Oklahoma official accused of groping man responds to calls that he resign

Hiett, in a telephone interview with the Tulsa World, didn’t deny that the incident occurred, though he said he had no memory of it. He said it left him facing turmoil like he’s never faced in 30 years of political life in Oklahoma, but that he had no plans to step away from the Corporation Commission either temporarily or permanently.

According to reporting by The Oklahoman, two people said they witnessed Hiett, clearly drunk and slurring words, grope a man between the legs on the evening of June 9 in a bar at the Renaissance Hotel in Minneapolis.

Hiett and hundreds of other people were there to attend the Mid-America Regulatory Conference held June 9-12. The incident happened on the first evening, during a welcoming reception.

One of the two witnesses said the alleged victim was a man who identified as representing a company that “goes before” the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.

“I was horrified,” the witness wrote in her account. “I recognized how horrible and awkward this situation was for (the man). I thought, ‘OK, you have just witnessed a sexual assault, and we need to get (the man) out of here.’”

In a filing at the Corporation Commission on Tuesday, Anthony called on Hiett, who is the chairman of the commission, to resign immediately.

“There can be no tolerance for his actions, especially when directed toward persons whose companies, industries and/or jobs will otherwise continue to be directly affected by the regulatory decisions he makes,” Anthony wrote. “The situation is untenable. Neither getting sober nor sincerely apologizing can resolve it.”

Anthony added in the filing that he had heard from “numerous current and former commissioners from across the country” who reported witnessing Hiett acting in the same way at other meetings and conferences held in multiple other states.

In the phone interview with the World, Hiett said he did not know who the man was in Minneapolis referred to by the witnesses, or what company or organization the man represents.

According to the witness statements quoted by the Oklahoman, the man had introduced Hiett as an Oklahoma commissioner just prior to the groping incident.

“I have no memory of any of the things that are in that report,” Hiett said. “However, it’s hard for me to believe I would ever do such a thing.”

While Hiett said he would not deny what happened, he did deny that he’s been involved in other similar incidents. He noted that Anthony has been a rival and longtime critic.

“There are thousands of pages of Anthony’s filings over the years accusing me of things, and others, as well,” he said.

Hiett was first elected in 2015 to the Corporation Commission. The three-person agency is responsible for regulation of the oil and gas, fuel, public utilities and transportation industries. He was elected to a second term in 2021 and is due to reach his 12-year term limit in 2027. He draws a salary of $114,713 per year.

A Republican, Hiett previously served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1994 to 2006, including as House speaker from 2004 to 2006.

Asked if the current controversy surrounding him would harm his ability to focus on his work, which includes considering rates to be paid by customers of Oklahoma utility companies, he said that it would not.

“I am clearly devastated by what’s being said, and for that reason I sought medical help and I’m continuing that and doing what I can to address it with the help of doctors and counselors,” he said. “I’m meeting it head-on and taking it as if it is true and happened and 100% my fault. It’s a bad deal for me and my family, but we’re meeting it head-on with God’s help.”

The third Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner, Republican Kim David, didn’t respond to a call or to an email seeking comment.

In his filing, Anthony, also a Republican, who was term-limited this year and will leave the Corporation Commission in January, described Hiett’s behavior as horrifying, disgusting and “probably criminal.”

“Alcohol is no excuse for it,” he wrote. “His so-called apology is insufficient and unacceptable, and his ongoing attempts to downplay the seriousness of what occurred only compound the offense.”

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission is scheduled to meet at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday. According to an amended agenda, one item will include discussion of a report of “chronic public drunkenness and/or improper sexual behavior negatively impacting the Oklahoma Corporation Commission and its professional associates and colleagues in other states.”

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