Preston Doerflinger resigned from his role as Oklahoma State Department of Health interim commissioner and state Cabinet secretary of finance, administration and information technology after reports of alleged domestic violence arose Monday in the local media, Republican Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin said.
The Oklahoma State Board of Health on Tuesday accepted Mr. Doerflinger's resignation as interim commissioner, effective immediately. Ms. Fallin said he also resigned from his other cabinet position.
Neither the department, which recently announced layoffs amid financial troubles, nor the governor provided reasoning behind the resignations. Mr. Doerflinger wrote a short letter to the board of health to notify them of his immediate resignation, but did not mention the reason for his departure either, according to The Oklahoman. He did not respond to a call from the publication seeking comment.
Mr. Doerflinger's resignations come after reports of alleged domestic violence. Police officers received a domestic violence report at Mr. Doerflinger's home in 2012 with his then-wife as the alleged victim, according to a Tulsa Police Department report cited by The Oklahoman, The publication also cited another domestic violence report from the home that same year. No charges resulted from either report. Mr. Doerflinger's ex-wife said in a statement to Tulsa World this week:
"There are people, right now, being harmed by domestic violence who are in desperate need of help. My family is not one of them. Comparing their plights to a situation that occurred several years ago minimizes and distracts attention away from their urgent needs. Our energies would be far better spent focusing on how to best help those struggling families, rather than participating in the politics of destruction by making an example out of a currently healthy family who had one bad night six years ago."
In Ms. Fallin's response to the resignations, she highlighted accomplishments during Mr. Doerflinger's tenure, and said she did not know about the incident involving Mr. Doerflinger and his ex-wife until recently.
"Preston has played a critical role in state government, serving as director of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services, and Cabinet secretary of finance, administration and information technology," she wrote in her statement. "During the past seven years, his efforts saved tax dollars by implementing cost-saving reforms and consolidating state agencies. He also helped guide the Department of Human Services during a critical time when key reforms, such as the Pinnacle Plan, were implemented. I appreciate his service to the state."
As far as the domestic violence allegations, she said, "I take domestic violence very seriously, but I will take Mrs. Doerflinger at her word that this matter was not a case of domestic violence. I respect Preston's decision to move on from his government service, and wish him and his family the best."
The Oklahoma State Board of Health appointed Brian Downs, OSDH director of state and federal policy, acting commissioner.
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