OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma House of Representatives today censured one of its members for impeding a law enforcement investigation into an alleged assault on a fellow member and an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper that took place in the Capitol last week. The member, Rep. Mauree Turner, D-Oklahoma City, harbored a fugitive wanted for questioning in conjunction with the alleged assault inside of their House office and rejected multiple requests by law enforcement to question the individual. House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, released the following statement:

“Last week, a member of the House of Representatives and a highway patrolman were assaulted after an otherwise peaceful protest turned violent. Following this assault, one individual was apprehended by law enforcement while another involved in the incident fled the scene. It came to the attention of law enforcement that the individual who fled was hiding in the official office of a member of the House. This member knowingly, and willfully, impeded a law enforcement investigation, harboring a fugitive and repeatedly lying to officers, and used their official office and position to thwart attempts by law enforcement to make contact with a suspect of the investigation.

I want to make something very clear: I will not allow members of the House of Representatives to use their House assigned offices and official positions to impede law enforcement from carrying out investigations or making arrests in the State Capitol. Our law enforcement officers leave their homes every day to serve and protect us, never knowing if it might be the last time they see their families. The House stands by our law enforcement, and will not allow what is an already dangerous and unpredictable job to become more dangerous due to the actions of a member of our body. The inappropriate, and potentially criminal, actions exhibited by this member of the House were deserving of censure, and the actions taken by the House today were both measured and just.”