Oklahoma Insurance Department Apologizes For Bawdy Email

NU Online News Service, Feb. 10, 8:15 a.m. EST

An email sent yesterday by the Oklahoma Insurance Department contained language that is not "OK."

The insurance department promptly apologized for sending out a draft email the agency mistakenly issued that contained "offensive and unacceptable language."

The widely distributed email seeks nominations for five awards given at the National Tornado Preparedness Summit in Oklahoma City next month.

According to the email, the Insurance Commissioner's Award will be presented to "the girl with the biggest [breasts]."

"This email was traced to a staff person who has accepted full responsibility and is deeply apologetic," the insurance department's following apology email reads. "Disciplinary action is being taken."

Today, Insurance Commissioner John Doak says the person responsible has resigned.

The person responsible for sending the email was not named by the insurance department, but it did say Doak, or other supervisory staff members, were not aware of the distribution.

"The Oklahoma Insurance Department, again, deeply apologies for the unacceptable language," its apology email concludes.

State Democrats immediately used the email to signal a continued "Republican pattern of immature and perverted behavior of our state officials."

In a statement, Wallace Collins, chairman of the Oklahoma Democrat Party, called for Doak's resignation.

Shortly after the wrong email was released late yesterday, a corrected one was sent. Nominations are being sought for the commissioner's award, which is actually given to a person or individial that has made outstanding contributions to the insurance industry in the aspect of tornado preparedness, response, recovery, or mitigation at the state, regional or national level.

This story was updated at 11:16 a.m.