PINNELL DEFENDS FALLIN’S HYPOCRISY

Continues Hypocrisy with Wasteful Spending 

Oklahoma City– Governor Mary Fallin has hired the firm of former Republican Governor of Utah Mike Leavitt for $500,000 to assess Oklahoma’s health care options. “Fallin keeps the good ol’ boy system alive by hiring one of her cronies, who isn’t even from Oklahoma, with federal money,” said Oklahoma Democratic Party Chairman Wallace Collins.

Governor Fallin, who serves as the vice chair for the National Governors Association (NGA), has flip flopped and now supports using federal dollars. Fallin previously refused to work with President Obama’s administration who had offered Oklahoma $54 million to set up a health insurance exchange through the Affordable Care Act. Apparently, the use of federal money to line the pockets of her political friends is a good idea, but using it to help provide health care for Oklahomans is not.

Oklahoma Republican Party Chair Matt Pinnell in a party-line response stated that, “We want an Oklahoma based plan. We want a plan that works for Oklahoma. What the federal government is trying to do will not work for the state of Oklahoma. It’s unaffordable and irresponsible.”

Chairman Collins responds, “Fallin calls for Oklahoma plan but hires out-of-state consultants? And when given the opportunity to have Oklahoma control our health insurance exchange she turns down the funding and hands the responsibility to the Federal Government? Talk about unaffordable and irresponsible!”