger than ever. And as your Commissioner, I will continue to stand firmly-for you, for our organization, and for the people we serve. We will keep moving forward. We will keep doing what's right—even when it's hard. And we will not let those who thrive on intimidation, manipulation, or fear define who we are or what we accomplish. With Appreciation, Allie Friesen Email from anonymous public employee of Dept. of Mental Health 'I'm deeply concerned that a lot of what we've heard from the commissioner seems to be the position of the governor. I'm concerned about ongoing leadership,' said Senator Julia Kirt (D-OKC). Commissioner Friesen responded to the AG's posts to News 4 and said, 'The Friesen family has fulfilled all tax obligations, and the matter referenced was fully resolved with the Oklahoma Tax Commission prior to Commissioner Friesen's confirmation. The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services remains firmly committed to transparency and accountability. Under Commissioner Friesen's leadership, the agency has taken proactive steps to bring to light and address long-standing financial and operational issues. We continue to work closely with Governor Stitt, legislative leaders and have actively sought independent audits and investigations to ensure integrity in all aspects of our operations.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
NBC News
22-05-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
Supreme Court sidesteps major ruling on religious public charter schools
WASHINGTON — Oklahoma will not be able to launch the nation's first ever religious public charter school after the Supreme Court on Thursday deadlocked 4-4 in a major case on the separation of church and state. The decision by the evenly divided court means that a ruling by the Oklahoma Supreme Court that said the proposal to launch St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School violates both the federal Constitution and state law remains in place. As there was no majority, the court did not issue a written decision, and the case sets no nationwide precedent on the contentious legal question of whether religious schools must be able to participate in taxpayer-funded state charter school programs. A key factor in the outcome was that conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett, who would have been the deciding vote, did not participate in the case. She did not explain why, but it is likely because of her ties with Notre Dame Law School. The law school's religious liberty clinic represents the charter school. The court will likely be asked to weigh in on the issue in future cases. St Isidore would have operated online statewide with a remit to promote the Catholic faith. The case highlights tensions within the Constitution's First Amendment; one provision, the Establishment Clause, prohibits state endorsement of religion or preference for one religion over another, while another, the Free Exercise Clause, bars religious discrimination. The Oklahoma Supreme Court had cited the state's interest in steering clear of Establishment Clause violations as a reason not to allow the proposal submitted by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa to move forward. A state board approved the proposal for St. Isidore in June 2023 despite concerns about its religious nature, prompting Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond to file suit. The case saw Drummond on the opposite side to fellow Republicans in the state who backed the idea, but he prevailed at the Oklahoma Supreme Court the following year. The Supreme Court, when Barrett is participating, has a 6-3 conservative majority that often backs religious rights. In recent years it has repeatedly strengthened the Free Exercise Clause in cases brought by conservative religious liberty activists, sometimes at the expense of the Establishment Clause. Some conservatives have long complained that the common understanding that the Establishment Clause requires strict separation of church and state is incorrect. Lawyers representing the school and the Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board sought to portray the dispute as similar to a series of recent rulings in which the court has said that under the Free Exercise Clause states cannot bar religious groups from government programs that are open to everyone else. The push for religious public charter schools dovetails with the school choice movement, which supports parents using taxpayer funds to send their children to private school. Public school advocates see both efforts as broad assaults on traditional public schools.
Reuters
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
US judge pauses enforcement of Oklahoma immigration law
NEW YORK, May 20 (Reuters) - A federal judge on Tuesday temporarily blocked enforcement of an Oklahoma law that imposes criminal penalties on non-citizens who enter Oklahoma illegally, saying the law likely intrudes on the federal government's authority over immigration. U.S. District Judge Bernard Jones ruled the law, HB 4156, may not be enforced for at least 14 days while a court challenge proceeds. Jones said he will consider a longer-term injunction of the law after a court hearing in early June. The American Civil Liberties Union, which represents Oklahoma-based organization Padres Unidos de Tulsa and several individual plaintiffs in the lawsuit, said the ruling was a "victory for Oklahoma's immigrant community" and a step towards permanently blocking the law. Oklahoma's attorney general Gentner Drummond criticized the decision as "outrageous," saying it would imperil Oklahoma's efforts to stop drug trafficking and other criminal activity in the state. The law empowers state and local law enforcement officers to arrest immigrants suspected of being in the U.S. illegally. A first offense under the law, opens new tab is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail and a fine of $500, and a second offense is a felony that could result in up to two years in prison. The law also requires a person to leave the state within 72 hours of conviction or release from custody. The Department of Justice, under ex-President Joe Biden, had sued Oklahoma over the law, saying it was an unconstitutional violation of the federal government's immigration authority. But after Republican President Donald Trump was elected, the DOJ dropped its lawsuit. Jones said the change in administration did not impact his finding that Congress intended 'to make immigration regulation exclusively federal,' rather than subject to state-level criminal penalties.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
Oklahoma AG offers safety tips for National Senior Fraud Awareness Day
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond is raising awareness for elder fraud and reminding Oklahomans to be careful. 'Older Oklahomans deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, yet too often they are targeted by unscrupulous fraudsters,' Drummond said. 'This type of senior abuse is inexcusable and I urge all Oklahomans to be vigilant in protecting senior citizens from exploitation.' LOCAL NEWS: Medical marijuana business owner reacts to software glitch According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, elder fraud is increasing with some losing more than $3 billion annually. Common scams range from fake lotteries to technical support scams, government impersonation, romance scams and more. The A.G.'s Office has some tips to help avoid scams like these: Don't give out personal information over the phone or in response to an email or other message. Never click on emailed links or attachments, even if the email appears to be sent by someone you know, unless you first verify that the email was, in fact, sent by that person. Email messages that appear to be from known contacts can be phishing attempts to gain your personal information. Be wary of individuals who demand payment upfront or in a certain format (e.g. wire, Venmo/CashApp/Zelle, gift cards, cryptocurrency). Check incoming bills for charges that you did not authorize. Take your time and reject high-pressure approaches from individuals you do not know. Scammers create a sense of urgency to produce fear and lure victims into immediate action. Recognize scam attempts and end all communication with the perpetrator. Search online for the contact information (name, email, phone number, addresses) and any proposed offers you receive. Other people have likely posted information online about individuals and businesses trying to run scams. Call police immediately if you feel there is a danger to yourself or a loved one. Be cautious of unsolicited phone calls, mailings and door-to-door services offers. Take precautions to protect your identity if a criminal gains access to your device or account. Immediately contact your financial institutions to place protections on your accounts, and monitor your accounts and personal information for suspicious activity. Elder fraud can be reported to the A.G.'s Offices through this form. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Oklahoma AG to 23andMe consumers: Delete your data
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond is alerting the state's consumers the genetic-testing company 23andMe plans to sell all its corporate assets, which could include users' genetic data. The company filed for bankruptcy in March. "The implications of 23andMe selling genetic information to the highest bidder are understandably very concerning to Oklahomans who have used the company's services," Drummond said in a news release May 9. "While the situation is troubling, there are easy steps that consumers can take to proactively safeguard their privacy." In the release, the AG listed a step-by-step process for consumers to delete their data from their 23andMe accounts. The genetics and biotech company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March following a major data breach in 2023 that impacted over 6 million customers, led to a decreased demand of the service and resulted in a $30 million settlement. On its website, 23andMe stated that regardless of who takes ownership of the company, consumers' data will remain private. "The Chapter 11 filing does not change how we store, manage and protect customer data. Our users' privacy and data are important considerations in any transaction, and we remain committed to our users' privacy and to being transparent with our customers about how their data is managed. Any buyer of 23andMe will be required to comply with our privacy policies and applicable law with respect to the treatment of customer data." Related: Why are so many businesses closing? Joann, Hooters bankruptcy; what Oklahomans should know In 2006, 23andMe started selling DNA genetic testing kits to consumers through its website portal and quickly became a leading company in the genotyping industry, which provided consumers a look into their ancestral family tree. By providing additional features focused on health, such as blood testing and health predisposition, the company rivaled its competitors, such as In October 2023, the company experienced a mass data breach, exposing nearly half its users to privacy leaks. In a Notification of Breach to the State of California directed at consumers, the company divulged that an investigation determined a threat actor accessed users' Family Tree profile, including display names, relationship labels, shared DNA percentages with other users, self-reported location, and birth year. The company then worked with third-party response experts to access the damage. "Based on our investigation, we believe a threat actor orchestrated a credential stuffing attack to gain access to certain 23andMe accounts, including your account," the company wrote affected consumers. "Once the threat actor accessed your account, they also accessed certain information in your account." More: Canoo, the electric vehicle startup that was promised $100 million in incentives, files for bankruptcy The company filed for bankruptcy in March after the data breach damaged its reputation and led to shares falling by 50% at that time. In a news release, 23andMe Board Member Mark Jensen released a public statement on behalf of the company. "After a thorough evaluation of strategic alternatives, we have determined that a court-supervised sale process is the best path forward to maximize the value of our business," he said. Contributing: Reuters This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Drummond alerts 23andMe users to delete their data
