AG to Muskogee schools: 1st Amendment did not require canceling prayer walk

Drummond tells Muskogee schools the First Amendment did not require canceling prayer walk, offers future support

OKLAHOMA CITY (Aug. 21, 2026) – Attorney General Gentner Drummond today advised Muskogee Public Schools that it was under no constitutional obligation to cancel a community prayer walk earlier this month, and offered this Office’s assistance to any Oklahoma district that receives a similar demand.

Muskogee 6th and 7th Grade Academy had scheduled a Back to School Community Prayer Walk for the morning of August 12, the day before classes began. A Wisconsin-based advocacy organization, the Freedom From Religion Foundation, sent the district a letter the day before the event demanding its cancellation. The district canceled the walk, removed the announcements and notified parents.

In a letter to Superintendent Jarod Mendenhall, Drummond concluded that no student was required to be on campus that day, that no student faced any consequence for staying away, and that the walk was scheduled at an hour when no instructional period existed to interrupt.

OK Freedom Caucus: OU’s war on Faith and Free Speech must end – or funding will

Oklahoma Freedom Caucus: OU’s War on Faith and Free Speech Must End – Or Funding Will

OKLAHOMA CITY – The University of Oklahoma has once again proven that radical woke ideology continues to control its campus. Last week, psychology junior Samantha Fulnecky received a zero on an assignment for citing the Bible while defending traditional gender roles. Her instructor branded the reference “highly offensive” and punished her for holding Christian beliefs. 

This is only the latest outrage. These events mirror prior Freedom Caucus warnings about OU's descent into radical activism. The university's leftist culture enables the destruction of conservative materials, fosters an unsafe environment for patriotic students, and prioritizes ideological conformity over education—turning campuses into echo chambers where conservative ideas are not debated but demolished. All while university leadership issues weak statements, refuses to meet with Conservative students, and imposes no serious discipline.

Sen. Bergstrom's bill to protect religious freedom passes committee, heads to Senate floor

Good bill recognizing our inalienable constitution freedom of religion. It passed committee by a 5-2 vote, with both Democrats voting against it (Sens. Michael Brooks and Regina Goodwin).

Bergstrom Bill to Protect Religious Freedom Gains Committee Approval

OKLAHOMA CITY (Feb. 25th) – On Wednesday, Senate Bill 513, authored by Sen. Micheal Bergstrom, R-Adair, successfully passed out of the Public Safety Committee. SB 513 aims to protect the constitutional right to religious freedom during declared states of emergency.

Under SB 513, neither the Governor or any official of a municipality, county, or political subdivision is allowed to restrict any activity in a place of worship that is otherwise legal under state law.

Small: Court errs on religious school decision

Court errs on religious school decision

By Jonathan Small

When it comes to religion, many on the left twist the principle of government neutrality into a doctrine of government suppression.

The Oklahoma Supreme Court recently ruled the Catholic Church cannot operate a state charter school. The decision is the latest in which an Oklahoma Supreme Court decision is at odds with simple logic.

Congressman Brecheen looks back on first year in Congress, what to expect in 2024

Looking Back on First Year Experience in Congress and What to Expect in 2024

by Congressman Josh Brecheen (R, OK-02)
First published in The McCarville Report
December 15th, 2023

I wanted to take some time to reflect on what was a productive, and at times, challenging year and give a preview of what constituents can expect for the year ahead.

Rush Limbaugh and Paul Harvey on Thanksgiving Day's origins

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you are able to take time today to spend time with loved ones, think back over the past year and forward to the next, and thank God for the many blessings you have been given. In this post, you'll find three videos for the day: Rush Limbaugh and Paul Harvey on the origins of Thanksgiving Day, and 'Tennessee Ernie' Ford singing an old Dutch hymn of thanksgiving, We Gather Together. I hope you'll listen to them.

Brecheen seeks to end taxpayer funding after finding $31M going to transgender studies preying on children

Congressman Josh Brecheen Introduces No Taxpayer Funding for Researchers Who Prey on Children Act

Washington, D.C. (Nov. 2nd) – Congressman Josh Brecheen introduced the No Taxpayer Funding for Researchers Who Prey on Children Act, which would prohibit any individual who has been a Principal Investigator/Project Leader for any study that facilitated “gender-affirming care” or affirmed a minor’s identity in conflict with his or her sex from receiving federal financial assistance for future studies or experiments.

“Americans should be outraged to learn that nearly $31 million of our taxpayer dollars are funding youth transgender studies that have even led to the suicides of two participants. The researchers conducting these studies are advocates for harming minors and are using our tax dollars to prey on children and advance their far-Left agenda. This legislation is unfortunately needed to prevent researchers from receiving any more of our tax dollars for future studies or experiments,” said Congressman Josh Brecheen.

AG Drummond sues over Catholic charter school, draws ire from Stitt and Walters

This is from the 20th, but it's newsworthy enough to go ahead and post despite being "old news" at this point. Attorney General Gentner Drummond is once again lining up against Governor Kevin Stitt and State Superintendent Ryan Walters, this time over the Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board's approval of a Catholic public charter school, which is touted (or decried, depending on the perspective) as the first publicly funded religious charter school in the nation.

Drummond thinks the approval violates the state and federal constitutions, while Stitt and Walters disagree and think it would instead violate religious liberty to deny the charter.

OSDE files Motion to Dismiss in religious charter school case

OSDE Files Motion to Dismiss in Religious Charter School Case

Oklahoma City, Okla (Sept. 20th) – Today, the Oklahoma State Department of Education filed a Motion to Dismiss in OKPLAC, INC., d/b/a Oklahoma Parent Legislative Action Committee, et al., v. STATEWIDE VIRTUAL CHARTER SCHOOL BOARD, et al. – concerning the approval of a religious charter school.

“Religious freedom is at the very bedrock of our nation,” said State Superintendent Ryan Walters. “Those who would sue to abridge the freedom of Americans to freely exercise their religion stand against 400 years of religious tolerance in America, predating the United States itself.  I will fight to protect the freedom of all Oklahomans enshrined in the U.S. Constitution and Oklahoma laws, especially in our schools.”

Oklahoma leaders celebrate after ending June with major conservative wins at the Supreme Court

The Supreme Court ended June (or as I saw one person dub it, "LGBT Ramadan") with a string of major wins for conservatives. Below are press releases from Congressmen Brecheen and Hern, Senator Lankford, Attorney General Gentner Drummond, and OCPA on several of these rulings.

Senate Pro Tem Treat Comments on Conclusion of the 2023 Regular Session

Senate Pro Tem Treat Comments on Conclusion of the 2023 Regular Session

OKLAHOMA CITY (May 26th) – Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, today commented on the conclusion of today’s regular session that began in February.

The pro tem said the Senate Republican caucus was more united than ever before and built momentum going into the summer, which he hopes to carry into next year.

Civil liberties group steps in to help preacher threatened with arrest by Bartlesville judge over social media use of Bible verses against LGBTQ, public drag shows

In Bartlesville, OK, a Christian street preacher has been silenced and threatened with arrest by activist judges for daring to - on his social media account - use the Bible to denounce same-sex marriage and public drag shows. The LGBTQ insanity seems to have gripped local law enforcement and judges in Bartlesville. For much more information, the Substack blog The V1SUT Vantage has covered this ordeal extensively.

The Rutherfor Institute, a nonprofit civil liberties organization, is taking up the case on behalf of the preacher, Rich Penkoski:

Court Threatens Street Preacher With Arrest for Using Bible Verses to Criticize Same-Sex Marriage, Denouncing Drag Show on Social Media

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (April 13, 2023) — Pushing back at attempts by the courts to silence individuals whose religious views may be perceived as intolerant or hateful, The Rutherford Institute is challenging a five-year restraining order against a street preacher who has been threatened with arrest after citing Bible verses on social media to express his moral concerns about a church that endorses same-sex marriage and raising awareness about a public drag queen performance that occurred in front of children.

Lankford receives commitment on Military Religious Accommodation Requests for C-19 vax mandate

Lankford Receives Commitment on Military Religious Accommodation Requests for COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate from DOD Secretary, Lifts Holds on DOD Noms

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK (Dec. 23rd) – Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today announced a huge victory he secured to protect the right of religious liberty for our heroes in the Armed Forces. After receiving a commitment from the Department of Defense (DOD) Secretary Lloyd Austin that all members who had requested a religious accommodation from the COVID-19 vaccine who have been waiting on a response, will now get the answers they have been waiting for and be allowed to return to their duties. 

Small: Parents’ rights are fundamental

Parents’ rights are fundamental

by Jonathan Small

We all have our “hot-button issue.” Among conservatives, it might be gun rights, or property rights, or religious liberty. Accounting nerds like me can even get worked up over tax policy. But whatever we care about, if we want to win, we had better protect parental rights.

This is especially true as elite culture becomes more hostile to conservative values and religious faith. If the next generation is taught our Constitution is fundamentally flawed, nothing in the Bill of Rights will be safe.

Lankford: "clear that DOD leaders are ignoring sincerely-held religious beliefs of service members" in vax mandate

Lankford Calls for Audit of Defense Department’s Failure to Provide Religious Accommodations for the COVID-19 Vaccine

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – Senator James Lankford (R-OK) sent a letter to the Acting Department of Defense (DOD) Inspector General Sean O’Donnell to ask him to audit DOD’s process for reviewing religious accommodation requests for the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Lankford previously sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin demanding to know why, despite 19,979 known requests for religious accommodations from the COVID-19 vaccine, the Department has granted nearly zero requests for religious accommodations among the service branches. The letter requested a response by February 1, and to date, his office has not received a response.

Lankford wants answers on Biden’s plan for database of federal employees’ religious beliefs

Lankford, Colleagues Want Answers on Biden’s Plan for a Database of Federal Employees’ Religious Beliefs

WASHINGTON, DC – Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today joined Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) and 40 of their colleagues in a letter to the Comptroller General of the United States after the District of Columbia’s Pretrial Services Agency (PSA) published a notice of its intent to create a database known as the “Employee Religious Exception Request Information System.” The Members ask GAO to tell them whether the notice constitutes a rule for purposes of the Congressional Review Act, which Congress can invoke to overturn an agency’s action.

The records system is a central database, maintained by the Office of Management and Budget, that tracks the names, religious affiliation, religious beliefs, personally identifying information and other data of federal employees who have requested religious exemptions to the Biden Administration’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate on federal employees. More than 20 federal agencies, including the Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security and Department of Transportation, have issued similar notices to maintain databases tracking employees’ religious beliefs, and these lists will be shared between federal agencies.

Lankford cries foul over Defense Department granting nearly ZERO religious liberty accomodations for C-19 vax

Lankford Outraged That Defense Department Has Granted Nearly ZERO Religious Accommodations for COVID-19 Vaccine

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK (January 25th) – Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin demanding to know why, despite 19,979 known requests for religious accommodations from the COVID-19 vaccine, the Department has granted nearly zero requests for religious accommodations among the service branches. The US Marines reportedly have two religious accommodations—out of 3,367 requests.

In his letter, Lankford wrote that according to information his office obtained: the US Army has received 2,128 requests for religious accommodations, the US Navy has received 3,791 requests for religious accommodations; and the US Air Force has received 10,693 requests for religious accommodations. None have been granted.

“It is alarming that the Department is so blatantly disregarding the free exercise of religion that is guaranteed to our military service members, both through the First Amendment and through the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) (42 U.S.C. Sec 2000bb-1). Congress chose to apply RFRA to the military, and the military remains accountable to Congress for adhering to this law,” wrote Lankford in the letter.

Lankford slams HHS leaked memo seeking to strip Americans’ religious, conscience protections

Lankford Exposes HHS Leaked Memo Seeking to Strip Americans’ Religious, Conscience Protections

WASHINGTON, DC- Senator James Lankford (R-OK) issued a statement after a leaked memo from the Department of Health and Human Services seeks to repeal certain protections for religious freedoms and directly calls out Members who have been outspoken of HHS’ mishandling of conscience and religious freedom protections.

The leaked memo from HHS states, “Groups who share the prior Administration’s broad view of the application of RFRA or who will interpret this action as an indication that the Department is abdicating its responsibility for compliance with RFRA will likely issue strong negative reactions. This includes members of Congress who have been outspoken about OCR’s conscience and religious freedom activities and who have repeatedly asked questions about changes to OCR’s organizational structure and legal authority.”

Lankford responded, “The memo is correct, I am an outspoken advocate for religious liberty, and I have a very ‘negative reaction’ to this Administration ignoring the First Amendment and failing to protect Americans of conscience. Americans do not support President Biden and his team’s absolute lawlessness when it comes to upholding Americans’ Constitutional rights—including our right to freely live our faith. The HHS memo leaked today is the second leaked document out of this administration in a week, which contradicts public statements from now two Cabinet secretaries, and illustrates the absolute disregard this Administration has for the American people. We, as Americans, do not discriminate against people of faith. This move by Secretary Becerra shows he will not keep the commitment to protect religious freedom for every American that he made during his confirmation hearing.

“This action from HHS means that the Office for Civil Rights will no longer uphold the civil rights of religious Americans. HHS clearly intends to go back to the days of light to no enforcement of the law that protect the rights of people of any faith.”

State House passes bill prohibiting forced closure of churches, places of worship

House Passes Bill Prohibiting Forced Closure of Places of Worship

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma House of Representatives passed legislation to protect religious freedom and the constitutional right to worship.

Rep. Brian Hill, R-Mustang, presented House Bill 2648, also known as the Oklahoma Religious Freedom Act, which dictates that anything closing places of worship would be considered a substantial burden on people’s freedom of religion.

“People came to this continent seeking religious freedom and to escape a tyrannical government, and our country’s founders had the wisdom to specifically outline the freedom to worship in one of our founding documents,” Hill said. “My faith, like many Oklahomans, is at the core of who I am, and this bill further protects our God-given right to worship.”

Bill barring forced closure of Places of Worship passes State House committee

Bill Prohibiting Forced Closure of Places of Worship Passes Committee

OKLAHOMA CITY – In its inaugural meeting Wednesday morning, the House States Rights Committee approved legislation to protect religious freedom and the constitutional right to worship.

Rep. Jon Echols, R-Oklahoma City, authored House Bill 2648, or the Oklahoma Religious Freedom Act, which dictates that anything closing places of worship would be considered a substantial burden on people’s freedom of religion.

He said he filed the bill after witnessing how many religious organizations were unable to meet for several weeks due to government restrictions on the size of gatherings or emergency orders that did not deem places of worship as essential.