OKLAHOMA CITY (March 4, 2026) – Attorney General Gentner Drummond today issued the following statement after state Auditor and Inspector Cindy Byrd released the findings of an investigative audit of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA), which Drummond requested three years ago:
“While the audit did not uncover criminal misconduct, the findings should not be mistaken for an agency’s clean bill of health. The audit made clear the need for increased oversight, accountability and transparency at the OTA. A court finding that an agency willfully violated the Open Meetings Act is not a case of bureaucratic red tape. It is a signal that an agency believes it can operate beyond the scrutiny of the public it serves. I urge the OTA's leadership to take the audit's findings seriously and use this as an opportunity for meaningful reform. My office will continue to monitor the OTA's operations and will not hesitate to act should future conduct warrant further review.”
Drummond requested an audit of OTA in March 2023, shortly after he took office. The request came after Drummond heard concerns over the financial conduct at the agency. Another factor was a court ruling in December 2022 finding the OTA had willfully violated the Open Meetings Act.
