Shaw launches 'Save Oklahoma Plan', pledges $100k for grassroots agenda

Freshman State Rep. Jim Shaw (R-Chandler) is a conservative warrior, unafraid to stand up and fight against long odds. In his first term in the Legislature, he's been about government transparency and accountability, protecting the rights and freedoms of Oklahomans, and fearlessly opposing the powerful "green energy" industry, corporate welfare, and the incestuous web of well-connected lobbyists and consultants who influence and control many of Oklahoma's elected officials from behind the scenes.

Shaw is launching a new effort – the 'Save Oklahoma Plan' – to promote the same type of courageous grassroots conservatives running for office in 2026:

Jim Shaw Commits $100,000 to "Save Oklahoma Plan" to Advance Grassroots Agenda for Republicans in 2026

No more empty promises. No more selling out.

Chandler, OK (Tuesday, September 2, 2025) - State Representative Jim Shaw announced today the launch of the Save Oklahoma Plan, a grassroots-driven campaign to hold every Republican in the 2026 legislative session and the Oklahoma primaries accountable to the people. Under the Save Oklahoma Plan, funds will be distributed to conservative grassroots organizations committed to contacting voters about the plan's issues through texting campaigns, petition drives, door-to-door canvassing and digital marketing. These organizations have pledged they will not support or endorse any candidate who refuses to stand strong on all seven of the issues outlined in the plan, even if that candidate happens to disagree with them on just one.

Rep. Rick West: "Just Say No" (to lobbyist money)

Just Say No

By Rep. Rick West (R-Heavener)

Back in the 1980s, then-First Lady Nancy Reagan popularized the phrase "Just Say No" as part of an anti-drug campaign.

I kind of feel like bringing that back at the Legislature, but in this case pertaining to lobbyists. Never have I been more convinced that my decision to just say no to lobbyists' or political action committee money was the right move. It's one of the best decisions I've made since I've been in politics. It gives me freedom, and freedom is everything.

There is no question that lobbyists run the vast majority of legislation at the Capitol, and they do it through the power of the purse.

I appreciate the folks in my district who understand my decision not to take lobbyists' money. Y'all get it.

Gov. Stitt issues new Executive Order Extending Restriction on Contract Lobbyists

GOVERNOR STITT FILES NEW EXECUTIVE ORDER EXTENDING RESTRICTION ON CONTRACT LOBBYISTS

Oklahoma City, Okla. (July 5, 2019) – Governor Kevin Stitt announced today a new executive order, EO 2019-29, making permanent the restriction on state agencies entering into contracts with external lobbyists.

“When taking office, I uncovered that several state agencies were collectively spending more than $1 million annually on contract lobbyists to advocate for their own special interests to the Legislature and the executive branch,” said Governor Kevin Stitt. “The agencies’ practice of hiring contract lobbyists skirts transparency laws and empowers agencies to ignore voters’ mandates. I quickly issued an executive order limiting agencies from entering into new contracts or extending current ones through the end of the 2019 fiscal year. My new executive order makes this restriction permanent during my administration. Oklahomans are united around a vision to make our great state Top Ten, and I will continue to pursue common-sense reforms, such as EO 2019-29, to ensure state agencies are in alignment.” 

A copy of EO 2019-29 is available by clicking here.

On January 24, Governor Stitt filed Executive Order 2019-2 to require all state agencies, boards and commissions to submit a list of every contract lobbyist hired and the amount of each contract dating back to 2015. The EO placed a freeze on agencies, boards and commissions from entering into new contracts while the information was being submitted. All entities came into compliance by April, which is linked in an excel format here.

OCPA column: A much-needed agency lobbying reform

A much-needed agency lobbying reform

By Jonathan Small

Should agencies be allowed to indirectly fund politicians’ campaigns with taxpayer dollars? If you think the answer is “no”—as I do—then you should welcome Gov. Kevin Stitt’s decision to ban agency use of contract lobbyists.

The Stitt administration found 33 state agencies, boards and commissions have private contracts with lobbyists and spent about $1.5 million per year for each of the last two years on lobbying. Now he’s implemented a ban on that practice.

This is good policy on several fronts, including government transparency and accountability.

For one thing, agencies’ practice of hiring contract lobbyists indirectly allowed taxpayer money to land in politicians’ campaign coffers. While state agencies cannot contribute to political campaigns, contract lobbyists can. Thus, when agencies hire contract lobbyists, they are sending taxpayer money to lobbyists who then often contribute to legislators’ campaigns. This creates a roundabout funnel in which agencies effectively use taxpayer money to fund political campaigns. As President Trump would say: Not good.

Agency use of contract lobbyists also impedes public access to open records. If an agency uses an in-house legislative liaison to communicate with legislators, those communications are public record and may be obtained by any Oklahoma citizen. But if an outside lobbyist is used, that lobbyist’s direct communications with legislators are not subject to open-records law. Does anyone think new layers of secrecy will produce better government for Oklahomans?

Most importantly, Oklahomans elect the governor to run the executive branch, and no agency should be pursuing any objective that isn’t first cleared with the governor’s office. A major focus of the Stitt administration has been to reform government so the head of the executive branch truly runs the executive branch. Stitt’s ban on agencies’ use of outside lobbyists is in the same vein with his successful effort to gain the power to appoint the leaders of five major state agencies.

While technically legal, agencies’ use of contract lobbyists never passed the smell test. This is especially true when agencies would scream “poverty” even as they diverted taxpayer money to contract lobbyists who would then lobby the Legislature to provide the agencies more taxpayer money.

For too long, Oklahoma government has been a system in which rogue agencies work at cross-purposes with each other, the governor, and the will of the voters. Under Stitt, Oklahoma’s executive branch will have a true executive leader who gets the credit for success but shoulders the blame for failure.

That’s a welcome, and much-needed, change.

Jonathan Small serves as president of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs.

OCPA files open records request with the OK Ethics Commission on proposed rule

OCPA's open records request

OCPA files open records request with the Oklahoma Ethics Commission on proposed rule 2019-02

Note to media: please find attached a copy of the request submitted electronically by OCPA to the Oklahoma Ethics Commission on Dec. 18, 2018.

The Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA) today filed an open records request with the Oklahoma Ethics Commission seeking details of the Commission’s work with an out-of-state political organization or other outside groups on proposed rule 2019-02. OCPA Executive Vice President Trent England released the following statement:

“It is beyond ironic that the Oklahoma Ethics Commission is working with the Brennan Center on a proposed rule that would violate Oklahoman’s rights to free speech and personal privacy.

“The Brennan Center is a Washington, D.C.-based liberal organization—not that there’s anything wrong with that—funded by George Soros and closely aligned with former President Obama. It does not represent Oklahoma values. In fact, it routinely attacks policies most Oklahomans support, like the death penalty and showing identification in order to vote.

“Since the Oklahoma Ethics Commission wants to be the agency responsible for all state open records requests, I’m sure they will quickly comply with this request.”

OCPA slams proposed Ethics Commission rule

OCPA statement on Oklahoma Ethics Commission’s proposed rule 2019-02

Responding to the Oklahoma Ethics Commission’s proposed rule 2019-02, which would classify as “indirect lobbying” even casual conversations about legislation and could require organizations to publish membership lists, Jonathan Small, president of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA), released the following statement:

“As an Oklahoman who happens to be black, I am appalled that the Ethics Commission is trying to do what racist government officials attempted in the 1950s.

“In the Jim Crow era, Alabama and Florida officials wanted to force the NAACP to turn over membership lists. Today, the Ethics Commission wants to force similar organizations to turn over the names, addresses, and employers of their supporters.

“People who support pro-life causes or pro-abortion causes, those who want the Legislature to pass constitutional carry and those who demand more gun restrictions—anyone who works with or supports an organization that cares about Oklahoma law would be regulated and outed by this proposed rule.

“Thankfully, the Supreme Court in 1958 and 1963 found that such actions violate the Fourteenth Amendment. Freedom of speech and association, and to petition our government, are protected by our federal and state constitutions. These freedoms include the right to do these things without having the Ethics Commission post your name, home address, and employer online.”

Brogdon Blasts Fallin's PAC/Lobbyist Campaign Invite

After Congresswoman and gubernatorial candidate Mary Fallin invited Political Action Committee directors and lobbyists to a campaign briefing, her chief Republican opponent, Randy Brogdon, blasted the move. The Brogdon campaign issued the following press release this evening:

Fallin: Calling All Lobbyists
Candidate for Gov. says lobbyists to play "vital role" in Oklahoma's future

(Oklahoma City)-Promising that they "will play a vital role in moving Oklahoma forward next year," Mary Fallin has invited lobbyists, Political Action Committees, special interest groups, and their checkbooks, to an audience before her.

Fallin's lobbyist summit will take place 10:00 AM Wednesday, July 7th at the offices of the Oklahoma Dental Association. The invitation, signed by Fallin's Campaign Manager called lobbyists and PAC's "stakeholders in the process."

Having already collected hundreds of thousands from special interests, the Fallin for Governor Campaign seems to be dropping any pretense. Openly declaring they are the campaign catering to special interests.

No indication was given as to why lobbyists and special interest groups deserve to play so vital a role in Oklahoma's future. Mary Fallin also failed to clarify whether lobbyist's status as "stakeholder" is intrinsic, a right given by God, or if it is conditional, requiring the purchase of a "stake."

The term stakeholder, as traditionally used in the English language in law and notably gambling describes: a third party who temporarily holds money or property while its owner is still being determined.

Does Representative Fallin intend for these invited special interests to hold money or property while state government and its citizens struggle over the right of possession?

Of course, in government the term "stakeholder" refers to: only those who benefit from, or seek influence over, government activities. That certainly describes a lobbyist.

Tomorrow, lobbyists from around the country will descend on Oklahoma City, sit in the presence on the presumptive Governor and find out for themselves – the price of a "stake."

If Mary Fallin is Governor it is pretty clear who will be running the state!

The GOP primary will take place on July 27th, and four candidates will be on the ballot: Randy Brogdon, Mary Fallin, Robert Hubbard, and Roger Jackson.