Todd Hiett is an American rancher and politician who has served on the Oklahoma Corporation Commission since 2015.
Todd Hiett | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission Class 1 | |
| Assumed office January 12, 2015 | |
| Governor | Mary Fallin Kevin Stitt |
| Preceded by | Patrice Douglas |
| Chairman of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission | |
| In office April 1, 2019 – August 7, 2024 | |
| Governor | Kevin Stitt |
| Preceded by | Dana Murphy |
| Succeeded by | Kim David |
| Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives | |
| In office January 2005 – January 2007 | |
| Preceded by | Larry Adair |
| Succeeded by | Lance Cargill |
| Minority Leader of the Oklahoma House of Representatives | |
| In office 2002 – January 2005 | |
| Preceded by | Fred Morgan |
| Succeeded by | Jari Askins |
| Member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from the 29th district | |
| In office January 1995 – January 2007 | |
| Preceded by | David Thompson |
| Succeeded by | Skye McNiel |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Kellyville, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Education | Oklahoma State University, Stillwater (BS) |
A rancher from Kellyville, Oklahoma, Hiett was elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives in 1994 and served until term limited in 2006. He was elected the Republican minority leader in 2002 and became Speaker of the House in 2005 when Republicans won control of the chamber. Hiett was the first Republican to hold that position in over eight decades.
In 2006, he launched a campaign to succeed Mary Fallin as the Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma. Hiett lost the 2006 race to the Democratic nominee Jari Askins. In 2014, Hiett was elected to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission and he was reelected in 2020. In April 2019 his fellow commissioners elected him chairman of the commission. He resigned the chairmanship in August 2024.
Education and family
editTodd Hiett graduated from Oklahoma State University. He is married with three children and lives on a ranch near Kellyville, Oklahoma.[1]
Political career
edit
Hiett has said he was motivated to enter politics when the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture quarantined his herd of cattle, and extended the quarantine even after receiving blood tests on the animals that were negative for any disease. Hiett had to appear before the state Board of Agriculture to get the quarantine lifted.[2]
Oklahoma House
editRepresenting the 29th House District, Hiett was first elected in 1994 to the Oklahoma House of Representatives. He became the House Minority Leader in 2002.[3] In 2004, Hiett supported the impeachment of Carroll Fisher, the then-Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner.[4]
After the Republicans took control of the House in 2005, Hiett was elected Speaker, the first Republican to serve in over eighty years. Hiett is only the second Republican to hold that position.[5] The first was George B. Schwabe, who served from 1921-23.
2006 Lt. Governor campaign
editHe did not run for reelection in 2006, instead running to succeed Mary Fallin as Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma.[6] In the July 25 primary Hiett faced Nancy Riley and Scott Pruitt. Riley received 23% of the vote, Pruitt received 34%, and Hiett received 43%.[7] Hiett, according to Oklahoma state law, had to face Pruitt in a runoff, with the winner receiving the party's nomination. Following the run-off election on August 22, 2006, Hiett received 66,217 votes and 50.92% as opposed to Pruitt's 63,812 votes and 49.08%.[8] Hiett was the Republican nominee for Lt. Governor, but he lost to Democratic House Minority Leader Jari Askins in the November general election.[9]
Oklahoma Corporation Commission
editIn 2014, Hiett was elected to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.[4] On April 1, 2019 he became the chairman of the commission.[10] In 2020, he was reelected to a second term.[11] He stepped down as chairman of the commission on August 7, 2024, amid a sexual harassment scandal, but did not resign from office. He was succeeded as chairman by Kim David.[12]
Sexual harassment allegations
editIn July 2024 it was reported that Hiett had "acted inappropriately" at the Mid-American Regulatory Conference in Minneapolis the month prior.[6] Later that month more details about how Hiett "groped a man" who worked for a company regulated by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, which Hiett chaired at the time, were published.[11] Hiett refused to resign, said he did not remember the incident, and that it was "horseplay," but did seek treatment for alcohol addiction.[13] Corporation Commissioner Kim David called for an independent investigation while Commissioner Bob Anthony called for Hiett's resignation. Cyndi Munson, the Democratic minority leader of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, called for Governor Kevin Stitt to convene a special session for his impeachment over the allegations.[14]
Electoral history
editThis section needs additional citations for verification. (August 2024) |
| Oklahoma House of Representatives 29th District Republican Primary Election, 1994 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Todd Hiett | 1,190 | 59.41 |
| Republican | Kevin Farmer | 813 | 40.59 |
| Oklahoma House of Representatives 29th District Election, 1994 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Todd Hiett | 5,131 | 53.72 |
| Democratic | David Thompson (incumbent) | 4,420 | 46.28 |
| Oklahoma House of Representatives 29th District Election, 1996 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Todd Hiett (incumbent) | 6,604 | 57.52 |
| Democratic | David Thompson | 4,878 | 42.48 |
| Oklahoma House of Representatives 29th District Election, 1998 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Todd Hiett (incumbent) | 5,251 | 58.20 |
| Democratic | Edmond Tex Slyman | 3,771 | 41.80 |
| Oklahoma House of Representatives 29th District Election, 2000 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Todd Hiett (incumbent) | n/a | 100.00 |
| Oklahoma House of Representatives 29th District Election, 2002 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Todd Hiett (incumbent) | n/a | 100.00 |
| Oklahoma House of Representatives 29th District Election, 2004 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Todd Hiett (incumbent) | 9,006 | 63.63 |
| Democratic | Jim Thompson | 5,148 | 36.37 |
| Oklahoma Lieutenant Governor Republican Primary Election, 2006[7] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Todd Hiett | 76,634 | 42.82 |
| Republican | Scott Pruitt | 60,367 | 33.73 |
| Republican | Nancy Riley | 41,984 | 23.46 |
| Oklahoma Lieutenant Governor Republican Primary Runoff Election, 2006[8] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Todd Hiett | 66,220 | 50.92 |
| Republican | Scott Pruitt | 63,817 | 49.08 |
| Oklahoma Lieutenant Governor Election, 2006[9] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Democratic | Jari Askins | 463,753 | 50.14 |
| Republican | Todd Hiett | 439,418 | 47.51 |
| Independent | E. Z. Million | 21,684 | 2.34 |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Todd Hiett | 128,173 | 52.24 | |
| Republican | Cliff Branan | 117,169 | 47.76 | |
| Total votes | 245,342 | 100 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Todd Hiett (incumbent) | 1,100,024 | 76.1% | −23.9% | |
| Libertarian | Todd Hagopian | 345,436 | 23.9% | N/A | |
| Total votes | 1,445,460 | 100.0% | |||
References
edit- ^ "Commissioner Todd Hiett". Oklahoma Corporation Commission. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
- ^ Hinton, Mick. "From cow barn to House, hard work is Hiett's job", Tulsa World, August 13, 2006
- ^ Griffin, David. "Hiett chosen to lead Oklahoma House GOP". www.newson6.com. Retrieved 2021-05-05.
- ^ a b McNutt, Michael (August 1, 2024). "'A detriment for me to step aside': Todd Hiett resists calls to resign". NonDoc. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
- ^ "Hiett bests challenger in Corporation Commission primary". Oklahoman.com. 2020-06-30. Retrieved 2021-05-05.
- ^ a b Clay, Nolan (July 16, 2024). "Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Todd Hiett apologizes for drunken behavior". The Oklahoman. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
- ^ a b Primary Election, July 25, 2006 Archived February 25, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, Oklahoma State Election Board - http://www.ok.gov/elections (accessed May 8, 2013)
- ^ a b Runoff Primary Election, August 22, 2006, Oklahoma State Election Board - http://www.ok.gov/elections (accessed May 8, 2013)
- ^ a b General Election 2006, Oklahoma State Election Board - http://www.ok.gov/elections (accessed May 8, 2013)
- ^ "Hiett elected OCC chairman". The Journal Record. 14 March 2019. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
- ^ a b Clay, Nolan (July 29, 2024). "Witnesses allege Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Todd Hiett groped man". The Oklahoman. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
- ^ Clay, Nolan (August 7, 2024). "Todd Hiett steps down as chair of Corporation Commission as new accusation emerges". The Oklahoman. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
- ^ Clay, Nolan (July 30, 2024). "Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Todd Hiett refuses to resign". The Oklahoman. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
- ^ Clay, Nolan (July 31, 2024). "Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Todd Hiett to face independent investigation". The Oklahoman. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
- ^ "Official Results - Primary Election" (PDF). Oklahoma Secretary of State. July 7, 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 28, 2014. Retrieved July 30, 2014.