Danny Williams Censure: House Recommends Resignation
Oklahoma House Committee Censures Danny Williams, Recommends Resignation Over Staff Misconduct Allegations
An Oklahoma House committee voted Thursday, September 24, to censure state Rep. Danny Williams of Seminole and recommend that he resign from office following an investigation into allegations of improper conduct involving House employees.
The committee also recommended restrictions on Williams if he remains in office, including removing his committee assignments, denying him a legislative assistant, prohibiting one-on-one interactions with staff and requiring 80 hours of sexual harassment and toxic workplace training. Democratic Reps. Andy Fugate and Ellyn Hefner welcomed the disciplinary action but said they believed the House should have gone further.
Danny Williams Censure Includes Recommendation to Resign
The House Rules Committee met Thursday to consider disciplinary recommendations stemming from allegations involving Williams, a Republican who represents House District 28, including Seminole County and portions of northern Pottawatomie County.
The allegations prompted House leadership to initiate an investigation earlier this summer. House Speaker Kyle Hilbert referred the matter to the Rules Committee for review.
The committee voted to censure Williams and recommend his resignation.
It also voted 8-1 to recommend additional restrictions if Williams remains in office.
Those recommendations include:
Denying Williams a legislative assistant.
Prohibiting one-on-one interactions with House staff.
Removing him from all committee assignments.
Preventing an improvement to his current office assignment.
Requiring him to pay for and complete 80 hours of approved sexual harassment and toxic workplace training.
The committee's action distinguishes between recommending that Williams leave office and establishing restrictions that would apply if he stays.
The Oklahoma House's official rules govern the chamber's disciplinary procedures and the authority of its members and leadership.
Williams addressed his colleagues before the committee voted, maintaining that he had not broken any law.
The allegations and disciplinary recommendations are separate from any criminal determination. The information released about Thursday's proceedings does not establish that Williams has been convicted of a crime.
Andy Fugate Says House Discipline Did Not Go Far Enough
Rep. Andy Fugate, D-Del City, thanked Speaker Hilbert and the Rules Committee for addressing the allegations but said the resulting disciplinary action was insufficient.
“Every employer in Oklahoma owes its workers a safe place to work where they are treated with respect and dignity,” Fugate said in a statement released Thursday.
Fugate argued that an employee facing comparable accusations in a private business would be terminated.
He also acknowledged that the Legislature operates under its own rules and procedures, with an election approaching in November.
“The action taken today was all we had available, but it was not enough,” Fugate said. “The House employees who came forward deserve better, and so do the people of Oklahoma.”
Fugate serves on the Rules Committee and represents House District 94, which includes portions of Del City and Oklahoma City, according to his official House biography .
His statement focused on the House's responsibility as an employer and the limitations of the disciplinary process available to lawmakers.
Ellyn Hefner Emphasizes Employee Safety and Protection From Retaliation
Rep. Ellyn Hefner, D-Oklahoma City, also thanked the Speaker and Rules Committee for taking the concerns seriously.
Hefner directed particular attention to the House employees who reported the alleged conduct.
“Speaking up is not easy, especially when you are worried about your job, your family, and what may happen afterward,” she said.
Hefner said employees should be able to raise workplace concerns without fearing retaliation and that elected officials have the same responsibility to treat workers with dignity as any other employer.
“I wish we could have gone further,” she said.
Her statement called for a workplace where employees feel safe reporting concerns and can concentrate on serving the people of Oklahoma.
Hefner represents House District 87 and serves on the Rules Committee, according to her official legislative profile .
The statements from Fugate and Hefner reflect their views that the committee's recommendations addressed the allegations but did not provide the level of accountability they wanted.
For Williams, the immediate question is whether he will follow the recommendation to resign or remain in office under the proposed restrictions.
The committee has recommended his resignation, but Williams has not been removed from office by Thursday's vote.
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