This Week In Oklahoma Politics

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about a request by Governor Stitt for an investigative audit of the Tulsa Public School District and an inquiry by the State Bureau of Investigation of the Commissioners of the Land Office.The trio also discusses the closing of an influential Republican Political Action Committee by the State Ethics Commission and a low voter turnout for the primary last month.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about a ruling by the US Supreme Court saying the state has the right to prosecute non native suspects who commit crimes on tribal lands against Native Americans and supporters of a ballot measure to put recreational marijuana on the ballot turn in 164,000 signatures to the Secretary of State.The trio also discusses the resignation by the Stitt-appointed head of the Land Office after allegations of self-dealing and misappropriation of taxpayer funds and the governor removing two members of the Veterans' Commission who had supported his opponent in the Republican primary.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the outlawing of abortion in Oklahoma after the U.S. Supreme Court reversed its decision on Roe v. Wade, Congressman Markwayne Mullin coming in with a sizeable lead over former House Speaker T.W. Shannon heading into a Runoff election in the race for U.S. Senate and State Representative Avery Frix and former State Senator Josh Brecheen taking the top spots in the Republican primary for Congressional District Two.The trio also discusses primary wins by Governor Stitt and State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister in the gubernatorial race and Gentner Drummond beating incumbent John O'Connor in the state Attorney General primary.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the primary race for eastern Oklahoma's Congressional District Two where 14 Republicans are vying for the chance to replace Markwayne Mullin and G-O-P candidates for Attorney general and State Superintendent are failing to lead in their races despite endorsements from Governor Stitt.The trio also discusses other primary races from statewide and congressional races as well as elections for legislative seats and Oklahoma County District Attorney.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about a new polls showing a sizeable lead by Congressman Markwayne Mullin in the U.S. Senate race to fill Jim Inhofe's seat, a battle over tax reform in a special session between the House, the Senate and the governor and legislation to return oversight of the Tourism Department from the executive director back to the commission.The trio also discuss the Cherokee Nation returning Oklahoma flags to tribal sites after removing them earlier this month and a Virginia political action committee faces a lawsuit from the Oklahoma Ethics Commission over actions it took in the 2018 elections.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about Governor Stitt featuring political ads featuring current Attorney General John O'Connor after ethical and legal questions from a bipartisan group of lawmakers and a federal judge ruling Oklahoma's three-drug execution protocol as constitutional.The trio also discusses the new advantage for the Republican Party in newly redrawn Congressional districts and the conversation from both sides of the aisle on what to do with gun laws after a mass shooting in Tulsa.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the shooting Wednesday night at Tulsa's Saint Francis Health and the governor vetoing parts of the nearly $10B budget.The trio also discusses the six overrides in the eleventh hour by the legislature of Governor Stitt's vetoes and a moratorium set for two years on any new medical marijuana licenses.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about a new poll showing a majority of Oklahoman not supporting a total ban on abortion, Governor Stitt signing a bill to reduce the number of weeks for unemployment benefits and the state legislature approving a plan to revamp the Medicaid program into a value-based health care model.The trio also discusses the failure of the legislature to make changes to the structure of the tourism department in this legislative session and the state Republican Party electing a new chairman.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about a special session called by state legislative leaders to determine how to spend $2B in COVID-19 relief funds, a nearly $10B budget quickly moving through the House and Senate and hearing started on the Department of Tourism's deal with Swadley's Bar-B-Q.The trio also discusses a grand jury report criticizing Governor Stitt over how he dealt with his appointees to the Pardon and Parole Board and Secretary of Education and Superintendent candidate Ryan Walters coming under fire for threatening textbook companies to remove products containing Critical Race Theory.

The author of a book detailing the tumultuous 2020 election and its aftermath is coming to Oklahoma. “This Will Not Pass” focuses on the heated race between then-President Trump and now-President Biden culminating in the January Sixth riot at the US Capitol. KOSU's Michael Cross got a chance to talk with Jonathan Martin. He is speaking about “This Will Not Pass” at Oklahoma City’s Full Circle Bookstore on May 24th including a discussion moderated by OKC Mayor David Holt. Martin is also attending a discussion in Tulsa on May 26th hosted by Magic City Books.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about Governor Stitt's veto of a bill dealing with tribal jurisdiction in traffic violations, the House begins its investigation of the Department of Tourism's deal with Swadley's and the governor signs a bill putting a limit on the number of voters allowed per household.The trio also discusses the nomination of Keith Reed as Director of the Department of Health and the State Department of Education's expansion of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the scandal over Swadley's Foggy Bottom Kitchens at state parks and a report showing major mismanagement in COVID-19 funds for education.The trio also discusses Governor Stitt signing an anti-abortion bill similar to one passed in Texas on the same day a US Supreme Court opinion was leaked overturning Roe Versus Wade and signature gathering has begun to put recreational marijuana on the ballot.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the Tourism Department canceling its contract with Swadley's Bar-B-Q to run restaurants in state parks, Governor Stitt signing a contract to remove nonbinary designations from birth certificates and Oklahoma Republican Party Chairman and Congressional candidate John Bennett calling for the execution of Anthony Fauci by firing squad.The trio also discusses the decision by the State Election Board to order State Representative Sean Roberts to remove "The Patriot" from his name on the ballot for Labor Commissioner and we remember former State Senator and Seminole Chief Enoch Kelly Haney who died on Saturday.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about legislation to provide hundreds of millions of dollars in tax breaks to lure a major unnamed company to Oklahoma and Governor Stitt faces opposition in his reelection bid from Democrats, Libertarians, independents and from within his own party.The trio also discusses the race for U.S. Senate to fill the unexpired term of Jim Inhofe who plans to retire in January and a crowded race to fill the empty Congressional District Two seat in eastern Oklahoma.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Right Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the election season officially getting underway with hundreds of candidates filing for political office this week, a Republican candidate for State Superintendent criticizing Stillwater Public Schools for its bathroom policy and a new organization calling on candidates to sign an anti-corruption pledge.The trio also discusses the governor signing legislation to criminalize abortion in the state of Oklahoma and a new poll showing support for not changing clocks every fall and spring.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Right Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the Republican state legislature passing a bill to criminalize abortions with a penalty of up to ten years in prison and a 100-thousand-dollar fine as well as the outcome of the election in Norman where Mayor Breea Clark lost to Larry Heikkila.The trio also discusses a new report from the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency attacking the State Tourism Department for mismanagement of its parks and the State Supreme Court giving approval to language on State Question 820 to legalize recreational marijuana.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Right Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the state Supreme Court declining to hear a challenge to the special election for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Jim Inhofe, the governor signing a bill to ban transgender athletes from female sports in Oklahoma and Congressman Markwayne Mullin filing a resolution to expunge the first impeachment of former President Trump.The trio also discusses the candidacy of Vicki Behenna as currently the only Democrat for Oklahoma County District Attorney to replace David Prater and Norman residents protesting a turnpike extension through their city.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the Senate failing to pass a school voucher bill authored by the President Pro Tem and championed by Governor Stitt, deadline week for legislation to get out of its chamber of origin and a former Teacher of the Year entering the race as a Democrat for State Superintendent.The Trio also discusses new attack ads from a conservative group against Governor Stitt in his commutation decision and Senator James Lankford refusing to debate a far right Republican candidate before the primary.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about a lawsuit on behalf of local transgender residents against the state's ban on changing the gender or providing a nonbinary option on birth certificates and a multi million dollar incentive package to an electric vehicle to do business in the state.The trio also discusses former Congresswoman Kendra Horn entering the race for the U.S. Senate seat getting vacated by Jim Inhofe and the announcement from Tulsa Congressman Kevin Hern that he is staying in his seat and not running for the Senate.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about a trial over Oklahoma's execution protocol coming to an end and a challenge against the special election to fill the seat getting vacated by US Senator Jim Inhofe.The trio also discusses the State Health Department ending its daily reporting on COVID-19 numbers and lawmakers considering legislation allowing for the research of psychedelic psilocybin or "magic mushrooms to treat mental health issues from addiction to post traumatic stress disorder.