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| Mark & Cathy Costello |
Governor Mary Fallin appointed Melissa McLawhorn Houston, who had been in the state attorney general's office, as the labor commissioner for the remainder of the term of Mark Costello, whose life was cut short on August 23, when his wayward, troubled son knifed him to death outside a restaurant in Oklahoma City. Fallin made the appointment on November 10, which would have been Mark Costello's 60th birthday. Her appointment of Houston was not a happy, postmortem birthday present for his widow, Cathy, who had asked for Fallin for the appointment. A governor's appointing the surviving spouce of an officeholder to hold the office for the remaining duration of the decedent's term is a time-honored, respectful tradition. Governor Fallin didn't honor that tradition. I think I know why.
