LAWTON – Lawton Mayor Stan Booker apologized Tuesday for his role in an inaccurate report that a city staffer was under investigation.
Booker said earlier this year, various public outlets told him about allegations of an OSBI investigation involving the city of Lawton and open records laws, which he thought were accurate. He said he shared that information with other people and later learned that some of it was untrue.
“While I was not the source of the information, my role in sharing it led to unnecessary public embarrassment for our city clerk, Miss Hushbeck, and one of our council members, Mr. Burk,” Booker said. “I have apologized. I deeply regret my role in this misunderstanding.”
Booker said if he had to do it over again, he would not have shared the tip with other people. He said in the future, he will try to make sure that any information he receives from the public is thoroughly vetted.
“I can do better, and I will do better," he said.
Booker was referring to a story that KSWO aired in June, which reported inaccurately that the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation was investigating Lawton City Clerk Traci Hushbeck. The story was based on a tip from the mayor, KSWO said Tuesday on its website.
Booker’s remarks came at the end of Tuesday's Lawton City Council meeting.
The city said it was not offering additional information about the matter, apart from Booker’s statement.