When we are talking about charging for miles or cabins, I think you guys need to remember you are talking about the "non-Swadley" world.

Gino, Jerry & the boys are gonna mix and sling that grub and cover it with a thick layer of "taxpayer green" gravy in the Swadley world.

When we are talking about charging for miles or cabins, I think you guys need to remember you are talking about the "non-Swadley" world.

Gino, Jerry & the boys are gonna mix and sling that grub and cover it with a thick layer of "taxpayer green" gravy in the Swadley world.

The most expensive cabins in broken bow rent for about $300 a night, unless you are renting one of the humongous multifamily ones. So, whatever those expenses were were obviously padded out and profligate. Just a total up yours to Oklahoma taxpayers.

The most expensive cabins in broken bow rent for about $300 a night, unless you are renting one of the humongous multifamily ones. So, whatever those expenses were were obviously padded out and profligate. Just a total up yours to Oklahoma taxpayers.

And a total disregard of public trust that such charges were approved and paid out, too.

Speaking for myself, I will never again patronize Swadley's in any way, shape or form. Their guilt or innocence on this issue may not yet be determined, but it reeks of that "good ol' boy" mentality which has damaged the State of Oklahoma's reputation and progress for decades. There are too many smaller, Mom-and-Pop, family-owned BBQ restaurants that don't display this level of greed and malfeasance, and the food is better too.

Speaking for myself, I will never again patronize Swadley's in any way, shape or form. Their guilt or innocence on this issue may not yet be determined, but it's reeks of that "good ol' boy" mentality which has damaged the State of Oklahoma's reputation and progress for decades. There are too many smaller, Mom-and-Pop, family-owned BBQ restaurants that don't display this level of greed and malfeasance, and the food is better too.
Agree 100%. We didn't go there anyway because the couple times we did try them we didn't like it. But if we were regulars we wouldn't be now.

Ruh roh.


https://www.readfrontier.org/stories/oklahoma-lt-gov-matt-pinnell-signed-off-on-millions-of-foggy-bottom-kitchen-expenses/

Oklahoma Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell signed off on millions of Foggy Bottom Kitchen expenses
May 16, 2022

At one point Pinnell approved a $1.5-million payment to Foggy Bottom via email without seeing the invoice, an email obtained by The Frontier shows.


Amid the fallout from the Swadley’s Foggy Bottom Kitchen scandal, Gov. Kevin Stitt announced Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell would take a more hands-on role in state tourism operations.

But Pinnell has already played an active role. As Secretary of Tourism, he personally approved $16.7 million in payments for Swadley’s Foggy Bottom Kitchen restaurants from the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department.

Following an executive order Stitt signed in 2019, cabinet secretaries must approve all agency expenses over $25,000. Pinnell was required to review each purchase and had the power to reject any expense, according to the order.

Mariah Carter, a spokesperson for Pinnell, did not answer The Frontier’s question on whether Pinnell vetted purchases before signing off on expenses.

“There are levels of accountability and approval that must occur before these requisitions hit the Lt. Governor’s desk,” Carter said. “At the time, the Lt. Governor had full faith in the agency director and his decision making.”

Tourism Executive Director of Tourism Jerry Winchester resigned in April after revelations of questionable spending on the Swadley’s deal.

Documents reflect the trust Pinnell had in Winchester. At one point Pinnell approved a $1.5-million payment to Foggy Bottom via email without seeing the invoice, an email obtained by The Frontier shows. He also signed off on a $2.1 million payment to reimburse Swadley’s for its “fiscal year 2021 deficit coverage” in August.

At a hearing at the Oklahoma State Capitol on Thursday, lawmakers heard testimony detailing how the Tourism Department lost $12.4 million to improper payments for Foggy Bottom restaurants because of a lack of oversight.

In an interview, Rep. Ryan Martinez, R-Edmond, chairman of a special House committee investigating the deal, said he was troubled by the apparent “rubber stamp” approval on Swadley’s expenses.

“Based off of what I’ve seen from the Swadley deal, it doesn’t look like there’s much of a verification process,” he said.

Carly Atchison, a spokesperson for Stitt, said the governor issued the 2019 executive order to provide “added oversight when agencies spend money so that the governor knows what expenses are going out.”

But, Stitt wasn’t aware that Swadley’s was overbilling the Tourism Department until a meeting with Jerry Winchester on April 18, she said.

Carter said Pinnell is “leading the charge” to urge the Legislature to amend state law to require the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Commission to approve all budgets and contracts. Legislation in 2018 stripped the board of its powers.

“As a statewide elected official, Lt. Governor Pinnell works tirelessly to make Oklahoma better,” Carter said. “He feels accountable to taxpayers and certainly sees it as his responsibility to not only get to the bottom of this issue, but also make sure the proper systems are in place to prevent something like this from happening again.”

^^^^^

holy crap

^^^^^

holy crap

Are you speaking of Swadley's food or our Lt. Governor's blindly approving $1.5 million in taxpayer expenditures? :cool:

The Frontier continues with its great investigative reporting.

Kudos to them.

I also love the fact that there was a bill passed in 2019 designating oversight by cabinet secretaries specifically to make sure this kind of crap doesn’t happen and lo and behold…

Stitt will throw his entire cabinet under the bus if he has to, to keep his national political aspirations alive, it sounds like.

I sure do love Swadley's food. I eat there like once a week. The burnt ends dinner is crazy good! I will continue to eat there no matter what.

Swadley's is mediocre BBQ. I was boycotting them before I knew its owner was a conman.

Swadley's is mediocre BBQ. I was boycotting them before I knew its owner was a conman.

It's so weird, because all the engineers at my wife's company love them, and the out of state folks are huge fans, so they use them all the time. I had to ban her from bringing the leftovers home because I didn't want that BBQ in my house. I could never stand them, and I hate that so many folks are exposed to them as being representative of Oklahoma BBQ (which may be accurate since so much of our BBQ sucks, but it's not a representative of GOOD Oklahoma BBQ).

After all of this, I am proud to say that in the decade I have lived in Oklahoma City, I have never eaten at Swadley's once.

It's so weird, because all the engineers at my wife's company love them, and the out of state folks are huge fans, so they use them all the time. I had to ban her from bringing the leftovers home because I didn't want that BBQ in my house. I could never stand them, and I hate that so many folks are exposed to them as being representative of Oklahoma BBQ (which may be accurate since so much of our BBQ sucks, but it's not a representative of GOOD Oklahoma BBQ).

IMO, great BBQ starts with great meat and most OK BBQ restaurants use cheaper meat to keep their prices down. Most Oklahomans won't pay for premium BBQ so they don't know how good BBQ can be. Give me Edge Craft and The Butcher BBQ Stand. I'm willing to pay extra for great BBQ.

On another note Gino DeMarco who is in the middle of the Swadley's fiasco is going for the hat trick. He's also involved in Lake Murray scandal and the PPE scandal.

https://www.readfrontier.org/stories/did-a-state-officials-lake-murray-land-deal-violate-ethics-rules/

Swadley's is mediocre BBQ. I was boycotting them before I knew its owner was a conman.

I was never quite able to get over their World Famous claim..... But I guess you advertise it long enough and some people will start to buy into it.

Then again after all the smoke clears over this debacle.... They may be able to claim some World Fame.... Just not for the Q.

It's so weird, because all the engineers at my wife's company love them, and the out of state folks are huge fans, so they use them all the time. I had to ban her from bringing the leftovers home because I didn't want that BBQ in my house. I could never stand them, and I hate that so many folks are exposed to them as being representative of Oklahoma BBQ (which may be accurate since so much of our BBQ sucks, but it's not a representative of GOOD Oklahoma BBQ).

And if you ask them what they love about Swadley's. Majority of the answers will be "The sauce!" or "The Sides!".

Give me Edge Craft and The Butcher BBQ Stand. I'm willing to pay extra for great BBQ.

Man, Butcher's has about ruined brisket for me from anywhere else. Although, just a couple of weeks ago the wife and I ate at that BBQ place in the gas station on I-35 at the Stillwater exit and the brisket there was surprisingly good - like I will probably add it into a regular road trip rotation good.

Man, Butcher's has about ruined brisket for me from anywhere else. Although, just a couple of weeks ago the wife and I ate at that BBQ place in the gas station on I-35 at the Stillwater exit and the brisket there was surprisingly good - like I will probably add it into a regular road trip rotation good.

have you tried edge craft bbq? it is all good!

Who cares about their f@*ng food. They ripped us off.

Man, Butcher's has about ruined brisket for me from anywhere else. Although, just a couple of weeks ago the wife and I ate at that BBQ place in the gas station on I-35 at the Stillwater exit and the brisket there was surprisingly good - like I will probably add it into a regular road trip rotation good.

I recently heard that was good. Been by it a 100 times and never stopped. Will have to try it next time.

Clark Crew is tier one bbq in my book.

Slander: defamation; calumny:
The accusations are based on hearsay, rumor, or intentional slander, and remain undocumented and unproved.

Please show us what posts contained slander.

State fire marshal: Half of former Swadley's state park restaurants code compliant (nondoc.com) (https://nondoc.com/2022/05/18/state-fire-marshal-state-park-restaurants-swadleys/)

can't imagine many other restaurants being able to operate without their code inspections being completed.

Was/is Swadley's BBQ any good? I've never had it but my father (when he was alive) and my brother liked it

Was/is Swadley's BBQ any good? I've never had but my father (when he was alive and my brother liked it

It is quite average{and that's being nice}, lots of better choice for Q in the metro area.

IMO, great BBQ starts with great meat and most OK BBQ restaurants use cheaper meat to keep their prices down. Most Oklahomans won't pay for premium BBQ so they don't know how good BBQ can be. Give me Edge Craft and The Butcher BBQ Stand. I'm willing to pay extra for great BBQ.

Texlahoma uses prime meats and JoBawbs is great too.

You paint with a broad brush when you say "most OK". Probably is true for all other states too. There are those better known who use prime meats and most who don't. That's just common sense. They all serve their particular demographic.

State fire marshal: Half of former Swadley's state park restaurants code compliant (nondoc.com) (https://nondoc.com/2022/05/18/state-fire-marshal-state-park-restaurants-swadleys/)

can't imagine many other restaurants being able to operate without their code inspections being completed.

. . article said the RFP opened 6 May and closes 20 May. Is 14 calendars days a normal RFP window?

Texlahoma uses prime meats and JoBawbs is great too.

You paint with a broad brush when you say "most OK". Probably is true for all other states too. There are those better known who use prime meats and most who don't. That's just common sense. They all serve their particular demographic.

I've only tried Texlahoma once, but was very impressed with their brisket. Tried JoBawbs once and was not impressed. I'd like to give both of them another try because one time is not always a good indication of their quality. I'll also add Cornish to the list. They have consistently good brisket.

Also, I never meant to infer that Oklahomans were unique in settling for inferior BBQ because they don't want to pay a premium for great BBQ.

I've only tried Texlahoma once, but was very impressed with their brisket. Tried JoBawbs once and was not impressed. I'd like to give both of them another try because one time is not always a good indication of their quality. I'll also add Cornish to the list. They have consistently good brisket.

Also, I never meant to infer that Oklahomans were unique in settling for inferior BBQ because they don't want to pay a premium for great BBQ.

IMO Edge Craft is the best I've had in Oklahoma but I have not had a lot of BBQ in the state. I've had Backdoor BBQ which I love, Iron Star which I love, Earl's BBQ up on western it's pretty solid and Smoked Out BBQ and its not bad.

I need to try Clarks Crew, Pig and the Butcher, Leo's, Bedlam BBQ, Kings BBQ, Dickey's BBQ Pit, and Rudy's BBQ,

Everytime I go and visit family in San Antonio I stop at 2M Smokehouse it is the best BBQ I've ever had in my life! but I have not had Terry Blacks or Franklins or Valentina's Tex Mex BBQ which is my next spot on my next trip to San Antonio

I'm sure a lot of you on this site are way more familiar with Okie BBQ as I have only had a few places.

Feel free to let me know what is the best or what you believe is the best and I'm talking about the entire state!

IMO Edge Craft is the best I've had in Oklahoma but I have not had a lot of BBQ in the state. I've had Backdoor BBQ which I love, Iron Star which I love, Earl's BBQ up on western it's pretty solid and Smoked Out BBQ and its not bad.

I need to try Clarks Crew, Pig and the Butcher, Leo's, Bedlam BBQ, Kings BBQ, Dickey's BBQ Pit, and Rudy's BBQ,...

Actually, you can just go to Clark Crew, they're the only ones worth a crap out of those (haven't tried Bedlam, though, but have done the rest and meh, except Leo's pulled pork (they had it once at the 36th/Lincoln Homeland location when we were there)). :) For reference, I really liked Maples, like Clark Crew, like Burn Co., need to try Edge Craft and Butcher. Iron Star used to be good, but they started skimping on their appetizer sizes and the quality went downhill a bit, so haven't eaten there in a few years.

Actually, you can just go to Clark Crew, they're the only ones worth a crap out of those (haven't tried Bedlam, though, but have done the rest and meh, except Leo's pulled pork (they had it once at the 36th/Lincoln Homeland location when we were there)). :) For reference, I really liked Maples, like Clark Crew, like Burn Co., need to try Edge Craft and Butcher. Iron Star used to be good, but they started skimping on their appetizer sizes and the quality went downhill a bit, so haven't eaten there in a few years.
I agree that CC is really good. I want to try Pig and the Butcher though.

I agree that CC is really good. I want to try Pig and the Butcher though.

The problem we had with them is their pulled pork had a bunch of hunks of fat in it, which means they aren't doing it right, and the sides were pretty tasteless/average. Since they're out of our normal driving range, they weren't good enough to go back to.

The problem we had with them is their pulled pork had a bunch of hunks of fat in it, which means they aren't doing it right, and the sides were pretty tasteless/average. Since they're out of our normal driving range, they weren't good enough to go back to.
Thanks. I think you just saved us a trip. Butcher is about the same distance but harder to get to than CC.

Actually, you can just go to Clark Crew, they're the only ones worth a crap out of those (haven't tried Bedlam, though, but have done the rest and meh, except Leo's pulled pork (they had it once at the 36th/Lincoln Homeland location when we were there)). :) For reference, I really liked Maples, like Clark Crew, like Burn Co., need to try Edge Craft and Butcher. Iron Star used to be good, but they started skimping on their appetizer sizes and the quality went downhill a bit, so haven't eaten there in a few years.

edge craft is the same dude that had Maples

Had Iron Star a couple weeks ago and it was great. Mac Cheese is always super good. Wife had pork ribs and loved them, okra was good and I had the pimento jalapeno burger which is always good.

Give Iron Star another shot

Thanks man, heard nothing but great things about CC's. Didn't the guy that owns CC's win like every BBQ award a person can win?

edge craft is the same dude that had Maples

Had Iron Star a couple weeks ago and it was great. Mac Cheese is always super good. Wife had pork ribs and loved them, okra was good and I had the pimento jalapeno burger which is always good.

Give Iron Star another shot

Thanks man, heard nothing but great things about CC's. Didn't the guy that owns CC's win like every BBQ award a person can win?

Edge craft is one of the pit masters from maples.

Iron stars best thing is their sides (take that as you will).

Butcher stand is very very hard to top.

Texlahoma puts out some great stuff.

edge craft is the same dude that had Maples...

Yep, that's why they're on our list, we just haven't gotten there yet (we've got about 60 more new-ish restaurants on our list to try, but we only eat out once (maybe twice) a week, so our list doesn't get shorter very quickly).

Tried Kings last night on 23rd and Portland. It was really good actually!! Worth a try if you haven’t been there. Swadleys won’t be getting our business. No sense in rewarding the crooks. They certainly don’t give a crap about the taxpayers of OK so why support them when there is comparable and better around!!

More news on the Swadleys front from NonDoc.

https://nondoc.com/2022/05/20/swadleys-subcontractor-built-family-member-home/

Looks like the vendor building one of the Execs homes was also doing the renovations. Looks like extra charged vendor fees.

^^^ With every new detail this just gets shadier and shadier.

"On May 12, Jackson told the special legislative committee that some of the invoices Premiere Custom Homes submitted to Swadley’s — as well as Swadley’s subsequent reimbursement invoices to the state — raised red flags.

“We did a case study on one vendor, Premier Custom Homes,” Jackson told legislators. “They had a $20,000 fee they charged on $53,000 in work. Once they did that, Swadley’s billed the OTRD for the $73,000 and then charged the consulting management fees.”

Jackson said those consulting and management fees charged to the state by Swadley’s in August 2021 were for an additional 30 percent of total costs, meaning Swadley’s calculated its 30 percent based off a total that included Premiere Custom Homes’ own $20,000 vendor fee."

If this has already been mentioned/posted on OKCTalk I apologize

I did not know this and not sure that I can agree especially with Texas and South Carolina but who knows I'm probably wrong

https://okcfox.com/news/local/oklahoma-city-ranks-2nd-best-state-for-bbq-study-finds

John and Cooks in Lawton is great. Best hot bbq sauce I've ever had. I don't know if it's still in business

If this has already been mentioned/posted on OKCTalk I apologize

I did not know this and not sure that I can agree especially with Texas and South Carolina but who knows I'm probably wrong

https://okcfox.com/news/local/oklahoma-city-ranks-2nd-best-state-for-bbq-study-finds

all that really tells me is that most people have no idea what good BBQ is. lol

I agree haha

John and Cooks is still open as is their hot sauce. Twenty years ago I bought $300 of their brisket to serve after my wedding. The marriage ended up bad but John and Cooks brisket is still good.

Do you think that Swadley's can survive the scandal? I'm not sure they can.

Do you think that Swadley's can survive the scandal? I'm not sure they can.

The fact that their product is mediocre doesn't help.

The fact that their product is mediocre doesn't help.At least in my wife's and my open this is completely accurate.

Do you think that Swadley's can survive the scandal? I'm not sure they can.

I haven't really driven by any of the OKC locations but the one in Ardmore still seems to have about the same amount of cars in the parking lot when I drive by it.

But unfortunately all of the good, locally owned, BBQ places in Ardmore have closed...... There were no chains there 15 years ago and now it's Swadley's and Rib Crib.... Billy Sim's failed there.

Do you think that Swadley's can survive the scandal? I'm not sure they can.

I still eat there at least once a week. I like their food.

I still eat there at least once a week. I like their food.

:dontgetit

i still eat there at least once a week. I like their food.

lol

Do you think that Swadley's can survive the scandal? I'm not sure they can.

I think it is more likely that if they don't survive, it's because of fines and having to repay money to taxpayers.

I think it is more likely that if they don't survive, it's because of fines and having to repay money to taxpayers.

would think that the state projects were all done under separate LLC's that would have 0 impact on the restaurant business

People who commit fraud against the state government and people who carefully plan out their legal liability don't seem like two sets of people that share much overlap.

would think that the state projects were all done under separate LLC's that would have 0 impact on the restaurant business

We will see, won't we?

People who commit fraud against the state government and people who carefully plan out their legal liability don't seem like two sets of people that share much overlap.

lol that is a fair point ..

Swadley's has filed suit against their former EVP who they claim 1) extorted them; 2) had an affair with an employee; 3) stole company information; and 4) made false claims to the state as retaliation after quitting in a huff.

You can read the entire petition here:

HTTP://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/swadleys062222a.pdf