You know Kevin Stitt – the Oklahoma governor who uses his power and influence to steer government contracts, appointments, and state-government goodies to friends, donors, and political allies?
Well, according to a new grand jury report, he also uses that clout to help his drunk driver donor friend get out of prison!
Earlier today, The Oklahoman’s Nolan Clay reported that Sara Polston – the Botoxed Boozer who was sentenced to eight years for nearly killing a young woman while driving drunk – basically received preferred and special treatment from the DOC after Governor Stitt made multiple calls on her behalf.
Via The Oklahoman:
An investigation by the state's multicounty grand jury found that a close friend of Gov. Kevin Stitt got out of prison in just 73 days of an 8-year sentence after Stitt "made multiple calls" on her behalf to the top official at the Department of Corrections.
Grand jurors said in their 14-page report that Sara Polston was given special treatment. The investigation, however, did not result in any criminal charges…
"This rank political favoritism, particularly on a crime that nearly took the life of a ... young woman, is indefensible," the grand jury wrote in a report on the investigation.
I can’t believe I’m going to write this, but I’m moderately shocked Stitt did this.
Seriously, steering state contracts, board seats, and other taxpayer-funded goodies to your buddies is one thing, but using your gubernatorial credentials to help your old frat buddy’s wife get out of prison after she nearly killed someone while driving drunk? Even by Kevin Stitt standards, that’s low.
Naturally, Stitt denied he did anything wrong and blamed the whole thing on politics:
“This is an improper, politically motivated use of the grand jury process,” a spokeswoman said.
Stitt may have a slight point. Gentner Drummond steers the grand jury, and he and Stitt's ongoing feud is about as subtle as Sara Polston’s lip filler. That being said, some of the grand jury’s findings are still pretty damning, especially when they documented how Stitt applied pressure to the Department of Corrections:
Grand jurors reported that Stitt called Justin Farris, then the interim director of the Department of Corrections, twice after Polston was sentenced Dec. 5.
The second time came after she was in prison. The governor asked Farris "to confirm she was being released on GPS," according to the report.
Grand jurors reported no witnesses testified that they were directed by the governor to release Polston from prison. However, grand jurors concluded "the DOC Director and his staff believed that facilitating Sara Polston's early transfer would please their boss, the Governor."...
Grand jurors reported Farris had told others that he was "in a tight spot."
They called that statement "an apparent reference that he wanted to stay in Governor Stitt's good graces by transferring Sara Polston, but also not anger state senators who would be voting on his confirmation as DOC director."
Hey, I get what Justin’s saying.
It’s hard to make everyone happy, and I think we’ve all been in similar situations where we’ve had to ask ourselves if we’re willing to sacrifice our values for career advancement.
But wow, way to lay a massive egg.
Seriously, you had a prime opportunity to show the governor you had a backbone, some independence, and a basic understanding of right and wrong. Instead, you chose the brown-nose coward approach to better advance your career. I know a job is a job, but on behalf of everyone else, screw you.
Anyway, you can read more about this outrageous news over at The Oklahoman. I've also attached the multi county grand jury report below. It's a hell of a read.
Stay with The Lost Ogle. We’ll keep you advised.
