Oklahoma House censures representative who claimed police couldn't arrest him
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Dean Davis wasn't in the House chamber when his colleagues voted overwhelmingly to strip the three-term Oklahoma state representative of his committee assignments.
The state House of Representatives officially censured Davis after police released video of his recent arrest on a public intoxication complaint. In the video, Davis, R-Broken Arrow, repeatedly told an Oklahoma City police officer that he couldn't be arrested because the legislature is in session.
State law grants members of the Legislature certain privileges that ensure they can participate in the legislative session, including the right to vote on legislation and speak in debate inside the Capitol without fear of arrest. During the arrest last Thursday morning, Davis told an officer "you don't know how bad you messed up" when he was told to leave the patio of a closed bar.
The censure motion will prevent Davis from participating in committee work unless he issues a public, written apology to the Oklahoma City Police Department and his fellow lawmakers. He could not be reached for comment Monday after the House vote.
House Floor Leader Jon Echols said that if a legislator claims a privilege that they are above the law, "we won't put up with it."
"Nobody wants to do this. But what we have to do is show the citizens of the state of Oklahoma that we are not above the law, that we are ordinary public servants, and as a matter of fact, not only are we not above it, we are subject to it more than others," Echols said.
Just a few hours after he was released from jail last week, Davis spoke on the House floor to apologize for "creating this unnecessary distraction from the important work of the House."
It's clear that the apology wasn't enough.
Davis' arrest triggered a firestorm of controversy and questions about how House leadership would react. Just three weeks ago, the House censured another member, state Rep. Mauree Turner, D-Oklahoma City, after it was claimed that Turner impeded an investigation by providing sanctuary to a protester at the Capitol who was accused of assaulting a state trooper. Turner has not been charged with any crime, but they received the same censure punishment as Davis.
Turner voted against Davis' censure and urged their fellow lawmakers to think more about helping people than punishing them.
"When we continuously provide a space that is willing to criminalize people, or put people in a social, political or physical prison and not provide the resources that they need, we do a disservice to them," Turner said.
The censure vote on Davis passed 81-9.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma House member censured after public intoxication arrest
