OKLAHOMA CITY — Aiming to “eliminate distractions” from her official duties, the governor’s tourism secretary, Shelley Zumwalt, is stepping down from her Cabinet position but will remain as head of the state agency.
Zumwalt will lead the Oklahoma Department of Tourism and Recreation starting in October 2022. Governor Kevin Stitt appointed her Cabinet Secretary for Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage in January.
In a letter sent Friday to the state Senate majority leader, Stitt withdrew his nomination for secretary and was removed from the Senate confirmation process.
Zumwalt said it was a “huge honor” to serve on the governor’s cabinet, even if only for a short time. Both he and the governor said the resignation was a voluntary decision by Zumwalt, who has recently faced calls to resign.
“The sole reason for this decision is to eliminate distractions from serving Oklahomans,” Zumwalt said in a statement. “While difficult, this decision allows me to focus on my position as executive director and continue to serve our state as I have for the past 12 years.”
Mr. Zumwalt was one of several heads of state agencies who also served as cabinet secretaries.
Attorney General Gentner Drummond’s legally binding opinion scrutinizes dual office positions and casts doubt on the attorney general’s ability to serve in the cabinet.
Mr. Stitt, Mr. Zumwalt, Department of Agriculture Director Blaine Arthur, and Department of Human Services Director Dr. Deborah Shropshire sued Mr. Drummond to challenge the opinion. Mr Arthur and Mr Shropshire have not resigned from their cabinet positions.
However, Transportation Secretary Tim Gatz and Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell also resigned from their Cabinet positions under similar circumstances.
Zumwalt again came under fire from the attorney general on Tuesday after a state audit cited concerns about conflicts of interest during his time at the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission.
State Auditor and Inspector General Cindy Byrd said Zumwalt, who led OESC from 2020 to 2022, approved $8.5 million in change order payments to a software vendor where her husband is vice president. Stated. This software company was hired on an at-will basis to improve a government agency’s mainframe computer network.
Drummond called for Zumwalt’s resignation, saying the audit revealed an “inexcusable breach of trust.”
“I commend Governor Stitt for rescinding Mr. Zumwalt’s nomination. Mr. Zumwalt should not be allowed to serve in a leadership position overseeing the spending of our tax dollars,” Drummond said Monday. .
Zumwalt said he has no intention of resigning from state government and refuted any accusations of a conflict of interest. She disclosed her relationship with the vendor before she was hired by OESC, but she said she was told there was no problem. Her husband does not own the company and has never worked with the state, she said.
Stitt called the audit “unfair” and a politically motivated attack. He said Zumwalt should remain as tourism secretary, but she also noted that she has indicated her intention to resign as tourism secretary.
“She said, ‘Hey, I don’t need to be in the spotlight here.’ If I’m causing problems for this administration, I’m going to resign as secretary and focus on tourism.” ” he told reporters on Friday. “And that could happen.”
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