Humphrey Again Asks AG to Investigate Former DOC Director

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Justin Humphrey, R-Lane, today again asked Oklahoma's attorney general to investigate Steven Harpe, the former director of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections (DOC).
Humphrey said it was reported in April that Harpe had entered into a $1,017 million, one-year contract with AI company LEO Technologies. Six months later, in October, Harpe posted that he had accepted the position of chief product officer with the company.
"The attorney general's office is responsible for investigating and holding officials accountable for these types of law violations," Humphrey wrote in his latest letter to the attorney general.
He also reiterated that the attorney general has previously ignored his requests to investigate Harpe for "giving himself a $90,000 raise" while he led DOC. Humphrey said he's checked and found no authorization for the pay raise. A response to an open records request he submitted to the department said no documents were available. Humphrey contends the pay raise took Harpe's salary to $275,000 annually, which he says was one of the highest salaries for a corrections director in the nation, even while he argues Oklahoma's DOC is smaller than many nationwide.
Humphrey also alleges missing funds and mismanagement of state contracts while Harpe was director of the Oklahoma Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES).
"Harpe removed experienced employees and replaced those employees with his close, zero-experienced extremely overpaid friends," Humphrey wrote. "He has abused his position to enrich himself and his friends. I believe Oklahomans are sick of political appointees, district attorneys, court officials and others receiving special treatment and favors. I hope you will use your office to hold Steven Harpe accountable for his illegal actions."
A full copy of the letter can be read here.