Ex-Oklahoma lawmaker charged for alleged travel scheme

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A former Oklahoma House leader accused of paying for travel expenses from his campaign account and getting reimbursed by the state for the same expenses was charged with 44 felony counts Friday in Oklahoma County District Court.

Prosecutors filed charges of making false claims against the state, perjury and embezzlement against Gus Blackwell, 60, a Republican from Laverne who represented the Panhandle in the state House for 12 years before being term-limited in 2014.

Investigators obtained search warrants for Blackwell's personal and campaign bank account records and determined he didn't reimburse the campaign account with the mileage reimbursements paid by the state, District Attorney Investigator Gary Eastridge wrote in an affidavit of probable cause.