Let’s be honest; when Gov. Mary Fallin calls and asks you to serve on a board or commission that oversees our state agencies, it’s an honor.
Only citizens who meet the legal, time and moral responsibilities should respond, “Yes, I’ll do it.”
In the event a family member works at the Oklahoma Office of the Attorney General, you should probably tell the governor, “Hey, I’m honored, and thanks for the invite and all that, but perhaps it’s just not a good idea for me right now.”
Ideally, anyway, that’s how things should have gone earlier this year when Fallin appointed J. Matt Tilly to a six-year term on the Oklahoma Board of Corrections.
His wife, Megan, is an assistant attorney general, according to NonDoc.com.
The AG’s office does a lot more than collect telemarketer complaints.
It also investigates criminal matters, and Megan Tilly leads the multicounty grand jury.
Recently, that selfsame grand jury was tasked with looking into state execution issues.
On Oct. 13, J. Matt Tilly resigned from his board seat “in order to avoid even the appearance of impropriety,” according to a copy of his resignation letter published on NonDoc.com.
Some might argue — they did in NonDoc’s coverage — that Megan Tilly should recuse herself from this particular investigation because executions and DOC talk might also be pillow talk in the Tilly home.
Print Headline: Tilly tizzy
This article appears in Oct 28 – Nov 3, 2015.