State Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments In Case Between Lawmakers, Corporation Commissioner

The state Supreme Court heard oral arguments Tuesday afternoon in the case against the Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner, accused of drunkenly groping a man at a national conference in the summer.

Three Republican state lawmakers are now asking that Todd Hiett be disqualified from the judicial decision.

Todd Hiett was removed as chairman of the corporation commission in August, but state lawmakers are now pushing to take things a step further. Hiett is not charged with a crime but the lawsuit asks that he not be allowed to participate in decisions regarding certain companies because of the misconduct allegations.

Seven of nine justices were present Tuesday afternoon, and each side was given fifteen minutes, in addition to time for rebuttal, to give their arguments.

The main topic of debate between the justices and two attorneys was whether or not the Supreme Court had jurisdiction to make a ruling in this case. Typically, anything dealing with ratepayers lands in the legislative branch.

Hiett’s attorney, Joe White, says if the lawmakers wanted to remove Hiett from his official capacity, they would need to take steps to impeach him, saying that the judicial branch doesn’t have jurisdiction.

Stephen Jones, the attorney for three lawmakers, Rep. Rick West, Rep. Kevin West, and Rep. Tom Gann, says that there isn’t any appetite for impeachment, they just want to remove Hiett’s ability to weigh in on decisions regarding certain companies because of the misconduct allegations.

Jones says that Hiett conducted himself “grossly improper,” saying that this is both a criminal and ethical issue. Jones calls this a “sad, scary and awkward situation.”

“It doesn't really make any difference whether you're acting in a legislative capacity or judicial capacity. The ethics rules still apply and one of the ethics rules is that you don't engage in disgraceful or improper conduct,” said Jones.

White says the allegations are “prudent,” saying this is pure speculation and that Hiett is being “unfairly attacked.” White argues that it is not in the scope of the state supreme court to remove somebody from office, saying it is only in the jurisdiction of the legislature. 

“I mean on one hand they want to try to remove him from their papers, but you heard today ‘Oh we don't want to impeach him, we're not doing that.’ They don't want to do that because they can't do it,” said White. 

There is no timeline for when the state supreme court will release any opinion, but both attorneys say they’re hoping for a quick decision.