OKLAHOMA CITY (June 22, 2022) – Governor Kevin Stitt released the following response to President Joe Biden’s proposal for a three-month federal gas tax holiday:
WASHINGTON, DC (June 22nd) – Senator James Lankford (R-OK) provided opening remarks during a Senate Finance Committee markup of the Enhancing American Retirement Now (EARN) Act, also known as SECURE 2.0. The bill includes Lankford’s Enhancing Emergency and Retirement Savings Act, Improving Access to Retirement Savings Act and Military Spouses Retirement Security Act. The bill passed the committee unanimously.
OKLAHOMA CITY (June 21, 2022) – An extensive investigation into Epic Charter Schools by the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) has uncovered significant problems, including dubious attendance data that may have resulted in $780,000 in improperly obtained state funds and the improper disbursal of more than $8.5 million in bonuses to school administrators. The investigation was prompted by a complaint made against Epic in December 2021 by a former member of Epic’s governing board, Community Strategies Inc.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister said she will recommend in the coming weeks that the State Board of Education place the virtual charter on probation and require it to undergo comprehensive corrective action. Findings in the OSDE report will also be shared with law enforcement to determine if further action is warranted.
US Air Force Brigadier General Ben Robinson Endorses Attorney General John O’Connor
Tulsa, OK – The momentum continues to build for conservative Attorney General John O’Connor as retired U.S. Air Force Brigadier, and former Secretary of Military and Veterans Affairs, General Ben Robinson proudly endorsed him today.
Among the Republican candidates in the super crowded, 14-member 2nd Congressional District race is State Rep. Avery Frix (R-Muskogee), who is posturing himself as a super-conservative next-gen MAGA warrior intent on storming Washington.
Frix, elected to the State House in 2016, may be a registered Republican, but he's by no means a super-conservative. In fact, on many issues, he's simply not conservative. At all. Let me give you almost seven billion reasons why.
Early Voting for Primary Election Begins [Today]
(Oklahoma City, June 21st) – Early voting for the June 28 Primary Election begins Thursday at 8 a.m. Republican and Democratic primaries will take place, along with several nonpartisan elections in many counties.
OCPA staff seek dismissal of abusive court filings
OKLAHOMA CITY (June 22, 2022)— In filings today, four employees of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs asked for the immediate dismissal of protective-order petitions filed against them by state Rep. Anthony Moore’s spouse. The motions show that the petitions fail to meet the requirements needed for a valid protective order.
Longtime conservative Republican activist and columnist Steve Fair is out with a defense of State Auditor Cindy Byrd that is well worth the read:
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| Steve Fair, conservative activist |
BYRD DESERVES SECOND TERM! DON'T BELIEVE LIES!
The U.S. Supreme Court’s McGirt decision, which effectively declared much of eastern Oklahoma remains tribal reservation land, prompted some tribal officials to embrace separatism.
In 2021, a Muscogee (Creek) Nation official told NonDoc the difference between the Muscogee chief and the governor of Oklahoma is that one is the “head of a nation” while the other is “just the head of the state.”
That’s grandiose, at best. David Hill was elected Muscogee principal chief with 3,399 votes. Kevin Stitt was elected Oklahoma governor with 644,579 votes.
On a similar note, Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr. recently banned display of the Oklahoma flag on Cherokee property. But Hoskin’s action drew swift rebuke from other Cherokees. [see article here]
When announcing he was reversing course, Hoskin said he had “heard from many Cherokee citizens” and “the vast majority were opposed” to his flag order. Many were concerned it “further divided the state and the tribe.”
Put simply, there was a huge gap between Cherokee leadership and Cherokee citizens, most of whom do not view their home state with hostility.
It’s not shocking that gap exists. Few Cherokees are directly involved in tribal government. The tribe reports over 400,000 individuals are Cherokee citizens, but less than 14,000 voted in the last election for tribal chief. (Similar trends are also notable for the Muscogee Nation, which claims 86,100 citizens.)
Most Cherokees don’t embrace a worldview pitting them against their non-Indian neighbors and family members.
That contrasts with many comments from some tribal leaders. When the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs called for McGirt to be reversed, which would simply ensure all Oklahomans are treated the same under the law as had been the case for the prior century, Muscogee leadership responded with “see you on the battlefield.”
The Muscogee (Creek) Nation now argues all Muscogee citizens living on the tribe’s reservation—including most of Tulsa—are exempt from state taxes. Hoskin has also indicated support for that position. If that view prevails, it could reduce state funding for things like roads and schools by more than $200 million, if not more.
As state Sen. John Michael Montgomery has noted, if tribal citizens don’t pay Oklahoma taxes “there’s a pretty compelling argument to be said: ‘Why are we still funding things in areas if they’re not going to be paying taxes on services for those areas?’”
The challenges created by McGirt extend well beyond flag displays. Rather than equal treatment, what is occurring under McGirt is different treatment based on heritage and physical location—and that disparate treatment is harming people, including tribal citizens.
Most Cherokees understand we are all Oklahomans, even if some of their leaders do not. If those Cherokee citizens’ view prevails, the challenge of working out state-tribal differences will become much easier.
Jonathan Small serves as president of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs.
DURANT (June 20th) – A self-term limited former State Senator, Josh Brecheen is running for Oklahoma's 2nd District Congressional seat and says he's not surprised at the news of an extremely well-financed radio attack ad by out-of-state political interests. Brecheen said, "This is proof that we are doing well in the polls. The Establishment knows we are a threat to the status quo."
We're in the home stretch of the GOP primary, and new campaign ads will be coming out daily:
Tulsa, OK (June 18th) – Today, Oklahoma Attorney General John O’Connor released a new ad highlighting his conservative accomplishments that include fighting against President Joe Biden’s unconstitutional vaccine mandates, along with the support of the National Right to Life and the National Rifle Association.
