Oklahoma AG Drummond says letter on OMES Director’s ‘Improper Conduct’ preceded resignation

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond said he reported improper conduct by OMES Director Rick Rose in a letter to Gov. Kevin Stitt last week, days before Rose’s resignation.

READ THIS: Oklahoma Secretary of State, other top officials announce resignation

According to Drummond, the allegations stem from Rose’s “refusal to allow the Office of the Attorney General to complete a lawful purchase of vehicles” for Drummond’s Organized Crime Task Force and Retail Theft Task Force. The vehicles, Drummond said, are used by agents to crack down on illegal marijuana grows.

“OMES Director Rick Rose has refused to process the lawful purchase of vehicles my agents need to perform their statutorily required law enforcement activities,” Drummond wrote in the letter to Stitt.

Drummond added that the refusal was “presumably at [Stitt’s] instruction.”

“If it is true that you or your staff instructed Director Rose to block the purchase of these vehicles, such an act would represent a serious misuse of your authority, causing direct harm to the ability of my law enforcement agents to do their job,” Drummond wrote. “If you did not direct or authorize this action, then you should remove Director Rose for abusing his position in a way that impedes ongoing law enforcement activities.”

Following news of Rose’s resignation Monday, Drummond said he believes the move was connected to his letter.

“I believe the information I shared with the Governor about Director Rose’s interference with my law enforcement agents played a role in the Director’s departure,” Drummond said. “Policy disagreements are one thing, but playing politics with official law enforcement efforts should never be tolerated.”

Griffin Media is reaching out to Director Rose and Governor Stitt for a response to Drummond's letter.

Read Drummond's full letter below: