Protecting Americans Action Fund airs TV ad supporting Kevin Calvey for DA

PAAF Releases TV Ad Supporting Kevin Calvey

Arlington, VA (October 31st) – With crime rising and one of the top issues on voters' minds, today, Protecting Americans Action Fund (PAAF) released a television ad supporting Kevin Calvey for Oklahoma County District Attorney.

OK County DA Runoff: former OKC Mayor Mick Cornett endorses Calvey

MICK CORNETT ENDORSES CALVEY FOR D.A.

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK (July 17, 2022) – Former Oklahoma City mayor, Mick Cornett, has officially endorsed Kevin Calvey in the primary runoff election for Oklahoma County District Attorney. Calvey faces a runoff election after garnering 49.97% of the four-candidate primary vote. 

"Kevin Calvey has proven he has the integrity, grit, and competence to be a great District Attorney. I hope you'll join me in supporting him,” Mick Cornett announced. 

Recounts confirm vote count accuracy in three tight races

Recounts Confirm Outcome of Three Primary Elections, Oklahoma County DA Race Headed to Runoff

(Oklahoma City, July 13th) – Recounts in the Oklahoma County District Attorney, District 7 Republican Primary, McIntosh County Commissioner, District 3 Democratic Primary, and the Nowata County Assessor Republican Primary have each confirmed the outcomes of those elections.

Last week’s recounts in McIntosh and Nowata counties exactly matched the election results.

The Oklahoma County recount was completed today and confirmed that the Republican Primary for District Attorney is headed to the August 23 Runoff. Out of nearly 58,000 ballots that were recounted by hand in Oklahoma County, only six changes occurred from the original count: Robert W. Gray (+2), Gayland Gieger (+2) and Kevin Calvey (+2).

“Recounts are an important part of the election process, and these recounts proved once again that Oklahoma has one of the most accurate and secure voting systems in the entire world. That is something that every Oklahoman can be proud of,” said Paul Ziriax, Secretary of the State Election Board.

2 primary candidates endorse Calvey in OK County DA runoff

Conservative stalwart Kevin Calvey almost cleared the Oklahoma County District Attorney primary without a runoff (49.97% of the vote), falling short by 30 votes - there is a recount ongoing. Earlier this week, the two candidates who did not make the runoff endorsed him:

JACQUI FORD & ROBERT W. GRAY ENDORSE CALVEY FOR D.A.

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK (July 5, 2022) – Former Republican primary candidates for Oklahoma County District Attorney, Jacqui Ford and Robert W. Gray, are endorsing Kevin Calvey in the primary runoff election. Both of them say Calvey is the only candidate left in the race who can reverse the deep dysfunction that currently pervades the D.A.’s office.

OK County Sheriff Tommie Johnson endorses Kevin Calvey for District Attorney

SHERIFF TOMMIE JOHNSON ENDORSES KEVIN CALVEY FOR D.A.

“Oklahoma County deserves a battle-tested conservative who will prioritize public safety.”

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK (February 22, 2022) -- Oklahoma County Sheriff, Tommie Johnson III, is endorsing Kevin Calvey for the upcoming Republican primary for Oklahoma County District Attorney.  Johnson is encouraging fellow conservatives to join him in voting for Calvey on June 28th.

Neese endorsed by OK County Commissioner Kevin Calvey

TERRY NEESE SECURES ENDORSEMENT OF OKLAHOMA COUNTY COMMISSIONER KEVIN CALVEY

Oklahoma City, OK – Terry Neese, conservative Republican candidate for Oklahoma’s 5th Congressional District, has secured the endorsement of Kevin Calvey, former member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives and current Commissioner for Oklahoma County. In a statement released today, Calvey praised Neese for being the only true conservative in this race who shares Oklahoma values and who will fight for a smaller, more accountable government in Congress.

“We need a proven conservative like Terry Neese representing our values in Washington, D.C. – not a liberal Democrat or a wishy-washy Republican,” said Kevin Calvey, Oklahoma County Commissioner. “Terry Neese is pro-life, pro-gun, and a Constitutional conservative who shares our values and is committed to fighting for a smaller, more accountable federal government. We need more leaders like Terry in Congress who will work with President Trump to keep our nation moving forward, and I am proud to offer her my full endorsement because I know she will get the job done.”

“I am honored to have the support of Kevin Calvey – a highly respected public servant who shares my commitment to keeping government small and protecting our conservative values at all costs,” said Terry Neese. “The days of having a liberal Congresswoman who supports impeachment and big-government policies are numbered, and I will continue to work hard each and every day to let voters know I am the only conservative in this race who can beat Kendra Horn and deliver the results Oklahoma’s 5th District deserves.”.

OK2A, 36 legislators file challenge against anti-Constitutional Carry petition

Earlier today, the Oklahoma Second Amendment Association, Oklahoma Taxpayers Unite!, the Oklahoma Conservative Political Action Committee, 22 GOP members of the State House and 14 GOP members of the State Senate filed a challenge in the State Supreme Court aimed at tossing out the initiative petition being circulated by anti-gun groups that aims to send permitless carry to a state vote in hopes of overturning the new law.

Specifically, their brief states that 'The “gist” of the referendum effectively contains six separate clauses, two of which are blatantly false, inaccurate, misleading, and inflammatory, and the remaining four of which are inaccurate, misleading and inflammatory.' If their challenge is confirmed, the petition could be thrown out.

The cover sheet of the brief is below, listing the names of the 36 legislators that signed on, including House Speaker Charles McCall and House Majority Floor Leader Jon Echols (and yet, now that I look at it again, notably missing Senate President Greg Treat). Of interest to Muskogee area residents, State Sen. Kim David (R-Porter), State Sen. Roger Thompson (R-Okemah), State Rep. Avery Frix (R-Muskogee), and State Rep. Kevin McDugle (R-Wagoner) are on the list; none of the other legislators in or touching Muskogee County signed on to the brief.

More information:

• Read the 13-Page Protest Brief here. 
• Read  31-page SQ 803 here (the anti-Constitutional Carry initiative petition). 
• Read the Cover Sheet of the Supreme Court Brief here. 
• Visit the OK2A YouTube Channel for more videos on the topic.

Disgraced OK County Sheriff trying to reinsert into county politics?

It looks like disgraced former Democratic Oklahoma County Sheriff John Whetsel is trying to get back into a position of influence in Oklahoma County politics, as he's publicly declaring his support for candidates in several key races for county offices.

Whetsel resigned from office under a cloud of scandal and the threat of indictment over mismanagement and departmental blunders during his tenure. His misdoings ended up costing Oklahoma County taxpayers over $3,300,000 in higher property taxes to pay for medical bills that Whetsel simply ignored rather than deal with. A scathing audit by State Auditor Gary Jones found repeated examples of financial wrongdoing and actions taken without approval of county commissioners.

Oklahoma County is on the verge of electing a conservative reformist majority to county offices, tilting the County Budget Board in a new direction.

The budget board is comprised of the county elected officials. From conversations I've had with individuals with closer knowledge of the situation, the conservative/reform side includes County Commissioner Brian Maughan (R), County Clerk David Hooten (R), Court Clerk Rick Warren (R), and Assessor Leonard Sullivan (R).  The status-quo group is made up of  Sheriff PD Taylor (R; Whetsel's former chief deputy and successor), County Treasurer Butch Freeman (R), County Commissioner Ray Vaughan (R), and Democrat Commissioner Willa Johnson (D).

Of those officials, several are either retiring or facing contested races this year. Commissioner Johnson (D) is retiring, and will most likely be replaced by former State Senator Al McAffrey (D). Commissioner Vaughan (R) is also retiring, and term-limited State Rep. Kevin Calvey (R) is favored to defeat Vaughan's chief deputy, Rick Buchanan, in the primary and defeat the Democrat candidate in the general election. Treasurer Butch Freeman is being challenged by Oklahoma County GOP Chairman Daren Ward, with Freeman -- Freeman has held the office since 1993 and is likely to hold on.

With Calvey favored to win his race and pick that seat up for the conservatives/reformists, that makes the primary for County Assessor the swing seat. Incumbent Republican Leonard Sullivan is retiring, and there is a contested GOP primary race between his conservative chief deputy, Larry Stein, and former State Rep. Gary Banz.

Stein is endorsed by outgoing Assessor Sullivan, as well as the rest of the conservative/reform gang on the County Budget Board. Under Sullivan and Stein, the Oklahoma County Assessor's office has hit a record-low number of property value appeals (0.0007% as opposed to the typical county average of 6%-12%), among other accomplishments.

Whetsel, a Democrat, has endorsed Banz for County Assessor, Buchanan for County Commissioner, and Freeman for Treasurer, all of whom are Republicans, in addition to Democrat McAffrey for Commissioner.

Now, why is a disgraced longtime Democrat elected official weighing in on Republican primaries? Could it be that he would prefer to keep the status quo than to see conservative reforms sweep through Oklahoma County?

Oklahoma County voters have an opportunity to bring serious change to county government. It's important that they choose wisely, especially given that voting trends in Oklahoma County may be beginning to swing back in the Democrats' direction.

2018 Oklahoma Constitution Conservative Index released

The 2018 Oklahoma Conservative Index

Published by the Oklahoma Constitution

Oklahoma's Conservative Newspaper since 1979

This issue of the Oklahoma Constitution presents the 40th annual Oklahoma Conservative Index, rating our state legislators. Members of each house of the Oklahoma Legislature were rated on ten key votes. A favorable vote on these issues represents a belief in fiscal responsibility, individual liberty, free enterprise, and constitutional government.

After taking suggestions from conservative leaders, the staff of the Oklahoma Constitution submitted bills to a vote of the membership of the Oklahoma Conservative Political Action Committee (OCPAC) to determine the ten key votes. The legislators were rated based on their votes on bills involving taxes, interference in free markets, protecting liberty, and the right to keep and bear arms.

RATING CALCULATION

To determine this year’s rating, 10 points were earned for each conservative vote (designated by a C), and no points are awarded for a liberal vote (indicated by an L). Each failure to vote (recorded as a Z) provides only three points. When the rating system was created in 1979, it was decided that there should be a difference between voting liberal, and missing a vote. A legislator absent for all the votes could only score 30%, which is our recommended score for seeking a replacement.

Thus, a legislator voting conservative on eight votes, liberal on one, and failing to vote on another, would receive eighty plus three, or an 83% conservative rating.

This year’s conservative rating was averaged with the legislator’s scores from any previous years of service to obtain the Cumulative Average score for all the years that legislator has been rated. With term limits, we have moved into a period when no legislator will have a cumulative score based on a period longer than twelve years. However, a few former legislators with service prior to the term limits law were later elected to their current positions. The scores of legislators with previous service are included in their cumulative average.

By examining this year’s score in relation to the Cumulative Average, the voting pattern of a particular legislator can be determined. While most score nearly the same, year after year, others trend upward or downward from their average. If your legislator is trending toward conservatism, please offer you encouragement and support. If your legislator is exhibiting a leftward trend, it is time to express your disappointment and suggest the need for a replacement if the trend is not reversed.

The average score in the House this year was 43%, compared to 32% last year. The Senate averaged 48% conservative this year, compared to 33% last year. There were 21 legislators who scored 70%, or better this year, compared to only 12 who scored 70%, or better, last year. We suggest you commend all of these lawmakers.

Readers should consider replacing those who scored 30%, or less, while giving close scrutiny to those who scored between 30% and 70%.

There were a few vacancies during the legislative session due to the resignation of a legislator. Since those legislators were not present for all of the votes, they were not rated. Newly elected Rep. Brad Boles (R-Marlow), and Sen. David Holt (R-OKC) who resigned after being elected Oklahoma City mayor, were vacant for part of the session. They were not rated, although there votes on the bills for which they were present are included. The votes on bills that occurred when there seats were vacant are recorded with a V.

The Top Conservative and Top Liberal legislators were selected by their scores on the Index. Making the Top Conservatives list were those lawmakers who scored 80%, or better. On the Top Liberals list were those making less than 20%.

THE TOP CONSERVATIVES

Three legislators, two in the House and one in the Senate, scored a perfect 100% conservative rating this year. House members scoring 100% were Tom Gann (R-Inola) and Jason Murphey (R-Guthrie). Senator Nathan Dahm (R-Broken Arrow) also scored 100%.

The next highest score was 93%, made by Representative Chuck Stohm (R-Jenks) and Anthony Sykes (R-Moore)of the Senate. Scoring 90% were Jeff Coody (R-Grandfield) and Sean Roberts (R-Hominy) of the House, and Josh Brecheen (R-Coalgate) of the Senate. Kevin Calvey (R-OKC), George Faught (R-Muskogee) and Rick West (R-Heavener) of the House all scored 83%.

Representative Travis Dunlap (R-Bartlesville), Mike Ritze (R-Broken Arrow), and Kevin West (R-Moore) of the House scored 80%, along with Rob Standridge (R-Norman) of the Senate, completing the list of Top Conservatives.

THE TOP LIBERALS

While no legislators scored zero conservative this year, two legislators, both in the Senate only scored a dismal 3 percent conservative: Kay Floyd (D-OKC) and John Sparks (D-Norman). Kevin Matthews of Tulsa scored a mere 6 percent conservative. Other low scores were compiled by Representatives Mickey Dollens (D-OKC), and Jason Dunnington (D-OKC), both making only 9%. Other legislators who scored less than 20% conservative on this year’s Index included Forrest Bennett (D-OKC), William Fourkiller (D-Stilwell), Claudia Griffith (D-Norman), Katie Henke (R-Tulsa), Ben Loring (D-Miami), Jason Lowe (D-OKC), Mark McBride (R-Moore), Monroe Nichols (D-Tulsa), Brian Renegar (D-McAlester), Emily Virgin (D-Norman), Collin Walke (D-OKC), and George Young (D-OKC), of the House and Michael Brooks (D-OKC), Anastasia Pittman (D-OKC), and Ervin Yen (R-OKC) of the Senate.

Click here for the 2018 Senate conservative index (PDF). 

Click here for the 2018 House conservative index (PDF).

Rep. Calvey: conservatives were right about Health Department

Rep. Calvey Comments on Health Department’s Wrongdoing

OKLAHOMA CITY – State Rep. Kevin Calvey released the following response about today’s announced findings by the grand jury investigating the state Health Department scandal, which confirmed that wasteful spending is rampant in state government and that tax increases were unnecessary to boost important functions of government like raising teacher pay.

“The grand jury findings prove exactly what we conservatives in the Legislature have been saying all along: that the Health Department deliberately spent money on its own pet projects, what the grand jury called a ‘slush fund,’ rather than spending the money on core programs,” Calvey said.  “Under cross-examination before the House Special Investigative Committee, disgraced former state Secretary of Finance Preston Doerflinger admitted that he approved the Health Department’s annual budgets by reviewing the same documentation as that provided by other state agencies.  That means these sorts of ‘slush funds’ likely exist in perhaps dozens of other state agencies, not just in the Health Department.

“We conservatives opposed tax increases because not all of these ‘slush funds’ have yet been exposed.  There is plenty of waste in state government that can be rerouted for better uses like raising teacher pay.”

Calvey urged further investigation. “Given the grand jury’s findings, I wouldn’t be surprised if at least one of the officials we cross-examined in the House Special Investigative Committee hearings last fall was guilty of making false statements under oath.  I’m not referring to the whistleblowers. I urge the attorney general’s office to examine the record of those committee hearings to determine whether executive branch officials testified falsely to cover up gross misspending in state government.”

Coburn Joins Conservative Legislators in Proposing State Budget Reforms

Coburn Joins Conservative Legislators in Proposing State Budget Reforms

OKLAHOMA CITY – Several conservative Republican State Representatives today joined with former U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn in proposing a path to a teacher pay raise without a tax increase.  The statement is below.

We appreciate the members of Step Up Oklahoma for their civic leadership in addressing the issue of balancing our state budget, raising teacher pay and reforming state government processes. We share their goals. We want to provide teachers a $5,000 pay raise and are confident there will be a permanent teacher pay raise this year with or without a tax increase. We also must balance our budget, which will also happen with or without a tax increase. And, we agree with reforming state government to cut out wasteful spending.

We agree with most of the means chosen by Step Up Oklahoma to accomplish these goals: cutting wasteful subsidies to industrial wind companies; allowing the governor to appoint agency directors, and several of the other ideas furthered by Step Up Oklahoma.

We also believe that the people of Oklahoma are rightly suspicious of state government.  The Health Department scandal shows that there still is a great deal of wasteful spending, “bloat” and “mission creep,” and even corruption in state spending.

The Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES) has over 1,200 employees who are supposed to catch such wasteful spending and root it out, but they failed.  Recently, the whistleblower in the Health Department scandal accused former OMES Director and Gov. Fallin’s Secretary of Finance Preston Doerflinger of grand jury tampering and witness intimidation. If this is how the head of OMES treats whistleblowers, it begs the question:  how many other whistleblowers have been discouraged from bringing wasteful spending to light?

Before raising taxes on Oklahomans, we must make sure state government is spending current tax money wisely, with real performance audits.  But a bill to empower the State Auditor’s Office to conduct real performance audits on agencies was vetoed by Gov. Fallin at Doerflinger’s request.

There are many ways to balance the budget and give teachers a $5,000 pay raise, the combined cost of which is about $760 million. Just last Thursday, it was announced that state revenue is up $812.5 million over last year due to the improving economy.

Moreover, a bill held over from last year, for Medicaid audits, would remove people no longer eligible for Medicaid in Oklahoma.  This one bill would generate savings of at least $86 million, and as Arkansas’ recent experience shows, more likely up to $240 million, which savings could be applied to more efficient uses in our budget.

Cutting out corporate welfare subsidies to the wind industry, often owned by foreign companies, could generate up to $172 million annually.

Using existing funds from the Commissioners of the Land Office could also provide additional millions for a teacher pay raise, without reducing any current payments to school districts and without dipping into the current principal corpus of the School Land Trust.

The Legislature could right now afford the $760 million needed for a $5,000 teacher pay raise and balance the budget without a tax increase.

And there’s more. For each $1 allowed in the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit, $2.58 is generated for scholarships and $1.24 is saved for the state budget, due to leveraging private donations for education. We should increase the current cap on such scholarship credits.

Up to $95 million of annual revenue from the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) is currently used on such wasteful things such as ads for smoke-free strip clubs and drag shows, and billboards against soda pop. These funds could be rerouted to more efficient uses, also.  This reform would require a vote of the people.

School districts could be allowed flexibility to use any part of their property tax revenue on teacher pay if they wished, instead of being restricted to current uses such as buildings. This reform also would require a vote of the people.

Administration costs in our state’s colleges are 70 percent higher than the national average. Reducing such administrative costs to the national average would save the state over $300 million per year.  Currently, legislators are prohibited from making such line-item appropriations to the Regents for Higher Education.  A vote of the people would be required to allow line-items on the Regents’ budget.

There are many ways to reform our education system to make sure more of our tax dollars are going to teacher pay, rather than to excessive administration and other non-teacher costs.

Bills on all these topics have been introduced this session, but are awaiting committee hearings.

“For too long, bureaucrats have grown Oklahoma state government without being audited.  The sensible reforms offered here will help raise teacher pay and right-size Oklahoma’s government without a tax increase.  Medicaid audits, eliminating corporate wind subsidies, TSET reform, and better use of funds from the Commissioners of the Land Office are common-sense proposals that are long overdue,” Coburn said.

Let’s demand performance audits on the agencies and schools and cut out the waste before we increase taxes. We can still give a $5000 pay raise to teachers and balance the budget in the meantime.

Republican Lawmakers who are a part of this plan include:

Rep. Kevin Calvey
Rep. Scott McEachin
Rep. Bobby Cleveland
Rep. Kevin West
Rep. John Bennett
Rep. George Faught
Rep. Tom Gann
Rep. Rick West
Rep. Jeff Coody
Rep. Mike Ritze

Lawmakers Question UCO for Rescinding Invitation to Christian Speaker

Lawmakers Question UCO for Rescinding Invitation to Christian Speaker

OKLAHOMA CITY – State lawmakers today publicly asked why Christian speaker, Dr. Ken Ham, has been told he is not welcome at the University of Central Oklahoma. According to news reports, the UCO student body president yesterday said he had been "bullied and personally maligned" by campus activists opposed to allowing Dr. Ham to speak.  The lawmakers expressed concern about a growing climate of such assaults on free speech and whether or not the Regents for Higher Education were properly accountable for the use of taxpayer dollars.

“Bullying and intimidating people to squelch free speech are disgraceful anywhere - but even more so on our college campuses,” said Rep. Kevin Calvey, R-Oklahoma City. “Higher Education’s censorship and bigotry against Christians shows an appalling lack of accountability on how Oklahoma’s public colleges and universities spend our tax dollars. We fund education to teach and promote American values. Censorship is not an American value.”

“Those claiming to advocate for tolerance are often, and ironically, the most intolerant of all,” said Sen. Josh Brecheen, R-Coalgate. “This bullying by anti-Christian campus censors has to stop.”

“The overwhelmingly Christian and conservative people of Oklahoma should not be forced to pay more taxes to subsidize censorship and bigotry against Christians and conservatives at our state colleges,” said Rep. Chuck Strohm, R-Jenks.

The lawmakers promised to review the Regents for Higher Education's accountability for their use of taxpayer dollars, and advocated for appropriate safeguards to be enacted to avoid intolerance like that at UCO in the future.

Lawmakers Comment on OSDH CFO's Resignation

Lawmakers Comment on Health Department CFO’s Resignation

OKLAHOMA CITY – House Special Investigative Committee members Kevin Calvey (R-Oklahoma City), Bobby Cleveland (R-Slaughterville), and Tom Gann (R-Inola) reacted with concern to the resignation of Mike Romero, chief financial officer of the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH).  Romero resigned today in protest of illegal OSDH “compromising activity” regarding the FBI/Oklahoma Attorney General grand jury investigation into the OSDH.  Romero was one of the OSDH whistleblowers who alerted state officials to illegal financial practices that led to at least a $30 million agency shortfall and hundreds of layoffs.

In his resignation memo to state Secretary of Finance and OSDH Interim Commissioner Preston Doerflinger, Romero made the shocking allegation that Doerflinger “is using others, including his General Counsel, to stay abreast of the [grand jury] proceedings and to analyze the financial communications provided by me with this compromising activity.”  Romero alleged the OSDH General Counsel divulged his confidential grand jury testimony to Doerflinger and others.

“We appreciate Mike Romero for his integrity and courage in blowing the whistle on illegal acts and wasteful spending at OSDH,” Calvey said.

 “We are concerned about what appears to be an attempt to influence grand jury proceedings with a bureaucratic cover-up of wasteful OSDH spending, including spending on Information Technology (IT) services,” Cleveland added.

Noting that OSDH IT services were often paid to the Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES), and that the former director of OMES, Preston Doerflinger, currently heads the OSDH, the three committee members further expressed concern for the integrity of oversight at all state agencies.

“How many other agencies have had wasteful spending covered up by putting pressure on potential whistleblowers?  How many OMES audits were ineffective at uncovering what Doerflinger himself called agency ‘bloat’ and ‘mission creep’ because bureaucrats wanted to suppress the truth?”  Gann asked. “Mr. Romero’s resignation opens up an entire new perspective about the lack of oversight in our state budget.”

Legislators file bill calling for Comm. of Land Office to Fund Teacher Pay Raise

Legislators to Direct Commissioners of Land Office to Fund Teacher Pay Raise

OKLAHOMA CITY – State Reps. Tom Gann, Rick West and Kevin Calvey have co-authored House Bill 8384, legislation that would require the Commissioners of the Land Office (CLO) to raise Oklahoma teacher salaries by $5,000 starting next school year using part of the almost $2.4 billion currently in the CLO fund.

“The money that is currently in the CLO fund is adequate to fund a teacher pay raise on top of what the CLO already gives to schools,” said Gann, R-Inola. “Both the state Constitution and the Enabling Act specify the money from this fund is to be used for the benefit of public education. What better avenue than to pay our teachers – the very lifeblood of our public education system – a wage commensurate with our surrounding states.

“We are not asking the land office to do anything aside from their core mission, which is to support public schools. This measure would just increase the amount that is given to schools each year, earmarking the additional funding to be spent on teacher compensation.”

The measure will specify the money will not count as a chargeable against school districts that receive money through the state funding formula, meaning they will not get less formula money in exchange for receiving additional funding for teacher pay.

According to the state’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the CLO’s total portfolio was almost $2.4 billion for 2017. Total program revenues were $322.8 million, compared to $87.6 million in 2016.

In 2017, the CLO distributed more than $143.6 million, $103.4 million to K-12 schools, the highest total in state history. The distribution is done according to the Average Daily Attendance of each school as provided by the state Department of Education. The CLO distributed more than $35.9 million to universities and colleges and $103.4 million for public buildings. This was an increase of $11 million from the apportionments of fiscal year 2016.

The state Constitution grants the CLO its authority to hold sections of land in each state township, granting property and oil and gas leasing rights for the sole purpose of supporting common education.

“Before we talk about raising multiple taxes on individuals, we should evaluate available resources. The CLO exists for the benefit of public education, and the state of Oklahoma. We should use this money to raise teacher salaries to be competitive with other states in our region” said Rep. Rick West, R-Heavener.

“The use of this money as a sustainable and permanent solution to provide competitive salaries to our teachers is what the taxpayers want us to do” added Rep. Calvey, R-Oklahoma City. “The State of Oklahoma should focus on better utilizing the assets already available.”

Calvey: Increased Revenue Sign of Recovering Economy

Calvey: Increased Revenue Sign of Recovering Economy

OKLAHOMA CITY –State Rep. Kevin Calvey, R-Oklahoma City, today issued a statement following the State Board of Equalization’s announcement that state revenues are expected to increase by $425.3 million, significantly reducing the state’s budget deficit.

“These increased revenues are proof that Oklahoma’s economy is recovering.  Growth in the economy happens when we have a stable economic environment and a stable, low-rate tax structure. Lawmakers should not harm this recovery with tax increases. 

The majority of the state’s elected officials were put in place because Oklahomans want their elected officials to make state government more efficient, rather than to raise taxes.  The scandals at the Health Department and other agencies show we have much work to do to ensure Oklahoma’s state agencies are using tax dollars efficiently and effectively. 

“Today is good news for the Oklahoma economy. Let's keep the good news coming by avoiding job-killing tax increases."

Reps. Calvey, Cleveland, Gann Welcome Whistleblower Tips

Reps. Calvey, Cleveland, Gann Welcome Whistleblower Tips

OKLAHOMA CITY – State Reps. Kevin Calvey, R - Oklahoma City, Bobby Cleveland, R - Slaughterville, and Tom Gann, R - Inola, today invited whistleblowers among state employee and vendors to email them with tips about waste, fraud and misuse of funds in all state agencies.

"Our many hardworking and diligent state employees and vendors are as concerned about wasteful state spending as most Oklahomans," said the representatives.  "We encourage these whistleblowers to contact us at kevin.calvey@okhouse.gov, bobby.cleveland@okhouse.gov, and/or tom.gann@okhouse.gov with tips on exposing wasteful spending.  We imagine the House Special Investigative Committee as a whole will also invite such tips, and we look forward to working with other members of the committee."

Calvey noted that as a practicing lawyer for more than 23 years, and as a former Army officer with a secret security clearance, he is well aware of the importance of confidentiality.

"I will protect the privacy of all whistleblowers,” said Calvey. "That will be my priority concern, and I'm confident my colleagues will also keep sources confidential."

"In some cases a whistleblower might feel more comfortable getting information to one member of the committee rather than all 15 members," said Cleveland.  "It is in that spirit of cooperation that I make this invitation"

"Our state employees and vendors are in a great position to make state spending more cost-efficient for the taxpayers, and I am eager to gain the benefit of their experience in making our tax dollars work smarter," added Gann.

Calvey: Tax increases help cover up problems

Tax increases help cover up problems

By Rep. Kevin Calvey

This spring, Terry Cline, Gov. Mary Fallin’s then-secretary of health, berated me for refusing to vote for tax increases. Last week, Cline was forced to resign when apparent fraud and/or mismanagement was uncovered at the Department of Health.

This makes one wonder: If we had passed all the tax increases during the 2017 session, would this corruption have remained hidden? I suspect so. The additional money would have filled accounts emptied by mismanagement.

I suspect we’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg of exposing corruption in state spending, because state agencies haven’t been independently audited in years!

State government insiders are lying to those who serve vulnerable Oklahomans, telling them that tax increases are necessary to preserve services, when there is enough available cash to plug the current $214 million gap without any tax increase. These lies cause needless anxiety to the vulnerable, causing them to pressure legislators for tax increases.

Perhaps now we are seeing the real reason for the increasingly desperate attempts by government insiders to raise your taxes. The insiders need tax increases to cover up the corruption.

Read the rest of his column here.

Calvey Questions Hofmeister Budget Request

Calvey Questions Hofmeister Budget Request

OKLAHOMA CITY (Jan. 4th, 2017) – State Rep. Kevin Calvey today criticized the budget presentation made by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister.

“In a year in which we are facing a revenue deficit close to $900 million dollars, Superintendent Hofmeister offers no real solutions for streamlining our education system to make it more efficient and to target student needs,” said Calvey, R-Oklahoma City.  “Instead she presented a plan replete with big-ticket funding of districts without accountability for how those dollars are spent related to education results.”

Hofmeister and staff from the State Department of Education were asked to present their fiscal year 2018 budget request before the Oklahoma House of Representatives Appropriations & Budget Committee in an open meeting in the House Chamber. Calvey was among a number of legislators that attended and asked questions about the department’s budget.

Due to time constraints, legislators were not permitted to ask direct questions or follow-up questions of Hofmeister, but instead submitted questions.

“I appreciate House budget leaders for arranging for this presentation, and I look forward to being able to question Superintendent Hofmeister directly in future budget presentations,” Calvey said.

After listening to the more than 5-hour presentation and question-and-answer session, Calvey issued the following list of concerns:

• Superintendent Hofmeister did not answer questions about emails revealed in the felony charges against her, emails she sent which demonstrate her prior knowledge of felony violations of state campaign finance laws, or why legislators should trust her to lead an $8 billion agency, given such evidence of corruption.
• Superintendent Hofmeister declined to address the problem of excessive administration and other non-classroom teacher staff in Oklahoma public schools. Over 50 percent of Oklahoma school employees are not full-time classroom teachers, one of the worst such rates in the U.S.
• Superintendent Hofmeister placed great stress on being able to recruit teachers from leaving for other states, yet incredibly seemed unaware that Oklahoma’s affordable cost of living has a great competitive advantage over other states, a fact which places Oklahoma as 30th among the states for cost-of-living-adjusted teacher compensation, rather than nearly last as Hofmeister claimed.
• Superintendent Hofmeister admitted that this fiscal year the Education Department actually had MORE money available than in any previous year.  Yet she also claimed that funding was down from the previous fiscal year.
• Superintendent Hofmeister claims that external indicators show growth in reading proficiency, citing the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). However, these results were based on training of students in reading without recent provisions that allow for social promotion of these children. Her representation is misleading.
• By Superintendent Hofmeister’s own admission, the money requested for a rework of the state data system would cost the state more than three times what the original system cost. This would yield data around an accountability system that has received considerable criticism with charges of racial disparity in applying different levels of expectations for children of color as opposed to their white counterparts. Superintendent Hofmeister has asked the state to fund this data system rework with millions of dollars without receiving approval by the Legislature or the U.S. Department of Education (USDE), which is now headed by new leadership. 
• Superintendent Hofmeister falsely claimed that the new federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) law for education “requires” that Oklahoma develop an entirely new accountability system.  In fact, the new law requires no such new system nor the additional taxpayer money sought by Superintendent Hofmeister for this purpose.
• Superintendent Hofmeister is asking for money for a duplicative pilot program that would help coach teachers on the very things that they are supposed to be taught while in their colleges of education. 

State Rep. Calvey calls for Hofmeister resignation

 Conservative Lawmaker Calls for Hofmeister Resignation

OKLAHOMA CITY – Conservative lawmaker Kevin Calvey, R-Oklahoma City, today called upon State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister, R-Tulsa, to resign in the wake of felony charges against her.

“Joy Hofmeister’s own words make it clear that it is best for the children of Oklahoma that she resign,” said Calvey, referring to emails referenced in the indictment filed by District Attorney David Prater, D-Oklahoma City, against Hofmeister and representatives of the Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration (CCOSA) school administrators’ lobby and the Oklahoma Education Association (OEA) teachers’ union, among others.  “This isn’t a case of ‘he said, she said.’  Ms. Hofmeister admits in her own emails that she and CCOSA officials planned the massive illegal dark money negative campaign against her GOP primary opponent in advance, and that this dark money campaign would allow Ms. Hofmeister to focus solely on touting her own background rather than engaging her opponent.”

Calvey noted that his call for Hofmeister’s resignation should not be confused with the criminal case against her.

“Ms. Hofmeister is certainly entitled to the presumption of innocence in the criminal case against her,” Calvey said.  “It is a firm principle of the American justice system that felony defendants be presumed innocent of the criminal charges against them.  But surely the standard for holding public office is higher than merely avoiding prison.  Even if she is acquitted of the criminal charges, the indisputable evidence clearly shows Ms. Hofmeister, CCOSA, and OEA conspired to violate campaign laws to get her elected.  The citizens of Oklahoma and the children Ms. Hofmeister was elected to serve deserve better.”

Calvey questioned whether legislators would trust Hofmeister to lead the state’s largest agency with the cloud of criminal charges looming.

“If I were a trustee over a person’s funds, and discovered that the person’s CPA had obtained his license by overstating his credentials, wouldn’t I have an obligation to obtain a new CPA, regardless of whether that CPA had committed actual fraud or not?  We legislators are in a position similar to that of a trustee over the citizens’ hard-earned tax dollars.  Don’t we have an obligation to seek a new leader for the State Department of Education under these circumstances?”

5th District Watch List

With James Lankford's near-certain candidacy to fill the rest of Tom Coburn's U.S. Senate term, there will be a crowded Republican primary for the 5th Congressional District. Here is a list of names to watch for in the coming days.

Former state rep. Shane Jett (already announced)
Former state rep. Kevin Calvey
State Rep. Paul Wesselhoft
State Sen. Clark Jolley
State Sen. Greg Treat
Corp. Comm. Patrice Douglas (soon to announce)
State Treasurer Ken Miller
Labor Comm. Mark Costello
Former state sen. Steve Russell

Leave a comment with your suggested additions or removals.