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 Governor Stitt signing a bill to give money for OU Health, but banning the use of medical treatments for minors while also calling on an all-out ban on the procedure next legislative session, lawmakers failing to get all of the COVID-19 pandemic relief funding spent on projects and the Osage Nation Congress calling for a repeal of House Bill 1775 also known as the Critical Race Theory ban.The trio also talks about an Oklahoma City council member appointing herself to a commission she opposed and Governor Stitt appointing the head of the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission to lead the embattled Tourism and Recreation Department.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about a call by Governor Stitt for lawmakers to eliminate the grocery sales tax during special session, a push by Republican legislators to withhold funding to OU Health if the money is going to go to gender affirming care and a new poll showing a narrow lead by Governor Stitt over Joy Hofmeister and a lead by Democratic candidate Jena Nelson over Republican Ryan Walters in the race for Superintendent.The trio also discusses an increase in open records requests to the Tulsa Election Board for voting records from the 2020 general election and the concern by the same election board about getting pollsters who fear harassment.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the Supreme Court announcing a recreational marijuana measure will NOT be on the ballot in November, the high court striking down part of a law banning facemasks unless the governor declares a state of emergency and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Joy Hofmeister calling for a $5,000 raise for teachers.The trio also discusses the special session where lawmakers are poised to give more than a billion dollars to 45 projects across the state and the Department of Human Services promising $10,000 dollar per child grants for day care centers in "childcare deserts".

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about new recommendation by Governor Stitt's task force regarding expectant mothers in light of the state banning abortions, a Sooner Poll showing Stitt with a marginal lead over his Democratic opponent, State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister and the same survey showing Democratic Jena Nelson leading against Republican Ryan Walters.The trio also discusses a call by 14 Republican lawmakers for the State Department of Education to investigate a Norman teacher who left her job after she shared a link to banned books and the Oklahoma Supreme Court hearing arguments for and against a turnpike expansion in Norman.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the Supreme Court choosing to take up whether a recreational marijuana initiative petition should be on the November ballot, the State Board of Education choosing to not hear appeals from Mustang and Tulsa schools about a downgrade to their accreditation because of violation to HB 1775 and the board releasing rules to deal with compliance to Senate Bill 615 banning transgender bathrooms in schools.The trio also discusses a protest at a Governor Stitt fundraising luncheon by opponents of a turnpike expansion in Norman and a new conservative group calling on lawmakers to rethink their opinion on the death penalty.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about Republican Congressman Markwayne Mullin winning the runoff to face Democrat Kendra for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Jim Inhofe, Democratic candidate Madison Horn winning her primary to face incumbent Republican Senator James Lankford and Josh Brecheen winning his primary runoff to advance to the General Election in November for Congressional District Two in eastern Oklahoma.The trio also discusses Secretary of Education Ryan Walter Republican nomination win for State Superintendent and a win by incumbent Republican Labor Commissioner Leslie Osborn as well as a possible ballot measure this November for recreational marijuana.

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 filed by Labor Commissioner candidate Sean Roberts against State Representative Carol Bush for voicing concerns over domestic abuse in Roberts' 20 year old divorce, the race for US Senate by Republicans Markwayne Mullin and TW Shannon and Democrats Jason Bollinger and Madison Horn.The trio also discusses the Republican Congressional District Two race between Avery Frix and Josh Brecheen as well as April Grace and Ryan Walters vying for the Republican nomination for State Superintendent.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about calls from five Republican female lawmakers for Labor Commissioner candidate Sean Roberts to drop out of the race after accusations from his ex-wife of abuse and mistreatment, the ACLU of Oklahoma citing the downgrade of the Tulsa Public Schools accreditation in its opposition to House Bill 1775 and the Stitt Administration leveling a lawsuit of the Florida company in charge of handling COVID-19 education money following a scathing audit from the federal government.The trio also discusses a new poll finding Governor Stitt's approval rating has slipped 12 points since January and Attorney General John O'Connor refusing to hear new evidence in the case of death row inmate Richard Glossip which could have an impact on executions in the state of Oklahoma.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about Oklahoma falling behind in online registration for new voters in the states, Education Secretary Ryan Walters releasing funding to Tulsa Public Schools for early childhood education and federal auditors want Oklahoma to return COVID funding money they say was misspent by the Stitt Administration.The trio also discusses a call by the State Chamber to return to supply side economics to include cutting taxes and three Oklahoma City Republican lawmakers are pushing an initiative petition to freeze property taxes for all seniors.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about a deal with Panasonic falling through after the electronics company picked Kansas to build a new manufacturing plant and what will now happen to the nearly $700M set aside to entice the business to come to the Sooner State.The trio also discusses a recount in the Oklahoma County District Attorney race resulting in very nearly the same result as on primary election night and Epic Virtual Charter School giving an apology and a $500,000 check to former State Senator Ron Sharp.

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.