By Nuria Martinez-Keel, Oklahoma Voice
OKLAHOMA CITY — Attorney General Gentner Drummond will allow the Oklahoma State Board of Education to hire its chosen attorney despite his doubts of the candidate’s qualifications, he said Wednesday.
“I am not in agreement with the Board’s decision on this matter,” Drummond said in a statement. “However, I respect it is their decision to make. If this is the attorney they wish to hire, then I will not interfere.”
Drummond first aired his disagreement last week after four members of the seven-seat board voted to hire Oklahoma City attorney Ryan Leonard as the board’s counsel. Leonard said last week he was “shocked and dismayed” at the criticism because until that point the Attorney General’s Office had communicated to him that Drummond was supportive of him taking on the role.
“I appreciate the Attorney General allowing me and my firm the opportunity to render this important public service for our state,” Leonard said in a statement Wednesday. “I look forward to working with the Superintendent and all of the members of the State Board of Education.”
Drummond has the authority to revoke a state board’s contract with an attorney. He said he will allow the state Board of Education to hire Leonard “for now,” but he reserves the right to cancel the contract “if circumstances justify that action.”
He revoked a lawyer’s contract with the state Board of Education once before. Last year, Drummond removed an attorney who had advised the board to block state lawmakers from attending private portions of the board’s meetings, contrary to the attorney general’s advice.
Drummond called Leonard “politically connected” but unqualified to represent a state board.
Leonard said his firm — Leonard, Long & Cassil, PLLC — has ample experience in state government law and in representing state agencies.
State Board of Education member Mike Tinney, also an attorney, said he believed Leonard is “very qualified” for the position. State Superintendent Ryan Walters didn’t attend the board meeting last week, but he issued a statement afterward saying he was “pleased to welcome Ryan Leonard to the team.”
Leonard previously served as special counsel for Native American affairs for Gov. Kevin Stitt, of whom Drummond is a frequent critic. Drummond is a Republican candidate running to succeed Stitt as governor.
“While I have no issues with Ryan Leonard personally, it is clear he does not have the proper experience to serve as general counsel to the most significant governing board in the State of Oklahoma,” Drummond said. “You wouldn’t hire a divorce attorney to sue your insurance company, and you wouldn’t hire a DUI lawyer to handle an adoption. Mr. Leonard does not have the right legal experience to do this job, but he certainly has the right political connections.”
