Stitt Cabinet member to seek legal action against former AG Mike Hunter

Hunter resigned effective Tuesday and dismissed an attempted bribery charge against Ostrowe brought by the multicounty grand jury that Hunter oversaw.

In a May 26 press release, Hunter said certain personal matters were becoming public and will become a distraction for the office.

“The office of attorney general is one of the most important positions in state government,” Hunter said. “I cannot allow a personal issue to over shadow the vital work the attorneys, agents and support staff do on behalf of Oklahomans.”

Gov. Kevin Stitt will appoint his successor.

Hunter’s resignation came after he filed for divorce from his wife of nearly 40 years.

Ostrowe and his attorney Matt Felty on Wednesday held a Capitol news conference to say they planned to pursue legal action against Hunter.

“This week, I am formally moving forward with seeking legal action and vindication against those who unlawfully, recklessly and intentionally created harm against me with a frivolous and abusive indictment that caused significant damage to me and my family,” Ostrowe said.

Felty said the anticipated claims include abuse of process, liable, slander and possibly a civil rights violation.

Felty said the action taken by Hunter against Ostrowe was politically motivated, adding that Hunter was trying to settle a political score concerning Kim Bailey.

Bailey is general counsel at the Oklahoma Insurance Department. Bailey could not be reached for comment.

The Oklahoman reported that Hunter was having an affair.

Felty said the first step will be filing a tort claim act against Hunter.

Felty said that Tuesday evidence preservation letters were sent to Hunter and Bailey and several other agencies in anticipation of litigation.

The letters require the preservation of cell phones, including burner phones, computer hard drives, computer tablets and computers servers, Felty said.

Contacted Wednesday, a spokesman for Hunter said the former attorney general referred to the notice of dismissal of the indictment.

“This case was submitted to the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office through a complaint of the Chairman of the Oklahoma Tax Commission after Governor Stitt requested that this complaint be investigated by the Oklahoma Attorney General,” Hunter wrote in the dismissal. “As a result of the pending Gubernatorial appointment of the Attorney General, the Office of Oklahoma Attorney General thereby has been presented with a conflict in the existing case because said defendant is the Secretary of Digital Transformation, a Gubernatorial Cabinet Secretary.”

The dismissal was filed without prejudice, so the charge could be refiled.

“This case was referred to our office by state officials,” Hunter spokesman Alex Gerszewski said in an email. “The process undertaken was identical to every other case brought before the grand jury. Witness testimony is sworn under oath and lying before the grand jury is a felony. The grand jurors heard testimony and made the decision to issue an indictment.”

The indictments was filed Dec. 17 in Oklahoma County District Court. Following that, Ostrowe took a leave of absence from his cabinet post.

After Hunter’s resignation, the man he barely beat in the 2018 Republican primary runoff announced he would again seek the post.

Gentner Drummond, a rancher, attorney and businessman, announced he would again seek the post.

Drummond is married to Wendy Drummond. They live in Tulsa and on their ranch near Hominy.

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