Lawmaker Suspended From Chairmanship As Sexual Harassment Investigation Continues

After refusing to testify before the House of Representatives' investigative committee, Rep. Dan Kirby, R-Tulsa, was suspended from his chairmanship of the House Business, Commerce and Tourism Committee on Tuesday.

The suspension was announced by Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka.

The investigation committee has worked for several weeks, tasked with uncovering why nearly $45,000 were spent to settle a wrongful termination complaint by a former aide to Kirby.

So far, it has come up empty handed. That aide alleging she was sexually harassed by Kirby while working for him.

McCall's office said the speaker called Kirby personally asking him to reconsider after his refusal.

Then, late this afternoon, McCall suspended Kirby's chairmanship to the house commerce committee.

One News 9 source close to the investigation said those punishments could continue possibly to include recommending expelling Kirby from the House.

Kirby and Rep. William Fourkiller, D-Tahlequah, who has also been allegedly accused, have refused to testify before the committee, seemingly hedging their bets against the investigation that's being conducted in secret.

Kirby said in a statement from an outside consulting firm Monday he wanted his attorney present for the meeting.

"Until the committee can guarantee a fair process I can not subject myself to a blind interrogation," he wrote.

“When things like this occur and it raises doubt in the public's mind. It's just one more thing that causes that dissention out in the public,” Rep. Steve Kouplen, D-Beggs, said on Tuesday.

Kouplen was appointed to be a member of the investigative committee as one of three Democrats on the nine member panel.

He along with another Democrat, Rep. David Perryman, of Chickasha, refused to sign confidentiality agreements prior to the investigation. To date, neither have been to an official meeting of the committee.

Another News 9 source close to the investigation say the committee plans to continue the investigation without the testimony, although one described the amount of complaints being discovered as overwhelming. 

The committee is expected to meet again late this week.