Grant Miller, a member of the Tulsa City Council, was recently denied admission to the Oklahoma Bar Association due to serious character and fitness concerns according to the Oklahoma Board of Bar Examiners (OBBE). Detailed in a report by Tulsa World, Miller was found to have issues including failing to disclose information about his cannabis business and orchestrating legal action against the city.
Miller’s behavior disturbed several fellow city council members and Mayor G.T. Bynum, who raised complaints regarding the councilman’s conduct. Mayor Bynum raised concerns about Miller’s involvement in “demeaning and harassing civil servants,” and creating a climate of fear among the City of Tulsa staff. Furthermore, as pointed out in the OBBE decision, violations of the Oklahoma Open Meeting and Open Records acts were alleged due to text messages sent between fellow Councilors during a committee meeting.
Multiple problems with Miller’s behavior were identified by the OBBE, outlining the discovery of his failure to disclose three lawsuits involving himself and his wife, and a Colorado magistrate’s 2015 finding of Miller being deceitful in his sworn testimony concerning his health and financial issues. Furthermore, Miller is accused of planning and participating in public confrontations with elected officials, administrative officials, police officers, and agency employees, along with his mentor, attorney Ronald Durbin.
Miller disputes these charges as merely “clerical errors”, saying that the “findings of fact are not findings of fact at all.” Despite this, the OBBE has concluded that Miller can reapply for admission to the bar in 24 months. It is a stark reminder for aspiring lawyers that ‘character and fitness’ criteria are stringently evaluated in professional accrediting bodies.