TULSA, Okla. — Nearly six months after the devastating March wildfires that killed four people and destroyed hundreds of homes across Oklahoma, 2 News is holding elected officials to their word and taking a deeper look at transparency.
After touring the wildfire damage on March 15, Lieutenant Governor Matt Pinnell posted to X, thanking firefighters and adding, “When the news stations are gone, we will still be here supporting these communities.”
During a visit to Tulsa to deliver the State of the State address, Pinnell said he has made several trips to Stillwater since the wildfires broke out. Pinnell says he is working with the federal government to ensure that money is not cut from disaster assistance budgets.
WATCH: Prevention, transparency: 6 months later, a look at March wildfires
“There does need to be state involvement; we will continue to be there as long as we need to be there, but we need to be sure that we put programming and training in place so this does not happen again, and we need the federal government’s help,” said Pinnell.
2 News obtained emails from Governor Kevin Stitt’s press office that indicate the governor did not want to answer questions about the wildfires after the initial press conference.
“Will continue to gratefully decline these?” writes one press secretary, after Fox Weather asked for an interview two days after the damage.
Then, 2 News is the only station to report that Stitt and Pinnell are out of town for spring break. Stitt returned from vacation to fire Mark Goeller, the Forestry Director, calling the response a failure.
Stitt was highly criticized for the firing from firefighters statewide, but he did not want to answer questions about his vacation.
We tried for weeks to hold him accountable, asking again on April 7, when we were told his schedule does not allow for an interview.
90 minutes later, his office confirmed a previously booked interview about forestry to an outlet that did not question his absence.
When it comes to more commentary-style network interviews like Newsmax, the governor’s press office blindly and flexibly books interviews.
“Yes, ma’am!” wrote Abegail Cave, Communications Director, to a Newsmax producer requesting an interview. “What topics are you thinking?”
“Pick a day! I have… wiggle room.”
We have also been investigating the wildfire response task force that Governor Stitt established following the wildfires.
The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture and Forestry tells 2 News a detailed report is expected to be complete by the end of the year.
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