![]() The Jesters’ bylaws do not exclude women or minorities. Everyone is white male, there are no African Americans, no females, no Latinos. “Here we have a secret society organization that was founded right after the 1921 race riot. Lewis said the group is concerned that the state’s top financial officer “is a part of a secret society and they have to take an oath.” The Jesters handbook includes the group’s pledge: “What I see here, what I hear here, shall stay here when I leave here” and a creed that says members “must also be a gentleman even when the wine flows in.” The group’s Tulsa “court” has about 150 members, and in the roster, all are white men. ![]() It was nothing like some of the things written on the Internet about these groups in other states.” ![]() “The few times I attended were noneventful gatherings of family men, many of them Tulsa community leaders, from whom I saw no behavior out of any sort of norm. The Royal Order of Jesters is an invitation-only social club that inducts no more than 13 members each year, according to its bylaws. Group members are expected to attend monthly Jester functions, which in 2011 included weekend parties at ranches, lodges and country clubs.ĭoerflinger said he attended “a few tame dinner meetings.” He was indicted by the grand jury on two misdemeanor counts in September and stepped down in November. Glanz joined the Royal Order of Jesters in 2009, one year before Doerflinger. The letter called the group’s leader, Marq Lewis, “the front face” and claimed the group’s protests and petition drive were actually “jackpot justice” orchestrated by Harris’ attorney. The Tulsa-based citizens group led a grand jury drive to oust the longtime sheriff after a scandal involving his reserve deputy program and the shooting death of Eric Harris. In August, an investigation by The Frontier revealed that former Sheriff Stanley Glanz had circulated a letter- written by political advisor Terry Simonson - at a Jesters meeting criticizing We The People Oklahoma. ![]() I have been inactive since last year when I stopped paying dues.”ĭoerflinger did not respond to follow up questions about when he ended his membership in the group. I’m not active anymore because I’m busy enough and it never interested me much. “It’s something I did at the request of a business friend years ago that has never intersected with my public service. Mary Fallin to replace him.ĭoerflinger declined several requests from The Frontier for an interview about his membership in the group but released a statementthrough a spokesman: A Democratic lawmaker filed a resolution this week seeking Doerflinger’s removal and a Tulsa citizens group, We The People Oklahoma, has also started a petitioncalling on Gov. However, the Oklahoma chapters have not been linked to such activities.ĭoerflinger, the state’s top budget officer, has come under fire recently for his handling of the state budget, comments about education funding and an alcohol-related arrest last year. Outside of Oklahoma, the Royal Order of Jesters has been involved in controversies including allegations of sex tourism with underage girls during fishing trips in Brazil and parties featuring prostitutes in several states. He says he stopped paying dues in the group last year and is no longer active. State Finance Secretary Preston Doerflinger posed for this photo at his first meeting of the Royal Order of Jesters in 2010.
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