OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — Lieutenant Governor Matt Pinnell is resigning from his position as Secretary of Workforce Development on Feb. 29.
Oklahomans elected Pinnell Lt. Gov. in 2018. Governor Kevin Stitt appointed him to Sec. of Workforce Development in 2023.
Pinnell confirmed his resignation from the cabinet position:
"After careful consideration, I believe it is time for me to step away from the Governor’s Cabinet and remove myself from the confirmation process. With the number of boards and commissions that I currently serve on, and with the number of lieutenant governor requests for my time, I believe it’s the best path. I look forward to continuing to advise the Governor on workforce and economic development issues."
Pinnell's resignation comes after Tim Gatz resigned from two of the three roles he was working.Gatz served as the Secretary of Transportation, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority and Oklahoma Department of Transportation. He stepped down as the Secretary of Transportation and Executive Director of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority, but remains Executive Director of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.
Attorney General Gentner Drummond released an opinion on Gatz' positions on Wednesday that clarified:
"The state Constitution’s prohibition on dual office-holding means a single individual cannot serve all three positions at the same time. Moreover, the opinion explains that an office holder who takes a second office effectively has vacated that first office."
He further stated the Oklahoma Supreme Court identified three elements to define a public office:
- The position was created or authorized by law
- The law imposes certain definite duties upon the position holder
- The duties imposed involve “the exercise of some portion of sovereign power.
While the opinion came at the request of a state senator in relation to the Gatz situation, it added clarity to holding multiple positions.
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