House committee formed to review big spending, settlements

A bipartisan Oklahoma House committee will review all future legal settlements in the wake of a $44,500 payout made to a legislative assistant and her attorneys in a sexual harassment claim, House Speaker Charles McCall said Wednesday.

Former House Speaker Jeff Hickman approved the controversial payment in the case of Hollie Anne Bishop, 28, who complained Rep. Dan Kirby, 58, was sexually harassing her and that she was fired for reporting it. Kirby denied the allegations and Hickman said the payment was cheaper than fighting the case in court.

A House committee investigating this case and other harassment accusations recommended the oversight panel for legal settlements and House expenditures over $15,000. The panel is to release its investigative findings Thursday after a threeweek inquiry. It could recommend a range of penalties, including expulsion.

There has been public criticism over the expenditure of public funds in the Kirby case. McCall said the new Expenditure Oversight Committee will work to ensure all such future spending is in the public interest.

“Our goal is to be more transparent and be better stewards of taxpayer funds,” said McCall, R-Atoka.

“The House operates administratively just like any other state agency or private business does. We have contracts, vendors, payrolls, technology needs and other overhead expenditures. We don’t want to create a situation that slows down the dayto-day operations of the House, but where there are large expenditures of taxpayer dollars we want to be transparent and have as much input from our members as is reasonably possible.”

He said he would name members of the new committee within a few days.