Oklahoma – Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond is calling on Gov. Kevin Stitt to fire Secretary of State Ben Lepak after reviewing body-camera footage from Lepak’s recent public intoxication arrest.
“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,” Drummond said in a post on X.
Drummond described Lepak’s conduct as “thoroughly unbecoming” of a high-ranking state official and demanded that Stitt remove him from office.
Drummond called the conduct “thoroughly unbecoming” of a high-ranking state official and demanded that Gov. Kevin Stitt fire Lepak immediately.
The confrontation between two top Oklahoma officials comes after Lepak was arrested in Edmond on Aug. 14 on suspicion of public intoxication following a police response to a McDonald’s. Officers were called to the restaurant around 10:45 p.m. after a report of a man who appeared to be intoxicated and might drive. When officers arrived, they found Lepak near the drive-thru window and his vehicle in the parking lot, Journal Record reported.
According to the arrest affidavit, an officer reported that Lepak had extremely slurred speech and an odor of alcohol coming from his breath. Police also said he struggled to retrieve his identification from his wallet and was unable to maintain a coherent train of thought during the encounter.
Lepak initially told officers he had not been drinking. During questioning, he later acknowledged having a beer before changing his account and saying he had consumed less than one beer because he had not finished it. Officers also questioned Lepak about how he got to the McDonald’s because his vehicle was parked at the restaurant, FOX10 reported.
The incident became more significant after police body-camera footage was released and reviewed by state officials and news organizations.
Drummond said the footage convinced him that Lepak was intoxicated and had likely misled officers about his alcohol consumption and whether he drove to the restaurant.
“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,” Drummond said.
He then directly called on Stitt to remove Lepak from office.
The secretary of state has said he intends to address the public intoxication allegation through the legal process and remain in his appointed position. His office said Lepak was not given a breathalyzer test. The case is expected to be handled in Edmond Municipal Court.
The arrest has also drawn attention because it was not Lepak’s first alcohol-related encounter with police.
According to court records reported by the Journal Record, Lepak was arrested by The Village police in 2021 after an officer found him in a running pickup truck. The officer reported that two open beer cans were inside the vehicle and that a breath test later measured Lepak’s blood alcohol level between 0.11% and 0.12%, above Oklahoma’s legal limit of 0.08%. Lepak received a one-year deferred sentence in that case.
Additional reporting has identified another public intoxication case from 2022. The Lost Ogle reported that Lepak was arrested on June 8, 2022, after an officer encountered him near a disabled vehicle in Edmond. The outlet reported that court records showed a public intoxication case from that year in addition to the 2021 alcohol-related case.
The history has become part of the political dispute surrounding Lepak’s current position.
Drummond and Stitt have frequently clashed politically and legally, and Lepak previously served as Stitt’s general counsel before becoming secretary of state. The secretary of state was appointed by Stitt in 2025 and later took the permanent position.
Drummond’s demand for Lepak’s removal therefore puts additional pressure on Stitt, who has not publicly announced that he intends to fire the secretary of state. The issue is particularly notable because Drummond is currently running for governor and is scheduled to face former state Sen. Mike Mazzei in the Republican runoff on Aug. 25. Stitt has endorsed Mazzei in that race.
NonDoc reported that Lepak planned to retain his position despite Drummond’s demand for his resignation or removal. The outlet also reported that Drummond had previously called for Lepak to be placed on leave while the incident was investigated.
The body-camera footage has added another layer to the controversy because it gives the public a direct look at the interaction between Lepak and Edmond police officers. News reports said officers observed signs of intoxication and questioned Lepak about his drinking and how he arrived at the restaurant.
Despite Drummond’s accusations, Lepak has not been convicted of public intoxication from the Aug. 14 incident. His office has maintained that he will address the citation through the legal process, and the absence of a breathalyzer test is another detail that could become relevant as the case proceeds.
For now, the controversy leaves Stitt facing a public demand from the state’s attorney general to remove one of his top appointed officials.
Drummond has made clear that he believes Lepak’s conduct warrants immediate action, while Lepak intends to remain in office and contest the allegation through the legal system. The governor’s response could determine whether the dispute ends with a municipal court case or develops into a broader political fight inside Oklahoma state government.
Oklahoma AG Drummond demands Gov. Stitt fire Secretary of State, says footage makes it “clear” he was “thoroughly inebriated” and “very likely lied” to police
