u/OKCFox25

There’s a new development in the ongoing fight over State Farm roof claims in Oklahoma.

Craig and Elizabeth Gutierrez have filed a lawsuit against Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready, asking a judge to force the release of the state’s two-year investigation into State Farm’s handling of roof claims.

Mulready said last year that the report would be released by March 31, 2026. It still hasn’t been made public.

The new petition goes further, alleging Mulready delayed regulatory action until after the August runoff election and accusing him of withholding the report for political reasons. 

The Gutierrez family has been battling State Farm over a roof damaged during a 2024 hailstorm in northwest OKC. Their attorneys say they represent hundreds of Oklahoma State Farm policyholders with denied or underpaid roof claims.

Important distinction: this new lawsuit is against Mulready, not State Farm. The goal is to make the Insurance Department release what its investigation found.

Whatever your view of State Farm or the commissioner, Oklahoma policyholders deserve to know:

What did the two-year investigation find, and why hasn’t the report been released?

Oklahoma Secretary of State Benjamin Lepak was arrested by Edmond Police Friday night on suspicion of public intoxication, while standing at a drive through window.

His office says Lepak was waiting outside a McDonald’s for his dinner and that police did not administer a breathalyzer test.

Curious what everyone makes of this one, especially once more details or bodycam footage come out.

Source: https://okcfox.com/news/local/oklahoma-secretary-of-state-benjamin-lepak-arrested-by-edmond-police-friday-night

A new McFerron poll of 600 likely runoff voters has Gentner Drummond and Mike Mazzei deadlocked at 44%.

Some interesting splits in the numbers:

• Mazzei leads among Trump Republicans, 62%-22%
• Drummond leads among traditional Republicans, 60%-30%
• Drummond performs better with urban voters
• Mazzei performs better with rural voters
• Drummond leads among conservative women, while Mazzei performs better with men

With the topline numbers tied, which of those groups do you think will make the difference in the runoff?

Story: https://okcfox.com/news/local/mcferron-poll-drummond-and-mazzei-deadlocked-at-44-in-gop-governor-runoff

A new forensic audit into the Town of Washington (population 673) found more than $1 million in misappropriated public funds, according to the Oklahoma State Auditor's Office. The report alleges the town clerk/treasurer was able to divert money over an extended period because of what the auditor described as a near-total lack of oversight.

State Auditor Cindy Byrd said:

>"This is the worst example of board oversight I have seen in my 29 years of government auditing experience."

According to the audit, officials found repeated failures in financial controls that allowed the alleged misappropriation to continue. The town says it appreciates the auditor's work and is taking steps to improve oversight.

The full story details some of the surprisingly personal expenses, including veterinary bills and other costs for a personal dog: https://okcfox.com/news/local/forensic-audit-finds-over-1m-misappropriated-in-town-of-washington-finances

The Oklahoma State Department of Health now says there are 57 confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis in the state, with 6 people hospitalized.

The timeline is raising questions. Health officials were aware of an increase in cases before the public announcement, yet Oklahoma physicians and the public were not broadly notified until this week.

Critics argue that timely communication is one of the most fundamental responsibilities of a public health agency. When a contagious illness is spreading, delays in notifying healthcare providers and the public can make it harder for people to recognize symptoms, seek treatment, and take precautions.

Read more: https://okcfox.com/news/local/osdh-oklahoma-sees-57-cases-of-cyclosporiasis-in-2026-health

New development in the Brent Swadley case.

Swadley's attorneys allege prosecutors obtained or reviewed attorney-client phone calls recorded while Swadley was in the Oklahoma County Detention Center.

The AG's office denies intentionally reviewing privileged communications, saying any attorney-client calls were identified and segregated. The Oklahoma County Detention Center also says it has procedures in place to protect privileged legal calls.

This comes after prosecutors previously relied on recordings of Swadley's non-privileged jail calls while arguing he should remain in custody pending sentencing.

Our story includes the court filings, responses from the AG's Office and the jail, and explains what's at issue legally:

https://okcfox.com/news/local/swadley-defense-accuses-oklahoma-ag-and-jail-of-recording-attorney-client-calls

Curious what others think: if privileged attorney-client calls are inadvertently recorded in a jail setting, what safeguards should be in place to ensure prosecutors never receive or review them?