Find yourself a man, woman, or beef burger who loves you as much as Gentner Drummond loves going soft on bad cops, and, well, you’ll be set for life!
That’s the major takeaway after Gentner, once again, went steamed bun soft on yet another one of his political and law enforcement allies – this time Cleveland County Sheriff Chris Amason.
Here’s what happened…
On Monday morning, Gentner’s team announced they had conveniently indicted, reached a plea deal, and basically let Amason skate on charges that he used campaign funds for personal expenses, wrote checks to himself and others, and tapped taxpayer money to send his wife to out-of-state conferences.
Here are the details via a press release:
Cleveland County Sheriff Donald Amason pleaded no contest today to one felony count of embezzlement, stemming from a recent indictment brought by the Multi-County Grand Jury. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Amason has agreed to resign from office effective immediately, pay $10,000 in restitution, accept a five-year deferred sentence, and surrender his CLEET card.
Amason was charged with moving between $2,500 and $15,000 from his campaign account to himself and others on multiple occasions, violating the ethical rules that govern use of campaign funds. The transfers occurred between May 2020 and July 2025.
Attorney General Gentner Drummond said the resolution ensures accountability for misconduct in public office.
“Public officials are entrusted with taxpayer dollars and must be held to the highest standard,” Drummond said. “Sheriff Amason took an oath to enforce the law. He has neglected his duty and is no longer fit to serve the residents of Cleveland County.”
Yep, that’s right. Public officials must be held to the highest standard, says the guy who – checks notes – just wrapped up with a ribbon and bow a multi-count felony case against a political ally in the time it takes most Oklahomans to set up a PikePass.
Oh well, I’m sure that’s common and there’s nothing else to see here. It’s not like Drummond and Amason are good friends who mutually endorsed each other and appeared in campaign materials together, right?
Listen. I’m not a lawyer, politician, or back-the-blue sympathizer who refuses to prosecute cops even when they forcefully disable a frail senior citizen during a traffic stop, but why’s Gentner Drummond’s office even the one prosecuting this guy?
Due to their relationship and campaign endorsments, shouldn’t he have to take a step back, recuse and let some other DA’s office handle the case?
Yawn Doc looked into this and asked Gentner’s office about it. Here was the response:
Asked why Drummond’s office did not recuse itself from Amason’s prosecution given their mutual political endorsements, Drummond’s communications director, Shauna Peters, said the attorney general himself played no role in the case.
“Attorney General Drummond was officially walled off from the Amason case,” Peters said. “He was not involved in the investigation or proceedings, nor was he included in any internal discussions on the matter.”
Yeah, that’s it. Everything is on the up and up. Gentner was “walled off” from the case like that poor guy in The Cask of Amontillado – hey, random literature reference! – and there’s absolutely nothing else to see here in the catacombs. Just drink your wine and be happy, everyone. Move along.
In other news… yeah, right.
We’re really supposed to believe Amason’s connection to Gentner had zero impact on him getting such a friendly, convenient, “let’s wrap this up and move along” punishment?
I don’t care how many new panels of sheetrock and brick veneer they put between Gentner and his subordinates prosecuting the case. If anyone in any room started floating the idea of the sheriff getting the same punishment a less-connected person would receive, Gentner would probably come crashing through the wall like the Kool-Aid Man to shut it down.
“Okay, team. Gentner’s not in here, so let’s talk the Amason indictment. How should we proceed?”
“I say we throw the book at him. No plea deal. No special treatment. No having everything nicely and politely laid out for him. We’re going to make an example and show other elected officials and law enforcement officers that this kind of behavior will not be tolerated.”
Crash! Boom! Crash!
“Oh, yeah!”
Then again, maybe I’m wrong and overreacting.
Sure, there's no way to know that because Gentner didn't recuse himself, but perhaps everything here was on the up and up, and it’s totally common for any citizen – much less a politically connected law enforcement official with friends in high places – to get a fast-tracked plea deal that lets them quietly move on with their lives after facing four indictments.
If so, I may have to look into running for office and committing a little campaign finance or embezzlement infraction myself, because with Gentner in charge, the punishments don’t seem to fit the crimes.
Stay with The Lost Ogle. We’ll keep you advised.
