Grand jury looks into Health Dept.

The unfolding scandal at the Oklahoma Health Department took a new turn Thursday when the state’s multicounty grand jury began investigating who is to blame for the financial mismanagement there.

The investigation could result in criminal charges against former officials next year.

Grand jurors conduct their investigations in closed sessions, but two former officials were seen arriving at their meeting place Thursday morning.

Julie Cox-Kain, the former senior deputy commissioner at the Health Department, and Felesha Scanlan, the former business planning director, were accompanied by attorneys.

Both left with their attorneys shortly after arriving, an indication that they either refused to testify or their testimony was delayed. They left without commenting.

Also seen arriving at the grand jury were a number of accountants working for state Auditor Gary Jones and Mike Romero, the Health Department’s chief financial officer. Those witnesses left after about four hours.

Accountants from the state auditor’s office likely were called before the grand jury because Jones is doing an investigative audit of the Health Department at the request of Attorney General Mike Hunter.

Romero likely was called before the grand jury because of his part in exposing problems at the Health Department. “I can’t comment on anything,” he told

The Oklahoman as he left with his attorney.

Grand jurors meet three days a month at the AG’s office in Oklahoma City. They are advised in their investigations by Assistant Attorney General Joy Mohorovicic and other prosecutors there.

Mohorovicic declined to comment after the grand jury wrapped up its November session Thursday without issuing any new indictments. Grand jurors resume work in January.

Health Commissioner Terry Cline, his top deputy, Cox-Kain, and Scanlan resigned abruptly from the Health Department in October after the financial mismanagement

was discovered.

The Health Department needed a supplemental appropriation of $30 million in November to stay in operation.

“I want to thank the House and Senate for taking swift action to prevent our public health infrastructure from failing and denying critical services to the citizens of Oklahoma,” the interim commissioner, Preston Doerflinger, said Nov. 17.

“The fiscal mismanagement of the agency has brought us to the edge of a fiscal cliff and with the governor’s final approval, we can move beyond this unprecedented situation and continue the hard work of putting the OSDH back on solid financial footing,” Doerflinger said.

A House Special Investigation Committee also is investigating the financial mismanagement at the Health Department.