After public spat with Oklahoma governor, former veterans chief practicing law

Joel Kintsel used to lead the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs until a very public spat with Gov. Kevin Stitt. (Photo by Kennedy Thomason/Oklahoma Voice)

Editor’s note: This story is part of Oklahoma Voice’s “Whatever Happened To …” end-of-year series that provides updates to some stories that captured the interest of Oklahomans in 2023 and 2024.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Joel Kintsel has largely dropped out of the public eye following a very public spat with the Oklahoma’s governor.

But the 49-year-old said he’d be interested in returning to public service if the right opportunity presented itself.

More than a year ago, Kintsel found himself unemployed after a board filled with appointees of Gov. Kevin Stitt fired him as executive director of the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs..

The firing came on the heels of Kintsel’s unsuccessful effort in 2022 to secure the Republican nomination for Oklahoma governor. Stitt was also running for re-election to the same post. 

Kintsel, who had been leading the state’s veteran’s department since 2019, accused the Stitt administration of being “rife with corruption, self-dealing and cronyism,” and had pledged to clean it up.

Stitt’s campaign at the time declined to comment on the remarks.

Stitt clobbered Kintsel and two other Republicans in the June 28, 2022, primary, garnering 69% of the vote. Stitt went on to be elected to a second term.

Then Stitt began replacing members of the commission who supported Kintsel. The panel, not Stitt, determined the employment of the agency’s director.

In March 2023, the Oklahoma Veterans Commission fired Kintsel in a 5-1 vote.

Kintsel had skipped several commission meetings alleging that the panel was meeting illegally because Stitt appointments were not valid.

Today, Kintsel is practicing law in Oklahoma City.

He continues to view his termination as political retaliation. 

“It is just flat out unethical to have your political opponent terminated after you won the election,” Kintsel said during a recent interview. “That is what happened. It is telling he had to terminate virtually the entire commission to get that done.”

Stitt’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

Kintsel serves as a lieutenant colonel in the Oklahoma Air National Guard and staff judge advocate of the 137th Special Operations Wing at Will Rogers Air National Guard Base in Oklahoma City.

He served as parliamentarian for 14 years under seven Oklahoma House speakers.

He holds a bachelor’s in journalism from Oklahoma State University and law degree from the University of Oklahoma.

“I really enjoyed supporting and assisting the veterans of Oklahoma,” Kintsel said.

He does some pro bono work for charitable organizations.

He and his wife, Nancy, have two children.

He has not ruled out another stint in public service.

“If the opportunity to engage in public service presented itself again, I would be open to it,” he said. 

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