Oklahoma's Secretary of State, Ben Lepak, was taken into custody on suspicion of public intoxication following an incident outside a fast-food restaurant. The arrest has prompted the state's Attorney General, Gentner Drummond, to publicly demand that Governor Kevin Stitt dismiss Lepak from his position.
Arrest Details Emerge from Bodycam Footage
According to the arrest affidavit, law enforcement officers located Mr. Lepak standing near the drive-thru window of a McDonald's establishment. His vehicle was observed in the adjacent parking area, which he reportedly confirmed belonged to him.
The affidavit further details an officer's observations, noting that Mr. Lepak exhibited "extremely slurred speech" and emanated an "odor of an alcoholic beverage." The officer also stated that Mr. Lepak appeared to have difficulty retrieving his identification from his wallet.
Video footage from the incident shows Mr. Lepak informing officers that he had been at a gathering with other fathers at a church earlier in the evening. As officers continued their questioning, he reportedly challenged their assertion that he was unsteady on his feet.
Police further allege in the affidavit that Mr. Lepak was unable to sustain a "coherent train of thought" throughout the interaction. During his conversation with officers, Mr. Lepak acknowledged consuming beer.
"I had a beer … that’s it," Mr. Lepak is quoted as saying in the affidavit. He subsequently revised his statement, claiming he had consumed less than a full beer because he did not finish it.
The affidavit also indicates that police allege Mr. Lepak provided conflicting accounts regarding whether he had driven to the McDonald's and how he arrived at the location.
Ultimately, officers proceeded to place Mr. Lepak under arrest on suspicion of public intoxication.
"Mr. Lepak was waiting outside McDonald's for dinner. He was not given a Breathalyzer test. Mr. Lepak will address the ticket appropriately through the legal process."
Attorney General Calls for Immediate Firing
The arrest quickly led Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond to urge Republican Governor Kevin Stitt to remove Mr. Lepak from his position.
In a news release, Drummond stated, "After reviewing footage from law enforcement body cameras, it is clear that Secretary of State Ben Lepak was thoroughly inebriated and very likely lied to law enforcement about how much he had to drink and how he and his car both arrived at the same place without him driving it." He added, "This conduct is thoroughly unbecoming of a such a high-ranking state official, and I am demanding that Gov. Stitt fire him immediately."
Drummond also expressed strong criticism of Governor Stitt for his decision to appoint Mr. Lepak.
"Given the fact that Mr. Lepak had been arrested just a few years ago after being found unconscious in a running vehicle, Gov. Stitt should have known better than to elevate him to such a senior leadership position," Drummond asserted.
He continued, "Gov. Stitt has made countless errors in judgment like this during his tenure in office, including most recently when he intervened to help a campaign donor avoid further jail time. He cannot undo those past mistakes, but he can help our state avoid further embarrassment by firing Mr. Lepak immediately."
Background of Secretary Lepak
Mr. Lepak was appointed as Oklahoma's Secretary of State by Governor Stitt. Prior to this role, he served as the governor's general counsel and also held the position of executive director for the State Chamber Research Foundation.
