State Rep Caught on Tape
Chad Stites, a state representative from Tulsa, has apologized for threatening and swearing at Tulsa city/county officials who ordered him to repair a burned duplex owned by his company. Representative Stites got caught when his threatening outbursts were recorded by the city workers he was trying to bully. Someone released the audiotapes to the media and Stites, who had denied he made any threats, had to "fess up". The taped conversations recorded Stites using profanity, threatening to retaliate against the workers with legislation and claiming his legislative post made him immune from code enforcement violations.

Stites', whose wife is a minister, later told the media he had not really denied making the threats, just that he had told reporters he "didn't recall making the statements. I never said I didn't make them," he said. Oklahomans may just wonder exactly what the Representative takes them for. We will see. Stites is running for re-election in his district. On November 5th the citizens have a chance to let him know if they think it is ok to abuse one's position as elected representative. The state Republican Party chairman has stated they will support Stites nonetheless.

What the citizenry doesn't know however, is just how common this type of behavior is from elected representatives. Anyone who knows a government employee knows how common it is for State Senators and Representatives and others to lean on or threaten state workers to bend or break the rules for them. The honorable bureaucrats who take their mission seriously and refuse to give in to the Legislators heavy-handed behavior are never recognized or rewarded for their integrity. Usually, they just lose their jobs.