Former president David Boren’s attorney said they have not received any information from the law firm reportedly investigating Boren for sexual harassment.
Bob Burke, Boren’s attorney and spokesperson, said neither the university nor the law firm Jones Day have provided information on what the complaint against Boren is, and that they have also been unable to get a meeting with the firm.
“We’re just completely in the dark, I’ve asked for a long period of time... for a meeting with this lead attorney from Jones Day... because we’ve never received any information – any,” Burke said.
The Oklahoman reported that the firm is specifically investigating sexual harassment of Boren’s male aides, but Burke said they have gone through a list of “every aide there’s ever been,” and that many have contacted Burke willing to vouch for Boren.
“I mean there’s just so many aides...who would say without question that David Boren 100 percent of the time – in public and in private – acted appropriately,” Burke said. “It’s just frustrating that some leak of information that we don’t even know... it’s so sad that the that the story had to come out, and it’s hard to defend against something that you don’t even know who, or when, or is it five years ago, is it ten years ago, we don’t know.”
Jim Hopper worked with Boren during his time as governor and in the Senate, and said he’s known Boren as a teacher and now friend for almost 49 years and is sad to see such allegations.
“I just think it’s sad that a person who's given 50 years of service to Oklahoma, and has been a mentor to so many people, so many students...I just think it’s sad that his reputation is being sullied like that,” Hopper said. “I don’t even know how to explain that – it doesn’t make sense to me. I will tell you that as far as I’m concerned, his conduct in all the years that I’ve known him has been above reproach.”
Burke said Boren still is under contract with the Board of Regents and that he hopes to come back to teaching in the fall after taking a sabbatical this semester for health reasons.
“I think it’s no secret at all that he’s never gained his full strength from his open-heart surgery and from the stroke and things like that,” Burke said. “But no, if health allows him to he loves students and he would love to teach in the future.”
Burke said he does think the leak of the investigation is negatively affecting Boren’s health.
“There is no question that this is affecting his health, because his feelings are hurt,” Burke said. “Here he’s given a half-century to the people of Oklahoma, at his beloved OU he raised $3 billion dollars in 24 years, he wants nothing but what’s great for OU and he just can’t understand this. It’s so terribly frustrating to him because he cannot pinpoint why this is happening.”
There have been reports of a rift between President James Gallogly and former president Boren, but Burke said he does not think Gallogly had anything to do with the leak since it “certainly doesn’t help the university.”
However, Burke said he does believe someone at OU may have leaked the information due to the $300,000 price of Jones Day’s legal fees. Burke said he thinks the investigation was nearly finished, found nothing, and someone angry with the use of taxpayer money leaked the information, but that he has no idea who that may be.
There have been rumors throughout Boren’s career that he has been gay or bisexual, and Burke said they thought these rumors were “put to bed” in 1978 during Boren’s run for Senate when Burke was campaign manager.
“He swore on the bible underneath an airplane wing that he was not (gay or bisexual) – and him and Molly have been married for 41 years,” Burke said.
Burke said they are not contemplating a defamation or breach of contract suit right now.
“David Boren is not a suit-happy guy, but no legal action was contemplated,” Burke said. “We just want to clear his name, get this behind us and let the university and let the Borens go on their way.”
