House Special Investigation Committee Widens To Second Lawmaker

State Rep. Josh Cockroft, R-Wanette, announced today the House Special Investigation Committee has widened its investigation beyond Rep. Dan Kirby, R-Tulsa, to include Rep Will Fourkiller, D-Stilwell.

The committee was created upon request by House Speaker Charles McCall and Minority Leader Scott Inman in December as a response to sexual harassment and settlement allegations against Kirby.

Cockroft did not say why the investigation expanded to include Fourkiller.

Cockroft's full statement reads:

“The Special Investigation Committee has been charged with not only investigating the settlement agreement, but – upon request by House Speaker Charles McCall and Minority Leader Scott Inman in his December 23 letter to the Speaker – the Committee has also been charged with investigating any and all formal complaints filed against current House members. There have been formal complaints filed against two current lawmakers: Rep. Dan Kirby, a Republican from Tulsa, and Rep. Will Fourkiller, a Democrat from Stilwell. These complaints will be thoroughly and fairly investigated by the Committee, and the results of those investigations will be made public. The Committee will meet on Wednesday, January 11 to adopt the special rules that will guide the Committee’s process and to schedule our next actions. In an effort to protect personal information of alleged victims and unelected witnesses, the Committee will conduct its investigation in private; however, the shared goal of all members of this investigation is to present our findings quickly and publicly so that Oklahomans can have confidence that the House of Representatives is a safe, indiscriminate place for employees to work.”

The committee will next meet January 11 to discuss rules and schedules.