Let's Pod This: Recent Episodes

Let's Fix This

Let's Pod This is the official podcast of grassroots organization Let's Fix This, Inc., where we talk with policymakers, advocates, elected officials, and regular folks from across Oklahoma to explain how our government works and provide context for the pressing issues facing our state.

Andy and Emily reiterate that American elections are very secure, and we discuss the recent revelations about Oklahoma Rep. Danny Williams, who is under investigation for "improper behavior."

We say again: Voter fraud is virtually nonexistent—the bigger issue is voters not participating in them.

Andy is joined by Erika Wright (Oklahoma Appleseed & Oklahoma Rural Schools Coalition) to discuss SQ844 & SQ846 that will be on the August 25th ballot. What seems complicated on the surface may in fact be quite harmful to local government and school board budgets!

Andy and Emily discuss the Republican run-off between gubernatorial candidates Gentner Drummond and Mike Mazzei and the impact of Governor Stitt making an endorsement in the race.

Andy is joined by Sarah Blaney, the new VP of Development & Strategy at Let's Fix This, and then later he speaks with Tracey Halley-Terrell, president of the Oklahoma Bondsman Association, about a new wave of scams that is sweeping the state (and the country).

Andy and Emily review the results of the 2026 Oklahoma primary election and see if their predictions came true!

Andy & Emily share their predictions for the outcomes of statewide & congressional races for the primary and their "theory of the case" for most of them.

Now that we have a little distance from the legislative session, Shawn Ashley from QuorumCall rejoins the show to discuss what happened in the second half of session, the unique forces at play in Republican primary elections, and how the landscape of Oklahoma politics may shift over the next few years.

With the legislative session behind us and the primary election looming ahead, Andy and Emily discuss the "horse race" of it all and wonder if the current crop of television ads are actually persuading any voters.

The interview table gets turned this week as Erika Wright, founder of the Oklahoma Rural Schools Coalition, interviews Andy about why voting in the primary election matters so much.

Andy & Emily discuss the fallout of SCOTUS' Callais decision as Republican-controlled state legislatures rush to gerrymander their Congressional maps ahead of (or in some cases during) the primary election. Also joining the show is Shanisty Whittington, senior political science major at Rose State College, to discuss her research on prison gerrymandering.

Andy and Emily discuss the Callais decision announced today by SCOTUS and it's potential impact on gerrymandering and voting rights more broadly. Plus some reflection on CIVICS CON and questioning exactly why the Oklahoma legislature is referring so man state questions to the ballot in August.

This episode is the keynote address delivered by former Congressman and founder of Groundwork Project, Joe Kennedy III, at CIVICS CON 2026. Joe speaks about Oklahoma, about democracy, and about a shared vision for the future.

Oklahoma lawmakers are sending some of the biggest ballot questions in state history to an August election most voters won't know is happening. Andy breaks down the joint resolutions targeting Medicaid, TSET, and the state Constitution — and why the date is the point. Then: candidate filing just closed, and the numbers reveal a democracy where 68% of races are already decided before November. Two stories, one system.

Oklahoma Watch story referenced: https://oklahomawatch.org/2026/04/03/choose-your-own-voters-republican-lawmakers-send-high-stakes-ballot-initiatives-to-low-turnout-election/

NonDoc has several stories on candidate filing: https://nondoc.com/category/civics/politics/

Andy & Emily discuss how late-night lawmaking and budget maneuvers reduce transparency, then unpack a pressing—and persistent—Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services funding gap that prompted agency heads to hold a “premature” press conference about consolidating ODMHSAS into the Department of Health, despite concerns that consolidation won’t solve a roughly $20–30 million shortfall. They also talk property tax sticker shock, strategic party registration for the gubernatorial primary, and promote CIVICS CON (April 9–10 at Rose State College).

Almost no one living person has spent more time at the Oklahoma State Capitol than longtime capitol reporter Shawn Ashley. From being a public television journalist to owning a bill tracking and news service (Quorum Call), Shawn has spent 30 years listening, writing, and laughing about what happens in those halls of power, and he joined us this week to reflect on his tenure and discuss what's unique about this session.

We're joined by Dr. Christine Pappas, Professor and Chair of the Department of Politics, Law and Society at East Central University, to discuss the SAVE Act (aka the SAVE America Act, aka the Make Elections Great Again (MEGA) Act) and it's potential impact on elections in Oklahoma and across the country.

Dr. Emily Stacey returns to the show, but this time as our new co-host. This episode is really about getting to know her so that listeners have some background for future episodes.

We're back for a lightning-round episode to catch you up on the State of the State, voter registration numbers, election dates, and even a little bit of national politics (which is insane).

Andy visits with Colleen McCarty, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Appleseed Center for Law & Justice, about the role and responsibilities of District Attorneys. Hint: They're more important than you think.

We take a look back at some of the highlights (and lowlights) of 2025, and lay the groundwork for the year ahead.

Keith and Andy discuss the electoral reform movement, Oklahoma Independents being blocked from participating in ALL primary elections, and, somewhat surprisingly, the great state of Texas.

As 2025 begins to wind down, Andy reflects on what he's thankful for and offers some encouragement for the year ahead.

Keith Gaddie returns to give us the history of White House architecture, how it connects to grievance politics, and how we can help ensure your fellow Americans have access to food when Congress fails.

Andy visits with Kyle Loveless of EyesOver, a data analytics firm that monitors public sentiment on the internet and uses it to analyze and predict electoral outcomes, to discuss how polling has worked in the past, why that model is struggling, and what the future of the industry may look like.

[Editor's note: Sorry about the audio. One of the mics - mine, actually - malfunctioned in this episode.]

In the spring 2025, the Oklahoma legislature passed SB1207 which made sweeping changes to the state's initiative petition process. A legal challenge was filed, and oral arguments are set to be heard on November 18, 2025. Andy speaks with local political operative Amber England has been involved in multiple initiative petition campaigns.

Let's talk about hope - where to find it, and why we need it. And hey OKC - don't forget to vote on Oct 14th!

Keith Gaddie returns to discuss the rise of grievance politics, how it plays out with different groups of voters, and whether or not a return to hopeful politics is possible.

On October 14th, voters in Oklahoma City will vote on a new general obligation municipal bond to fund city operations. New city councilperson representing Ward 7, Camal Pennington, joins Andy to explain why this is important.

Visit vision.okc.gov for more information on the GO bond.

Andy talks with Rachael Crawford, executive director of the Plaza District Association and Plaza Business Alliance, about how arts-driven small business districts build belonging, counter apathy, and strengthen civic life in OKC. They also preview the 26th Annual Plaza District Festival

Hi friends, Andy Moore here with Let's Fix this. Um, like many of you, I've been sitting in front of my computer on my phone for the last several days, um, reading news about political violence in America again. Um, on Wednesday when Charlie Kirk was murdered. I was in Washington DC um, in a meeting, uh, of organizations, uh, organizational leaders from, uh, cross partisan networks who work on everything from electoral reform to, uh, bridge building to university presidents, to um, uh, young legislators, state and congressional legislators across the country.

There were. A wide range of folks politically in the room. Uh, and when text messages started pinging people's phones about the violence that had erupted in Utah, um, one woman was, um, moved to tears because her children attend a university that is, I guess, adjacent to UVU where the shooting occurred. And it hasn't happened often in my life that.

I've that I've been directly impacted by violence like this, and it probably hasn't happened to most of us. Even still, when you are faced with someone else who feels like they or their loved ones or immediately threatened, it's scarring even that way. Uh, and I'm sure like many of you, I've somewhat struggled looking for.

The leaders, the voices, right, the comfort that our country needs in times of hurt, um, in times of fear and anxiety. And we've certainly been living in those times for a long time now, I would say even for me, the past. Nine months or so of this year, of 2025 have been some of the most existentially, stressful and draining that I can remember.

Um, you know, I will admit that there were aspects of Trump's first term that were deeply concerning to me, and then certainly living through the COVID-19 pandemic, um, and losing my mother, um, to it were deeply, deeply difficult. Um. I think I keep hoping every day, right, that the dam will break, that something will give that a fundamental shift in the direction our country is headed will happen and it'll feel immediately relieving and it hasn't happened yet.

Um, the last few days, you know, I've been looking for, I don't know, Mr. Rogers, someone, someone to offer a comforting word. And in fact, I saw a headline the other day, um, about maybe just this morning, I think in on Politico actually, that said, Charlie Kirk's death exposes an absence of a leader to Calm America.

And the headline alone hit me like. A gut punch and also like an affirming hand on my shoulder, I guess, right? That this is, that I'm probably not alone in feeling like we're looking for something. I don't know if things will change after this, but I do think it is important for us to pause, if only briefly, to reflect on.

Where we are right now and how we might move forward as a country, as a state, as a local community. I'm recording this on Fridays Eptember 12th. We've already released, uh, a podcast for this week, but I felt responsible, I guess, in some way to share a good word or what I hope is a good word. In just a few hours, we will convene nearby at Skydance Brewing for our monthly democracy drinks happy hour like we do every month.

I look forward to seeing old friends and new. Um, I look forward to finding or forcing a laugh at something, and I hope there's hugs, honestly. If you're, if you happen to listen to this before you come, I'm probably gonna hug you, or I am welcome to hug you. Uh, I am open to it. If you are, it's okay if you're not, but like sometimes, like nothing else feels quite right, like the warm embrace of someone that you know cares.

And so even if you aren't there or you listen to this afterwards, I hope that in some way this audio or this video, if you're watching, is a bit of that. I, I do wanna read some words from two other people that I consider influential in our world. Um, there don't get it. Write all the time, but I thought what they had to say was helpful.

Um, the first is from the, um, publisher or CEO of Axios, uh, which is a, a news outlet. And I read this because, um, my good friend Scott's sent it to me and some others this morning. Axios CEO Jim VandeHei writes:

Break the fever. Or it might break us.

Why it matters: The gruesome killing of Charlie Kirk, on top of the killings or assassination attempts of so many others, gives 340 million of us Americans a chance to reflect — and act.

Reflect with sadness — and disgust — on senseless violence. Every time. Without pause or caveat.
And act to prevent murderers — and the small, but loud idiots who applaud — from wholly defining our politics.

Do we let a few crazies define the 44 million registered Democrats? Or a few lunatics define 37 million registered Republicans? Do we let all of this define us?

It need not. Here are six ways we can help break that fever:
Wake up. This is getting worse — and dangerous. Presidents, congressional leaders and lawmakers, cultural leaders like Kirk, state officials and ordinary Americans are getting shot at and gunned down at an alarming rate. Within minutes, small but loud groups of heartless people justify or even cheer it, and their soulless views are amplified by both sides. Within seconds, your social media feed feels like the apocalypse.
Stay grounded. You must realize — and tell others — that the idiot who makes an idiotic comment on MSNBC or X is just that: an isolated idiot. They're not voicing what an entire party or ideology feels or believes. They're getting attention because it's so ludicrous. But the more people "like" it in rage, the more it's pushed to the top of your social media feed. Again, within seconds, you think the world has lost its mind when most of it is grieving.
It wasn't long ago that the wackiest people could be found at the end of a bar, pounding whiskey, howling nonsense. You didn't hear it because it was one person in one bar in one town. Now, that person pops off, other drunks "like" it, and he seems like the most popular guy at the bar. Yet he's still just a howling drunk. That's social media, folks.
Tone it down. Don't let the nuts or algorithms suck you into making matters worse. Don't share this stuff. Don't stare at this stuff. Your brain and heart grow twisted or cold when you do. It's OK to just be sad or mad in silence.
Shut it off. I know it's hard. But social media is pure evil in these moments. It's not just the awfulness getting amplified. Every clown with a handle is suddenly a forensic expert or coroner. The amount of misinformation is staggering and soul-sapping. Put down your phone. Go outside. Say a prayer.
Open up. We won't solve this by drifting deeper into our bubbles. It's easy to hate a faceless party or person. But you'll discover complexity, heart and struggle if you engage the vast majority of people out of curiosity, not judgment. Find someone you disagree with and simply ask: Can we have a calm, nonjudgmental chat about life? This might seem corny. Give it a try.
Love. I'm not a self-help guru or cheeseball. In fact, I'm a ruthlessly pragmatic introvert who happens to run a media company. I share many of your worries and worst fears. But the only antidote to division and despair is hope and repair. It starts with each of us. Watch your words. Hug someone. Help someone.

The big picture: Most people are good and peaceful. But a few bad ones can hurl our nation into true chaos. A series of small choices by each of us will write this ending.

➡️ A short story about Charlie to give you hope: Axios is hardly MAGA's comfort food. But we've marveled at the calm, clinical exchanges we've enjoyed with many MAGA leaders, including Kirk. He was responsive and respectful, even when we wrote things he didn't like or agree with.

The same is true of some of the most controversial voices on the left. People can hold views you question, dispute or even abhor. They're still people.

➡️ A second short story about Congress to give you hope. Hours after Kirk was killed, I joined my wife, Autumn, for a reception honoring parents who adopt or foster children. Autumn is the newest board member of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI). You want hope? Listen to parents who take in forgotten kids.

You want hope in politics? Turns out, the largest bipartisan, bicameral caucus in Congress, 135 lawmakers strong, is the Congressional Coalition on Adoption. You won't read that on X or see it on cable.

So, uh, that was from Jim VandeHei, the CEO of Axios. I don't agree with everything, but I found that helpful. Maybe you will as well. Um, the next piece is from Ezra Klein, who many of you who listen or watch regularly know I'm generally an Ezra fan and also an Ezra's skeptic, right? Um, he strikes me as someone who is very smart, sometimes too smart in an annoying way.

Sometimes he's wrong. He has a role to play in this ecosystem as we all do, and I appreciate when he uses his voice for what I feel to be good. Um, I'm not gonna try to do an impression of Ezra's voice. He has a very distinct voice and I wish he would, uh, read this on his own podcast. Maybe he has, I haven't listened this week because, um, I've tried to sit in silence and more and quietly, not so much for Kirk necessarily, but for his family, yes, and for democracy, for sure.

Anyway, Ezra Klein says:

The foundation of a free society is the ability to participate in politics without fear of violence. To lose that is to risk losing everything. Charlie Kirk — and his family — just lost everything. As a country, we came a step closer to losing everything, too.

We’ve been edging closer for some time now. In 2020, a plot to kidnap Gretchen Whitmer, the governor of Michigan, was foiled by the F.B.I. In 2021, a mob stormed the Capitol in an effort to overturn the result of the election and pipe bombs were found at the Democratic and the Republican National Committee headquarters. In 2022, a man broke into the home of Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the House at the time, intending to kidnap her. She was absent, but the intruder assaulted her 82-year-old husband, Paul, with a hammer, fracturing his skull. In 2024, President Trump was nearly assassinated. That same year, Brian Thompson, the chief executive of UnitedHealthcare, was murdered.

In 2025, Molotov cocktails were thrown into the home of Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania during Passover. Melissa Hortman, the former House speaker of Minnesota, and her husband were murdered, and State Senator John Hoffman and his wife were severely injured by a gunman. And on Wednesday, Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, was gunned down during a speech at Utah Valley University.

You can dislike much of what Kirk believed and the following statement is still true: Kirk was practicing politics in exactly the right way. He was showing up to campuses and talking with anyone who would talk to him. He was one of the era’s most effective practitioners of persuasion. When the left thought its hold on the hearts and minds of college students was nearly absolute, Kirk showed up again and again to break it. Slowly, then all at once, he did. College-age voters shifted sharply right in the 2024 election.

That was not all Kirk’s doing, but he was central in laying the groundwork for it. I did not know Kirk, and I am not the right person to eulogize him. But I envied what he built. A taste for disagreement is a virtue in a democracy. Liberalism could use more of his moxie and fearlessness. In the inaugural episode of his podcast, Gov. Gavin Newsom of California hosted Kirk, admitting that his son was a huge fan. What a testament to Kirk’s project.

On social media, I’ve seen mostly decent reactions to Kirk’s murder. There is grief and shock from both the left and the right. But I’ve seen two forms of reaction that are misguided, however comprehensible the rage or horror that provoked them. One is a move on the left to wrap Kirk’s death around his views — after all, he defended the Second Amendment, even admitting it meant accepting innocent deaths. Another is on the right, to turn his murder into a justification for an all-out war, a Reichstag fire for our time.

But as the list above reveals, there is no world in which political violence escalates but is contained to just your foes. Even if that were possible, it would still be a world of horrors, a society that had collapsed into the most irreversible form of unfreedom.

Political violence is a virus. It is contagious. We have been through periods in this country when it was endemic. In the 1960s there were the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., Robert F. Kennedy and Medgar Evers. In the 1970s, Gov. George Wallace was shot by a would-be assassin but survived, and Gerald Ford faced two assassination attempts in one month. In 1981 Ronald Reagan survived after John Hinckley Jr.’s bullet ricocheted off his rib and punctured his lung. These assassins and would-be assassins had different motives, different politics and different levels of mental stability. When political violence becomes imaginable, either as a tool of politics or a ladder for fame, it begins to infect hosts heedlessly.

American politics has sides. There is no use pretending it doesn’t. But both sides are meant to be on the same side of a larger project — we are all, or most of us, anyway, trying to maintain the viability of the American experiment. We can live with losing an election because we believe in the promise of the next election; we can live with losing an argument because we believe that there will be another argument. Political violence imperils that.

Kirk and I were on different sides of most political arguments. We were on the same side on the continued possibility of American politics. It is supposed to be an argument, not a war; it is supposed to be won with words, not ended with bullets. I wanted Kirk to be safe for his sake, but I also wanted him to be safe for mine and for the sake of our larger shared project. The same is true for Shapiro, for Hoffman, for Hortman, for Thompson, for Trump, for Pelosi, for Whitmer. We are all safe, or none of us are.

Just before I started recording this today, uh, the news came out that the, um, alleged perpetrator of this violence that would be, or I guess the assassin of, um, or alleged assassin of Charlie Kirk has turned himself in, is, um, admitted to the crime and, um. What happens next is an unfurling of every aspect of this young man's life.

At 22 years old, his life was really still just beginning and he made a grave decision to end the life of another.

The pictures are already coming out, uh, and whether you want to see them or not, you know, it's photos of a family that was very involved with guns, photos of his mom holding assault rifles, and this was a thing their family did together and it is the thing that has undone their family as well as Kirks and so many others.

Moments after Charlie Kirk was shot on Wednesday, CNN had to cut their news short, um, to pivot to dis to discussing a school shooting in Denver. And indeed one of my colleagues on Wednesday who had just left to head to the airport to fly back to Denver, um, undoubtedly got the news while in the airport and I'm certain was immediately terrified for her children who were attending school back home.

This is the great anxiety that all of us who our parents live with, and now all of us who exist in this country fear every day.

I saw a man, uh, wearing a gun dangling precipitously from his athletic shorts inside a donut shop at eight o'clock in the morning on a Sunday. The only people in the store were the employees, myself. This man and his like three or 4-year-old daughter, I cannot understand why he felt the need to carry a firearm much less, have it dangle from his shorts.

It was an unsafe way to carry a firearm, and it was an unnecessary situation.

For those of you who may be listening or consuming our, our media that have been victims or adjacent to gun violence or any kind of violence, my heart is with you. I have dear friends who worked for Gabrielle Giffords in Arizona, um, at the time that she was shot and. They too, like have a strong PTSD response when anything like this happens in the news, even when it happens to people with whom they disagree strongly on almost everything,

there are policy things we could do there, change this. They're not easy as most meaningful policy things aren't. So often the fact that it is hard means that it is the right thing to do. But too often we let easy solutions slip from our fingers because we don't feel like they're meaningful enough because political will is not there because someone somewhere is more concerned with getting reelected than they are with what's doing with than they are with doing what's right.

I know that we have a number of elected officials, lobbyists, state agency heads, influential people who listen to this show regularly. Thank you. It is perpetually weird to me that I've been able to have a voice in politics in our state. Or in our country, and to the extent that my small voice here in the wilderness resonates with any of you, may I use my platform to plead for change?

I met this morning with two state legislators and I could not help myself, but think about the very real possibility that they too could be gunned down for their political ideology. They're not radicals. They fight for people that are, uh, disabled and hungry and homeless. They fight for public schools and for like reasonable, you know, tax policy.

Things that genuinely do benefit all of us, if not directly then indirectly.

There are those who have different policy perspectives, things that I might disagree with, but I don't want them murdered.

I believe in a public square where good ideas and bad are shared, and the good ones went out through words and persuasion, not through fists or bullets or bombs.

I didn't know Charlie Kirk either. Like Ezra said, I'm not the one to eulogize him. I honestly knew his name and that he was vaguely conservative, but, and I follow this stuff pretty

Keith Gaddie returns to the Democracy Den Studios to discuss the evolution of liberalism and conservatism in American politics from the New Deal to present day, exploring identity politics, economic challenges, and the shift towards club goods.

00:00 Welcome and Introductions

01:14 A Conversation on American Politics

03:25 The New Deal and Its Legacy

07:31 Challenges of Modern Liberalism

14:45 Evolving Political Coalitions

21:57 Fearmongering and Political Strategies

22:15 Liberalism and the Abundance Mindset

24:02 Public Goods and Externalities

28:19 Conservatism and Community Responsibility

37:29 The Era of Club Goods

40:22 Concluding Thoughts and Future Discussions

National political reporter Grant Hermes joins Andy to unpack media literacy in a chaos-speed news cycle. We dig into how Grant chooses stories, his “harm principle” for coverage, and why tariffs are probably overcovered while the quiet loss of good government data (census, labor, health, weather) is dangerously undercovered. We also talk DC’s National Guard optics, crime stats confusion, and how algorithms silo our news diets.

Plus: why “nerds with clipboards” keep your groceries, schools, and weather forecasts on track; a quick tour of bias tools like AllSides; and practical tips for building a saner, more reality-based media routine.

Listen to Grant’s podcast and Substack, Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes, and follow him on social: @granthermes (Bluesky/X/IG/TikTok) and @GrantHermesTV.

We're joined by Paul Monies, reporter at Oklahoma Watch, to discuss the issue of money in candidate races and how the State Treasurer, Todd Russ, is attempting to use Oklahoma's Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) to influence corporate policy.

Articles discussed:

Show Me the Money: Some Oklahoma Candidates Carry Huge Campaign Debts
Oklahoma Treasurer Making Another Attempt to Change Corporate Policies

Our new intern, Lena, joins the show to discuss campaign finance issues and to do a "Gerrymandering 101" conversation with Andy.

*SUPPORT LET'S FIX THIS*

News stories mentioned:

After Minnesota murder, Oklahoma Ethics Commission to let lawmakers use campaign funds for security (NonDoc)
Show Me the Money: Some Oklahoma Candidates Carry Huge Campaign Debts (Oklahoma Watch)
Mullin’s Late Disclosures Show Millions More in Stock and Bond Sales (Oklahoma Watch)

Andy visits with Dr. Keith Gaddie to discuss gerrymandering, why it's suddenly back in the news, and what we can do to prevent it.

Books discussed:

Democracy's Meanings by Davis, Goidel, & Gaddie
Bragging Rites by Keith Gaddie

Scott's back; he and Andy reflect on 8 years, 300 episodes, and where we find ourselves in American history.

This week it's Trump vs. Musk, last week it was Gov. Stitt vs. the Legislature, and the perpetual Ryan Walters vs seemingly everyone, we can't help but wonder - are men too emotional to be in leadership positions?

The legislature has adjourned sine die, but before they did, they voted to override more than 2/3rds of Governor Stitt's vetos and oust one his appointee who lead the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS).

We're just a week away from the Oklahoma Legislature adjourning sine die, and that means (1) they have a budget and (2) they're going to ram through a few more contentious bills, like SB1027, which makes significant changes to the initiative petition process.

Governor Stitt vetoed two good (and popular) bills - but why? Also, ODMHSAS troubles somehow continue to deepen, and a train is running out of track, so to speak.

Andy's niece, Penny, provides some severe weather reminders, and then we discuss the new social studies standards, the wildfire task force report, and what to expect with the state budget.

Updates to the social studies standards, ongoing ODMHSAS situation, and more, followed by a recording from Andy's recent speech to the Edmond Democratic Women.

It seems that once a decade, a major state agency has a mysterious budget crisis. In 2012 it was OKDHS, in 2018 it was OSDH, and in 2025 it's ODMHSAS. What is going on? And what can we do about it?

Sure, the stock market's in free fall and the First Amendment is under attack, but sometimes you gotta pull back from that and focus on the good stuff - like when a regular, everyday woman decides to run for city council. We visit with Valerie Moore, recent candidate for Harrah City Council, to hear what she learned along the way.

When people show you who they really are, believe them. Especially if they can't work a group chat.

Ryan Walters pays the piper, politicians don't want Oklahomans to propose ballot initiatives, and we discuss how well the parties are (or are not) connecting with voters.

Links mentioned:

Walters settled with Ethics Commission for social media violations
But…a lawmaker, Ellen Pogemiller, has asked the Attorney General to weigh in on Walters’ connection to a new “professional association” called “Teacher Freedom Alliance.“ She asked AG Drummond to “clarify the legality” of Walters’ conduct concerning the new “Teacher Freedom Alliance.” She also asked Drummond to “investigate the financial ties and contacts (Walters) has with TFA.”
A law passed last year creating a new penalty for what it called “impermissible occupation” has been mostly cleared for enforcement by the US DOJ. A federal judge put a stay on the bill under Biden, but now the Trump Administration has dismissed it.
Speaking of changes to federal policy, the Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner, Glen Mulready, who most of us forget exists, has issued a warning or a heads up to Oklahomans who have health insurance through the Marketplace (aka Obamacare) that their premiums will likely increase dramatically for 2026 if the federal enhanced Advanced Premium Tax Credits aren’t extended by December.
David Shor, head of data science at Blue Rose Research, was on The Ezra Klein Show this week, and it’s fascinating to hear / watch.

Supt. Ryan Walters is facing his third ethics violation in as many years, the future of the Judicial Nominating Commission is again uncertain, and Governor Stitt wants to have a say in federal funding decisions.

Oklahoma Labor Commissioner Leslie Osborn returns to the show to discuss childcare, maternal health care, and how Oklahoma can - and should - properly invest in the future of our state's workforce.

We're joined by Rep. Andy Fugate (HD94-Del City) to discuss his priorities this session and the lawsuit he recently filed against Governor Stitt regarding his executive order that all state employees must end remote work and return to the office.

Every day I get asked "Wtf are we supposed to do?!" Thankfully, our friend, Eric Liu, with Citizen University, has a helpful framework: the "Five P's." Let's talk through them.

Andy discusses what happens when DOGE cuts federal programs AND DOGE-OK wants to cut state programs AND Governor Stitt wants to cut revenue. With all those cuts, Oklahoma will bleed out. We plead again: discuss the state budget more than one year at a time.

Governor Stitt delivered his State of the State, which calls for tax cuts and dipping into the state's savings account again. Haven't we been here before? Also, a reminder that elections occur all year, every year.

Governor gave annual State of the State address, called for $1.4B in tax cuts
Legislative leaders not so sure
Sen. Dusty Deevers retracts bill in response to public pressure
Great op-ed from former intern Preston Salameh on the value of Open Primaries
But the civic action isn’t just at the federal and state level Next week, municipal elections abound! OKC Wards 3 & 7, Edmond & Norman Mayoral races. Also OK County Commissioner primary elections.
And February is just the start! The next election will be April 1st, which will be the general elections for some of these (like OKCC) and could be the run-off for municipal races. April 1st will also be the general for other municipal races, like Harrah - I don’t know why those weren’t in February, too, along with the other municipal ones.
April 1st will also be the primary election to fill two vacant seats in the state House - HD71 and HD74.
HD71 is in Tulsa, just south of downtown and along the east side of the river, and was held by Rep. Amanda Swope who left the House to work for Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols. Seven candidates have filed, 4 Dems and 3 Republicans, so there will be primaries for both major parties.
HD 74 is northeast of Tulsa, basically Owasso and the surrounding area. It was previously held by Mark Vancuren who resigned to accept a position as deputy county commissioner, working with another former house member, Lonnie Sims. Six candidates filed for HD74, five Republicans and one Democrat.
So the primary election for these seats is on April 1st, it will be followed by, likely, a primary run-off on May 13 and then a general election on June 10th. But it could be different…if each primary has one winner who gets more than 50% of the vote, then there won’t be a run-off and the general will be held on May 13th. Why do we have so many elections?
Talk about what we can do about all this
Former State Rep. Ryan Kiesel passed away at age of 45

Uh...can we vent for just a sec? This week has been a lot and we all need to let it out a little bit, because next week is the Governor's State of the State address and the start of the legislative session. Deep breaths, friends.

OCC investigation into Todd Hiett ends, says behavior was isolated. Ethics Commission investigation about conflict of interest is ongoing.
SCOTUS taking up St. Isidore Oklahoma Catholic Virtual Charter School case
Teacher shortage continues, with more than 5,000 emergency certified teachers statewide
Oklahoma student achieve still very low, but Walters wants to focus on other things
Governor Stitt wants a tax cut
Legislative leaders sound supportive, but it’s still early
And he wants to send incarcerated undocumented out of OK, but there’s a catch…

We discuss the three ethics investigations being made into two statewide elected officials, and then Minority Leader Julia Kirt joins us to give a preview of her priorities for the upcoming legislative session.

With more than 3,200 bills filed this year, the hard work begins: sorting out the good, bad, and the ugly. Oh, and all of that while the Governor wants his own little military and Ryan Walters is...doing typical Ryan Walters stuff.

Articles discussed:

Oklahoma House Speaker outlines his goals for legislative session
Oklahoma Senate Democrats to focus on wages, schools, basic needs in 2025
Oklahoma lawmakers file wide-ranging bills
Efforts to raise the age of consent in Oklahoma return to Legislature
Oklahoma schools chief sues federal government over immigration policies
Ethics Commission to subpoena Ryan Walters for campaign records
Oklahoma State Guard Plan Unveiled
Agency asks for funds for an Oklahoma militia
‘Champion of the ratepayer’: Bob Anthony reformed OCC, worked undercover for FBI
Ahead of special board meeting, OSBI director Aungela Spurlock resigning

The 60th Oklahoma Legislature has officially convened, bill writing is underway, and session will be starting in just a few weeks. Let's get caught up on where things stand as we enter the next few months.

Transcript:

Hello and welcome to Let’s Pod This, my name is Andy Moore and we have a jam-packed episode for you today. At the end I will highlight some important upcoming events, so while you’re listening, be sure to grab a pen and paper to write those down.
But first, let’s begin with our legislative update:
Tuesday was Organizational Day for the Oklahoma legislature, which is the day when the members come together to formally elect the leaders of each caucus and each chamber, vote on the rules the bodies will use to operate for the next year, and, I think, to take new headshots. I’ve seen a lot of folks post them online, at least. More on this later.
I’m honestly not clear on when the Legislative session officially begins. Organizational Day seems like the official start, but some people say that the legislature isn’t REALLY in session until the first Monday in February; this year that falls on February 3rd. That’s the day the Governor gives his State of the State address and when the Legislature formally gavels into session. Ah, wait…I think that’s it - I think Organizational Day is the first day of the Legislature - this year begins the 60th Oklahoma Legislature, and remember that each Legislature is a two-year cohort or lineup - and each Legislature will have multiple sessions. There are at least two “regular” sessions, one each year, and the first regular session of the 60th legislature begins on February 3rd. And then there maybe some “extraordinary” or special sessions sprinkled in along the way.
Anyway, on Organizational Day, The Senate published its schedule for chamber deadlines, and it is unusually detailed, particularly when it comes to bill filing. There are seven deadline dates in January, one for Organizational Day and the other six relate to bill filing and stipulate things as specific as “Final draft revisions due to drafters by Senators” by 4pm on January 15th. And then the schedule only lists six more deadlines for the entire duration of session, February to May.
As of today, the House has not published their entire deadline schedule but they have published their Committee Schedule. At first I was surprised to see that the Appropriations & Budget Committee is scheduled to meet every day - the schedule has them listed on Monday mornings at 9am AND 10:30am, as well as Monday afternoon, Tuesday afternoon, AND Wednesday afternoon, all at 4:30pm, and then one more time on Thursdays at 1:30pm. BUT then I saw a footnote that says “The A&B Committee develops its own meeting schedule and that of the Subcommittees,” so we’ll just wait and see what they do. It would be unusual for the A&B committee to meet so early on a Monday morning, as many rural legislators go home to their districts on the weekends and don’t drive into the city until Monday. I’m not opposed to Monday morning meetings, though - I love to see legislators at the Capitol working on things. Plus, more meetings means, at least in theory, that there will be more time for thoughtful discussion about important issues…or it could just mean more time for inane shenanigans that distract the legislature (and the public!) away from important issues.
Speaking of distraction, the Bill filing deadline is next Thursday, January 16th, and that means that over the next few weeks you will hear about many, many bad and ridiculous bills. And a few good ones, too, God willing, but, undoubtedly, the small cabal of legislators who like to govern by press release will find themselves in the limelight for a few brief moments. I signed up to receive all the press releases from the legislature a few years ago and overall it’s been a helpful way to stay informed about what’s happening at the Capitol during session, but there are 3 or 4 guys who send out a disproportionate number of press releases about absolutely wacky policy stuff such that the volume of wacky to worthwhile in my inbox gets tipped so far that I often consider unsubscribing from the whole list. But I persist, because it’s important and so that you don’t have to hit Groan-Alt-Delete and sort through all that mess.
We’ve got a new feature for you today, friends and I have mixed feelings about it so I wanted to tell you up front. If you’ve listened to our podcast for awhile, you’ve probably figured out that I am not just a political nerd but also a regular nerd-nerd, as in, I like math and science and computers and Star Trek and bicycles and stuff. Anyway, AI is all the rage and I’m always poking around with new AI tools to see what they can do. And, while I’ve found some use cases that were interesting - I really like Antrhopic’s AI tool, Claude - but overall I have struggled to find ways to use AI that is actually beneficial to me. Until now, that is. Google has released a tool called NotebookLM that is supposedly to help students with studying (and it definitely could!), but the feature I am most interested in is that it can take source text, like books or news articles, and from those sources, create an audio conversation between two people - two AI voices - discussing the content of the text. Basically, it makes a podcast conversation about something that was written.
Since we at Let’s Pod This like to do a news round-up in each episode of our show, I thought this might be a useful tool to still keep you in the loop about what’s happening but not force you to listen to my voice for a full hour every week. And I can hear some of you rolling your eyes already, but I’m serious when I say, this NotebookLM thing blew me away.
So, what you’re going to hear next are our new Capitol Correspondents, Adam and Izzy. (AI, get it?) They’re going to give us a news roundup from the past few weeks, and then you are going to let me know if you like it or not, by sending me an email to podcast@letsfixthis.org and just say pump or dump the AI correspondents. And don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere, and we still plan to bring many excellent guests on the show. And hey, this is episode 280, which means we’ll likely hit episode 300 before the end of session! Wild.
Okay, without further ado, let’s go to Adam and Izzy for the news.
Thanks, Adam and Izzy! (See, that was kinda cool, right?) Some mispronunciations (like “Jit-ner rather than Gentner Drummond) and clearly doesn’t know how to read abbreviations (like shortening Sergeant to Sgt.). There were a couple of blips where it sounded like Adam & Izzy were mumbling, but I suppose we do those in person, too. And there was a point where my phone rang and the sound came through, but again, that happens with humans, too. Ha! Anyway, it’s easy to focus on small blips but overall, it was pretty interesting and surprisingly conversational nature of it.
Okay, I want to end with a personal note of mourning following the deaths of three tremendous Americans, former President Jimmy Carter, Oklahoma philanthropist Gene Rainbolt, and Oklahoma community organizer and my friend, Roxanne Logan.
I didn’t know Jimmy Carter, and while history may not look back on his presidency particularly favorably, I am confident we will look back on the man with very high esteem. The man might not have been an economist, but he was a saint.
I met Gene Rainbolt on two occasions. Once, when asking him for funding for our campaign against gerrymandering, which I knew was one of his top policy issues. (He said no, or at least “not yet.”) The second time was just two months ago, when he reached out to me, because he wanted to again discuss how we could end gerrymandering and open primary elections to all voters. He was an energetic, intelligent, and gracious man. He asked where I got my MBA, and I smiled while I replied “well the OU Gene Rainbolt Graduate School of Business, of course.” He blushed and said he didn’t need his name on the building, he just wanted Oklahomans to get a solid education in business.
I worked with Roxanne Logan on a number of projects through her inovlvement with Together Oklahoma, the LWV Oklahoma, and many of our other allies and civic groups. She was amazing. I will miss her sense of humor and her sense of purpose in this work. OK Policy has a great post about her, which I’m going to read to you now…
At the beginning of this episode I mentioned that there are some important dates & events coming up this month, and I told you to grab a pen and paper. They are three candidate forums, one for Norman Mayor, one for OK County Commissioner, and one for OKC City Council for Ward 7. Here the details:
Norman will be electing a new Mayor next month, and the LWV Norman & Pioneer Library System are co-hosting a candidate forum on Monday, Jan. 13 at 6 pm. It will be held in the Norman City Council Chambers (201 W. Gray St. Norman OK). It will also be streamed on Facebook.
Oklahoma County will be electing a new county commissioner for District 1, which was previously held by Carrie Blumert before she resigned to be CEO of the Mental Health Association of Oklahoma. There will be a candidate forum on Thursday January 16th at 7pm at We The People Consulting (228 SW 25th St, Oklahoma City, OK 73109). We are a partner in this forum.
We are also a partner for a candidate forum for OKC City Council Ward 7 two weeks later, on Thurday January 30th, at 7pm, at NE OKC Renaissance (1740 NE 23rd St).
Both of those OKC events are hosted by a team of organizations: Homebase, Foundation for Liberating Minds, Matriarch, Dream Action Oklahoma, Liver Free OKC, NEOKC Neighborhood Coalition, Inc., Progress OKC, NEOKCR, Julius Jones Institue, Let's Fix This, the Oklahoma Center for Community and Justice, and Vote for Change.
We’ll also sound out details on those events via an email newsletter today. If you haven’t yet subscribed, you should. It’s the best way to stay in the loop on what we and our partners are doing. Head over to letsfixthis.org and you’ll get a pop-up box prompting you to sign up.
Okay, that brings us to the end of the episode. Thank you for being here, thank you for being engaged on the issues that matter most in our state, thank you for caring about democracy and for all of the ways you, as a citizen of this great nation, put in the work to make democracy more fair, more representative, and more equitable for all Americans. Remember, decisions are made by those who show up!

This year has been a lot. Too much, actually. So let's go ahead and start looking toward 2025, the 60th Oklahoma Legislature, and the future we want to create for our state.

Andy discusses results from the November 2024 election and what comes next...but mostly how he's feeling right now.

A few reminders about elections, outcomes, and self-care before the election. Oh, and here's this in case you need it:

Election Protection Hotline: 1-866-687-8683 or 866OurVote.org

Scott's back, and so is Dr. Keith Gaddie, and together we discuss the presidential race, democracy, and everything in between.

With 3 weeks until election day, the team discusses the state of the presidential race, the role of prediction markets, and what Oklahomans will find on their ballots this year.

League of Women Voters' 2024 Voter Guide
Let's Fix This' Voter Hub
FiveThirtyEight's election dashboard
Nate Silver's substack, Silver Bulletin, and podcast, Risky Business
Freakonomics Radio episode "How to Predict the Presidency"

Yesterday, Governor Stitt and state election officials released a statement about election security and the state's efforts to maintain accurate voter rolls. While accurate, the way the Governor presented the data has caused concern, so we want to clear up a few things.

Oklahoma did not purge 453K voters this week.

The way this has been presented made some people believe this was a recent purge, however, the truth is that 453K is the total number of voters who were removed from 2021 to present. Voter list maintenance is done monthly, and voters may be removed from voter rolls for many reasons - often because they've moved out of state, died, or became ineligible for some reason. Some voters are removed because they have not voted in many years (more on that below).

Voter list maintenance is good and normal.

Every state is required to maintain a clean & accurate voter list, and it's an enormous task. Oklahoma currently has nearly 2.4 million registered voters, but that number changes every single day. Voters are constantly moving within the state and between states, voters die, change their name, and change their party affiliation. Some voters become ineligble due to felony convictions and others regain their eligibility once they complete their sentences. And some voters become inactive because they do not participate for a long period of time. It's a constantly changing list, and keeping it as current as possible is good for everyone.

When does list maintenance occur?

The Oklahoma State Election Board does list maintenance on an ongoing basis and publishes monthly reports with details about how many voters were added, removed, and updated. You can view the August report here.

What about "inactive" voters?

State and federal laws require the State Election Board to contact voters who have not voted in a while. In Oklahoma, a voter is considered "inactive" if they have not voted in four general election cycles - in other words, if they have not voted in any election for 8 consecutive years. Here's how it works:

In the year after a general election, the state will send the address confirmation to voters who haven’t cast a ballot in either of the last two general elections or any state or local elections in that 4-year time period.
If the voter doesn’t respond within 60 days of receiving the letter, they are put on “inactive status” but are still registered and are still able to vote. The voter can regain their active status at any time by voting in any election or updating their voter registration information.
If the voter, while on inactive status, doesn’t participate in an election for two more general election cycles (4 additional years), their voter registration will then be removed and they will need to re-register if they want to vote again.

This means that any inactive voter who is being purged this year hasn't voted in any election since 2018 and didn't respond to the notification mailer from the State Election Board.

Do other states also remove voters in a similar manner?

Yes, although the process varies from state to state. All states strive to maintain accurate voter lists.

Do we need to remove inactive voters?

Some argue that no voter should ever be removed, even if they're inactive, because it's an infringement on voting rights. Others argue that we should purge voters even more quickly than we do already. Our position is that list maintenance is important provided that the state makes attempts to engage with inactive voters. Oklahoma's current system meets these requirements.

We also believe that if the state is going to take action to remove voters then it should take greater action to register new ones, such as by enacting automatic voter registration when someone turns 18, becomes a US citizen, and anytime a eligible person interacts with any state agency.

Why isn't there a nationwide voter database?

There is...kind of. In 2012, a bipartisan, nonprofit organization called the Electronic Registration Information Center, or ERIC, was created to be a clearinghouse for voter data between states. Unfortunately, due to rumors and conspiracy theories, a number of states have pulled out of ERIC and did so without a good alternative. This NPR article from October 2023 provides a great overview.

How do I know if I'm still registered?

You can easily check your voter registration status by using the Oklahoma Voter Portal or the Let's Fix This Voter Hub.

Anything else I should know?

We encourage everyone to read the Governor's full statement, as it really does highlight the sound management of Oklahoma's election system from beginning to end, including the security of our voting machines, paper ballots, and election audit process. There is a lot of misinformation about elections floating around this year - you can play a role in correcting the misinformation and being a resource for your friends and family.

Do I wish the Governor had phrased things differently? Yes, of course. But perhaps there is a silver lining - if people think they're being purged, maybe it will prompt them to update their voter registration and to vote!

We visit with our fall policy fellows, Ava Woodall and Preston Salameh, for their Gen Z perspectives on the 2024 election and what they're looking for during the presidential debate.

Republicans want to investigate State Superintendent Ryan Walters and it seems he wants them to investigate him, too, which is weird. But...why?

Here is the NonDoc article referenced gratuitously throughout the episode. There's more in the article; you should read it.

Another week, another news story about something going wrong at the OK State Department of Education.

KFOR news story
Email your legislators here!

It feels like everything in the world has changed, so let's recap: an assassination attempt on Trump, Biden dropped out, Harris tagged in, Ryan Walters flaunts the law, and, well, Andy's father died.

Tuesday's primary elections brought several legislative upsets that are causing some voters to scratch their heads while others celebrate. Let's talk about what that means for Oklahoma moving forward.

Have you ever read a news story and wondered why the author framed it in a certain way, why they asked certain questions but not others, or how they deal with wild feedback? In this episode we speak with Ted Streuli, Executive Director of the nonpartisan, nonprofit, investigative newsroom, Oklahoma Watch, to give us an inside look at the politics of political reporting.

Senator Julia Kirt joins us to discuss the budget agreement on the FY25 state budget. (NOTE: This episode was recorded outdoors as a video. We were testing new equipment and some people interrupted us, so quality and flow are a little atypical!)

Watch the video of this episode here.

Let's talk about immigration, legislative deadlines, and the budget battle that's brewing.

We're joined by Jasmine Brown-Jutras and Jill Owens, both organizers with ACLU Oklahoma, to discuss their careers as community organizers, what "organizing" actually means, and how you can do it in your own community.

Links mentioned:

Raise the Wage Oklahoma (website)
Upcoming training & signature collection regional offices

This is a special crossover episode with our friends at The Cinematic Schematic, which is the podcast produced by OKC-based art and film blog, The Cinematropolis.

A couple of legislative updates, but really, let's talk about "outrage fatigue." It's real, and we need to address it together if we're going to save democracy.

Also, please join us: letsfixthis.org/volunteer

We take a few minutes to catch up on where the Oklahoma legislature is in session, along with candidate filing information, open primaries, and how immigration is factoring into the Drummond v McCall not-yet-official race for Governor.

Links discussed:

Oklahoma group weighing open primary ballot initiative to increase inclusion, reduce divisiveness (Oklahoma Voice)

We're joined by Michelle Tilley, executive director of the south region Generation Citizen.

* Editor's Note: If you have the means, we encourage you to support or volunteer with Freedom Oklahoma.

We're joined again by Rev. Dr. Shannon Fleck from Oklahoma Faith Network to talk more in-depth about Christian nationalism, both as an ideology and as a political movement, and, more importantly, where those things intersect.

Links mentioned:

Pew Research Center on Christian nationalism.
PRRI research (Feb 28, 2024)
OFN's Sign-on letter in support of separation of church & state

In honor of National Public Schools Week, Andy is joined by Erika Wright, founder & director of the Oklahoma Rural Schools Coalition, to discuss the state of public schools throughout Oklahoma and the unique challenges they face in rural areas.

It's been a busy week! Andy summarizes several recent, relevant stories:

Proposal to eliminate requirement for sex education
Grocery sales tax reduction & its impact on the state budget
OK County selects location for new jail
Drummond dismisses suit against ClassWallet, again
Edmond School Board fights back against State Dept of Education
Proposed changes to the ballot initiative process

RSVP for our upcoming The West Wing watch party on 2/28

Andy is joined by James Davenport, Associate Dean for Social Sciences at Rose State College and noted Libertarian, to discuss governance, civility, and what civic engagement really means.

Governor Stitt delivered his sixth annual State of the State address to joint session of the Oklahoma legislature and we noticed a higher-than-usual amount of religious content. Given our conversation last week with Rev. Dr. Shannon Fleck and the rise of Christian nationalism across the country, we felt it important to highlight those excerpts for you. You can also listen to the full speech at the end of the episode.

Read the full text of the speech

Watch video of the speech

We're joined by Rev. Dr. Shannon Fleck, executive director of the Oklahoma Faith Network, to discuss how they bring together the interfaith community and how to understand white Christian nationalism so that we can fight it together.

We're joined by Arielle Mizrahi, Partnerships Manager for Unify America, a national nonprofit that creates interactive experiences to help people bust out of their bubbles, build civic muscles, and work together to tackle our country’s biggest challenges.

Recorded with a live studio audience, Andy and Scott reflect on 250 episodes, engage the audience with some Oklahoma history trivia, and are joined on stage by Labor Commissioner Leslie Osborn and state Senator Julia Kirt.

We're joined by Colleen McCarty from the Oklahoma Appleseed Center for Law and Justice about their work on criminal & juvenile justice, education justice, elections justice, and pretty much every other kind of justice.

Click here for tickets to our 250th Episode party!

Andy is joined by LFT policy fellow Cooper Marshall to for a round-robin update on federal government gridlock, Oklahoma legislative special session, and upcoming elections.

Andy visits with Brad Senters from ShelterWell, an Oklahoma City-based nonprofit fostering a spirit of connected community that is centered on the belief that housing is a human right.

Andy visits with Dr. Emily Stacey, professor and program director of political science at Rose State College.

Check out the Oklahoma Voice!

In the gap between elected officials, citizen activists, and professional advocates, there exists another way you can shape policy: serving on a board or commission. In this episode, Andy speaks with Constanzia Nizza, chief of staff at the Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs, about the hundreds of boards and commissions in our state on which people can serve, how to apply, and why it's necessary for us to show up!

Oklahoma's "ABC Book"
Oklahoma City's Boards and Appointees

Andy visits with Nicole Bauman, Advocacy Coordinator at CAIR Oklahoma, about her role at the organization and her perspective on advocacy more broadly.

Andy visits with local rapper, restauranteur, activist, and now, nonprofit leader, Jabee about the launch of Live Free OKC, an organization addressing gun violence in our community, and Jabee's very personal connection to the cause.

The battle over tribal gaming compacts heats up, Oklahoma County Commissioner Brian Maughan discusses the SHINE Program, and even some throwback theme music!

Links mentioned:

Treat formally requests Drummond intervention in tribal gaming lawsuit
Second time a charm: Senate overrides Stitt to extend two sets of tribal compacts
‘An extraordinary act’: Drummond enters lawsuit over tribal gaming compacts

We visit with Bruce Caplinger, one of our supporters who teaches U.S. citizenship classes in the OKC metro area, about the citizenship process. Below are links to the citizenship test and mock interview questions. For Bruce's contact info, visit this blog post on our website.

100-question citizenship test
Mock citizenship interview questions

Visit CivicsCon.com to get tickets and see the full, amazing speaker lineup. Don't miss it.

Andy and Scott discuss today's federal indictment of former president Donald Trump and do a quick wrap-up of the first regular session (and part of the first special session) of the 59th Oklahoma legislature. Will more happen next week? Yes, but we'll address that then.

Former president Donald Trump has been indicted on 38 federal counts of obstruction of justice and other charges. Read the indictment.
Who were the winners and losers of the 2023 legislative session? Our comprehensive list (The Oklahoman)
Final report-out from Pro Tem Greg Treat

If you feel like life is really hard right now, you're right, and you're not alone. This episode is a quick PSA from Andy, less about politics and more about being resilient.

Andy is joined by Pastor Mac from First AME Church in OKC to discuss public policy, religion, community, and our collective power to reshape our state.

Andy & Scott discuss the legislature's agreement on education funding, the State Treasurer's performative (and hurtful) ban on banks with ESG funds, and AG Drummond doing the bare minimum to win hearts & minds.

Education deal: Teacher pay, maternity leave and formula tweaks to unlock tax credit bill (NonDoc)
OK Senate leader offers hope OETA will be funded despite Stitt veto controversy (The Oklahoman)
Oklahoma may be hurting itself with a ban on some big banks and financial firms (The Oklahoman)
AG delays enforcement of OK trans health care ban (The Oklahoman)

With just two weeks until sine die, Andy and Scott are joined by Emma Morris, fiscal policy analyst at Oklahoma Policy Institute, to discuss how the state budget is shaping up, why the process is so secretive, and how the state could (and should) do it differently.

Links discussed:

Superintendent Ryan Walters Calls Oklahoma Teacher Unions a ‘Terrorist Organization’ (The Oklahoman)
Five transgender youths file suit saying Oklahoma Health care ban is unconsititutional (The Oklahoman)
Gov. Stitt Vetoes Bill To Allow Tribal Regalia At High School Graduations (News 9)
Former state supreme court justice Steven Taylor was tapped to serve as mediator for negotiations between the Governor, the House, & the Senate

It's a McCall vs Treat vs Stitt cage match and the losers are all of us - Oklahomans at home who just want to watch OETA and send our kids to public school. Is that too much to ask?

Andy & Scott get a little spicy discussing Governor Stitt's comments to a reporter how he plans to address homelessness, how he chose not to re-appoint Ryan Walters as Secretary of Education, and how he wants to give Panasonic $245M in free, up-front money to lure them to our state (after they already walked away once).

Other things you should watch & read:

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver segment about Homeowners Associations
Oklahoma and Texas Seek Solution To Red River Water Dispute
Board disapproves Catholic charter school application for now, requests corrections

Another week, another story (or two!) about Attorney General Gentner Drummond. First, we discuss how Drummond "clapped back" at Ryan Walters and the State Board of Education for approving rules without legal authority to do so, and then we analyze why Drummond dropped charges against state Rep. Terry O'Donnell while also calling him guilty. And finally, we discuss how high turnout in Edmond dashed Democrats' hope for Derrick Scobey to win the Oklahoma County Clerk seat. Oh, and former president Donald Trump was formally indicted this week. Whew!

Links mentioned:

New Oklahoma rules on school library books, transgender students should be void, AG says (The Oklahoman)
Despite calling him ‘guilty,’ AG Gentner Drummond drops charges against Rep. Terry O’Donnell (NonDoc)
Progressives Won In The Midwest, While Trump Was Arrested In Manhattan (FiveThirtyEight)

Trump is indicted, another state rep was arrested, and is Ryan Walters distracting us from what the legislature is doing with education funding? Also: let's dream big dreams together!

We're joined by CAIR Oklahoma executive director, Adam Soltani, to discuss the "othering" of Muslims and other marginalized groups by some members of the Oklahoma legislature, as well as their recent Muslim Day the Capitol and their upcoming Ramadan Iftar with elected officials.

Andy interviews public health professor Sunshine Cowan, PhD about the role & purpose of public health and the history & current use of the word "woke."

SQ820 is on the ballot, the Republicans in the state legislature vote to restrict individual freedom for certain Oklahomans, and there's a big election on April 4th.

Representative Mickey "Kickstand" Dollens joins us to discuss bills attacking the ballot initiative process, the House GOP education proposal, and the somewhat bizarre behavior of our State Superintendent.

Labor Commissioner Leslie Osborn joins Andy to discuss the role of the Labor Commissioner, her plans for her second term, and timely topics such as open primaries, the legislative process, and why investing in public education is workforce development.

Coverage of the House education plan: NonDoc | The Oklahoman
Opening clip from The Newsroom

Governor Stitt delivered his State of the State addresses and we invited two of our listeners - intern Micah Caruso and Andy's father, Eddie Moore, into the studio to provide live feedback during and after the speech.

It's the week before session and all of Oklahoma is abuzz with discussion about newly elected State Superintendent Ryan Walter's budget request (and his comments about wanting to divide Tulsa Public Schools into multiple districts), so we invited education policy expert Ellen Pogemiller from OEA to join us to discuss what they're watching this year.

Links discussed:

You can register to attend the 2023 State of the State Address with Let’s Fix This on our Community Calendar on our website
The State of the State Address can be attended in person or virtual and will start at 12pm. Let us know if you're attending or watching.
Leslie Osborn the Oklahoma Labor Commissioner, published a column in the Tulsa World
Ben Felder from the Oklahoman recently published an article discussing the ‘grassroots’ movement for Oklahoma school vouchers

Andy and Scott return from break and jump right into the issue that's taking up all the oxygen in Oklahoma politics right now - education. Specifically, why is State Superintendent (and Education Secretary) Ryan Walters all over the news this week?

Ryan Walters presented his budget to the State Board of Education (NonDoc)
Why OK is paying the State Superintendent More Than the Governor (Oklahoma Watch)
Thousands of bills filed this year, roughly half of which are shell bills.
We’re watching several that deal with the Initiative Petition process, elections, voting, and more.
Also, an honorable mention news story from earlier this month: In what should be a shock to no one, OSDH is taking back control of Public Health Lab (The Frontier)

We return from an unexpectedly long hiatus to reflect on the 2022 election, briefly look ahead to upcoming elections in February, March, and April, and Bailey shares a big announcement!

Links mentioned:

Here are the candidates campaigning for OKC City Council seats (OKC Free Press)

Andy, Scott, & Bailey prognosticate about polling, about polling errors, about turnout, about the many ways this election could go (and why). Join us for The Election Night Show at Tower Theatre. https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/2022-polling-error/ (Republicans Are Just A Normal Polling Error Away From A Landslide — Or Wiping Out )(FiveThirtyEight)

Andy, Scott, & Bailey prognosticate about polling, about polling errors, about turnout, about the many ways this election could go (and why). Join us for The Election Night Show at Tower Theatre. https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/2022-polling-error/ (Republicans Are Just A Normal Polling Error Away From A Landslide — Or Wiping Out )(FiveThirtyEight)

In this "minisode," poll worker Michelle Bui explains some of the options available to voters who need special assistance or accomodations to vote, ranging from voting from your car to using an audio tactile interface (ATI). https://oklahoma.gov/elections/voters/accessibility-for-disabled-voters.html (Accessibility information) https://oklahoma.gov/elections/voters/early-voting.html (Early Voting locations)

In this "minisode," poll worker Michelle Bui explains some of the options available to voters who need special assistance or accomodations to vote, ranging from voting from your car to using an audio tactile interface (ATI). https://oklahoma.gov/elections/voters/accessibility-for-disabled-voters.html (Accessibility information) https://oklahoma.gov/elections/voters/early-voting.html (Early Voting locations)

Governor Stitt has hired new outside counsel for the tribal gaming compacts cases, OKCPS school bond is on the ballot, recreational marijuana is a future ballot, and we're all a little weary in the lead up to the election. Links mentioned: https://courtfacts.org/ (CourtFacts.org) (info on judicial retention ballot) https://okpolicy.org/judges-ballot-oklahoma-need-know/ (Judges on the Ballot in Oklahoma: What You Need to Know )(OK Policy) https://sites.google.com/okcps.org/okcpsbond2022/home (OKCPS Bond information) https://www.kosu.org/local-news/2022-10-24/oklahoma-gov-stitt-resurrects-gaming-compact-fight-with-tribes-hires-new-outside-legal-counsel (Oklahoma Gov. Stitt resurrects gaming compact fight with tribes, hires new outside legal counsel) (KOSU)

Governor Stitt has hired new outside counsel for the tribal gaming compacts cases, OKCPS school bond is on the ballot, recreational marijuana is a future ballot, and we're all a little weary in the lead up to the election. Links mentioned: https://courtfacts.org/ (CourtFacts.org) (info on judicial retention ballot) https://okpolicy.org/judges-ballot-oklahoma-need-know/ (Judges on the Ballot in Oklahoma: What You Need to Know )(OK Policy) https://sites.google.com/okcps.org/okcpsbond2022/home (OKCPS Bond information) https://www.kosu.org/local-news/2022-10-24/oklahoma-gov-stitt-resurrects-gaming-compact-fight-with-tribes-hires-new-outside-legal-counsel (Oklahoma Gov. Stitt resurrects gaming compact fight with tribes, hires new outside legal counsel) (KOSU)

The race for Oklahoma governor continues to heat up, with both candidates polling within the margin of error, outside money pouring in, and a debate performance that is the talk of the town (or at least of twitter). We dig into what it all could mean on election day. Click here to volunteer with Let's Fix This As a reminder, all opinions expressed in this podcast are not reflective of Let's Fix This, its supporters, or any other organization with whom any of the hosts or guests may be affiliated.

The race for Oklahoma governor continues to heat up, with both candidates polling within the margin of error, outside money pouring in, and a debate performance that is the talk of the town (or at least of twitter). We dig into what it all could mean on election day. Click here to volunteer with Let's Fix This As a reminder, all opinions expressed in this podcast are not reflective of Let's Fix This, its supporters, or any other organization with whom any of the hosts or guests may be affiliated.

GOTV season is now upon us, and the League of Women Voters are here to help Oklahomans be more informed voters. Several of their members join us for this episode; also be sure to check out their 2022 OK Voter Guide.

More recent polling indicates that a couple of races are unexpectedly close - but does that mean the outcome will be, too? Also: a challenger to Treat's hold on power in the Senate, the legislature continues its attacks on transgender Oklahomans, and SQ820 is bumped from the ballot for totally bogus reasons. https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/politics/government/2022/09/28/oklahoma-senate-rejects-governor-kevin-stitt-tax-cuts/69521016007/ (Stitt still wants to eliminate the grocery tax; the Senate still does not) https://tulsaworld.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/lawmakers-target-gender-reassignment-medical-treatment-at-ou-health/article_0feea5fa-3e75-11ed-84ec-0bf97513b904.html (Legislature bullying OU Health into scaling back healthcare for trans kids) https://nondoc.com/2022/09/21/court-denies-request-to-allow-sq-820-on-oklahomas-november-ballot/ (SQ820 not on ballot this year) https://tulsaworld.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/oklahoma-liquor-law-expansion-contemplated/article_8fba3260-3388-11ed-ab47-4b1c6f1da169.html (Walmart wants to be able to sell liquor) https://nondoc.com/2022/09/22/state-board-of-education-requests-teacher-pay-raise/ (State Board of Ed recommends $5000 teacher pay increase) https://tulsaworld.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/panel-recommends-expanding-medicaid-to-help-low-income-pregnant-women/article_3e2c5626-3388-11ed-bfbc-abeaafe3144f.html (Governor’s task force recommends expanding medicaid for pregnant women) https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/fearing-harassment-election-workers-are-quitting-tulsa-county-official-says/article_918a017a-39f9-11ed-8752-c72e92d5c9a9.html (Tulsa poll workers quitting for fear of harassment) https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/tulsa-among-election-boards-working-overtime-after-mike-lindell-push-for-2020-vote-records/article_6c93b6a6-39f2-11ed-a083-a74bf306f7cf.html (Tulsa election board working overtime responding to open records requests due to MyPillow guy making false claims about election security)

More recent polling indicates that a couple of races are unexpectedly close - but does that mean the outcome will be, too? Also: a challenger to Treat's hold on power in the Senate, the legislature continues its attacks on transgender Oklahomans, and SQ820 is bumped from the ballot for totally bogus reasons. https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/politics/government/2022/09/28/oklahoma-senate-rejects-governor-kevin-stitt-tax-cuts/69521016007/ (Stitt still wants to eliminate the grocery tax; the Senate still does not) https://tulsaworld.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/lawmakers-target-gender-reassignment-medical-treatment-at-ou-health/article_0feea5fa-3e75-11ed-84ec-0bf97513b904.html (Legislature bullying OU Health into scaling back healthcare for trans kids) https://nondoc.com/2022/09/21/court-denies-request-to-allow-sq-820-on-oklahomas-november-ballot/ (SQ820 not on ballot this year) https://tulsaworld.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/oklahoma-liquor-law-expansion-contemplated/article_8fba3260-3388-11ed-ab47-4b1c6f1da169.html (Walmart wants to be able to sell liquor) https://nondoc.com/2022/09/22/state-board-of-education-requests-teacher-pay-raise/ (State Board of Ed recommends $5000 teacher pay increase) https://tulsaworld.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/panel-recommends-expanding-medicaid-to-help-low-income-pregnant-women/article_3e2c5626-3388-11ed-bfbc-abeaafe3144f.html (Governor’s task force recommends expanding medicaid for pregnant women) https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/fearing-harassment-election-workers-are-quitting-tulsa-county-official-says/article_918a017a-39f9-11ed-8752-c72e92d5c9a9.html (Tulsa poll workers quitting for fear of harassment) https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/tulsa-among-election-boards-working-overtime-after-mike-lindell-push-for-2020-vote-records/article_6c93b6a6-39f2-11ed-a083-a74bf306f7cf.html (Tulsa election board working overtime responding to open records requests due to MyPillow guy making false claims about election security)

Scott and Andy discuss how the broader national political environment may affect Oklahoma's electoral outcomes in November.

Andy is joined by two guests: State Senator Julia Kirt to discuss her independent interim study on tax policy and Michelle Tilley with https://yeson820.com/ (Yes on 820), the ballot initiative which would legalize recreational marijuana and make some important changes to both criminal penalties related to marijuana and add considerable funding for core services like public education.

Oklahoma veterans groups sue the Governor, the teacher shortage crisis deepens, and the state is attempting to blame a vendor for their own failure to protect taxpayer money. Links are below! https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/politics/2022/08/12/oklahoma-governor-kevin-stitt-picked-veterans-commissioner-illegally-lawsuit-says/65399475007/ (Lawsuit alleges Gov. Kevin Stitt violated state law in appointing veterans commissioner) https://kfor.com/news/local/teacher-shortage-across-oklahoma-causing-stress-in-classrooms/ (Teacher shortage across Oklahoma causing stress in classrooms) https://www.readfrontier.org/stories/state-sues-florida-company-over-management-of-federal-covid-relief-program-for-students/ (State sues Florida company over management of federal COVID relief program for students)

Andy & Scott discuss Kansans' rejection of a state question that would have ended abortion protections that are codified in their state constitution, the new & improved Forward Party, and proportional representation.

With roughly 100 days left until the general election, multiple state-funded entities are being audited and/or under investigation. We talk about those as well as a high-level overview of the interim studies that have been approved for this year.

Bailey and Andy breakdown the results of the primary election and what it means for the general election in November and for the state in general. https://results.okelections.us/OKER/?elecDate=20220628 (Elections Results)

If you’re a regular listener of this program, you may have noticed that we didn’t publish an episode last week. As I’m sure you are all aware, on the day that we usually record, the Supreme Court of the United States issued a ruling that overturned Roe vs Wade and effectively ended Americans’ right to abortion in more than half of the country, including here in Oklahoma. If you want to learn more about the specifics of Oklahoma’s abortion laws, including the four that were added this year, listen to episode 210, called “Why so many abortion bans?” which was published just a few weeks ago, on May 29th. It features an interview with Tamya Cox-Toure, who is the executive director of ACLU Oklahoma and co-chair of the Oklahoma Call for Reproductive Justice. While this Supreme Court ruling was expected because the decision was leaked a few months ago, the reality of it actually happening has left millions of people feeling heavier, angrier, and more despondent than I think we anticipated. The ruling is unequivocally harmful to every person who can become pregnant and to our society at large. American women, including my daughters, are now growing up in a world where they have more risk and fewer rights than did their mothers and grandmothers. This ruling will have a disproportionate impact on black and brown communities and people who are in poverty. Abortion is still legal in many states, but that doesn’t mean it is accessible. Thousands of people who will need abortions are now unable to get one. In addition to its overt harm, this ruling is remarkable for a number of reasons - the contemputous tone taken by the author, Justice Samuel Alito, for example. Also the fact that several members of the court have been credibly accused of sexual harrassment and were appointed by a president who was also credibly accussed of sexual assault. Or that nearly all the justices, when asked during their Senate confirmation hearings if they would overturn Roe v Wade, stated that they would not, agreeing that Roe was settled precedent. And yet, here we are. And then there is the concurring opinion written by Justice Clarence Thomas, which openly advocates for the overturning of the precedent set by three other Supreme Court cases - Griswold, Lawrence, and Obergefell - which provide protections for access to birth control, consensual sex, and same-sex marriage, respectively. Justice Thomas is regarded as one of (if not the) most conservative justices on the bench, and these type of comments should give all Americans reason for serious concern. This kind of approach, often called “orginialist” or "textualist,” is dangerous to the American way of life because it implies that every right and privilege that is conveyed to us by legal precedent but not specifically outlined in the Constitution is now at risk. There is a lot of prededecent that all of us take for granted because it has been settled for years or even decades. Abortion isn’t just a partisan issue, it’s a power issue. People of all political affiliations need and receive abortions every year. The issue is about who has the power over women. Who gets to make decisions about their health needs, about what happens to their bodies, about their freedom and independence and autonomy. The people opposed to abortion have been very open that this fight is not about science or reason, it is about values. Public policy is rooted in values, and sometimes values cut across partisan lines in ways we don’t expect. But we don’t usually talk about our values with one another, we usually just talk about policy. Why is that? To explain, I’m going to borrow (and extend) an analogy from my friend Eric Liu, founder and CEO of Citizen University and the author of several books, including “The Gardens of Democracy.” Consider our democracy to be a garden. Our values are the soil and policy are the flowers and fruit that grow from that soil. We...

The legislature is juggling two concurrent special sessions (and they disagree on interpreting their own rules which govern them), there's an election in less than 2 weeks, Oklahoma County's government is in disarray (or at least one of its officeholders is), it's ungodly hot, and Covid is getting worse again. Links mentioned: https://nondoc.com/2022/06/16/prater-seeks-to-remove-david-hooten-from-office-blumert-outlines-awkward-messages/ (Prater seeks to remove David Hooten from office, Blumert outlines awkward messages) (NonDoc) https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2022/06/17/oklahoma-county-clerk-david-hooten-resigns-sexual-harassment-investigation/7659313001/ (Oklahoma County Clerk David Hooten resigns, vows to continue run for state treasurer) https://nondoc.com/2022/06/14/swadleys-contract-details-unknown-omes-for-year-plus/ (Swadley’s contract details unknown to OMES for more than a year )(NonDoc)

More than 700 Oklahomans die each year from firearms - an average of about 2 per day. We're joined by Beth Furnish, a volunteer with https://momsdemandaction.org/ (Mom's Demand Action) who tracks legislation at the state capitol pertaining to firearms, to discuss the status of Oklahoma gun laws and how they could be made safer. Links discussed: https://oklahomawatch.org/2022/06/03/how-oklahoma-lawmakers-have-loosened-gun-regulations-the-past-decade%ef%bf%bc/ (How Oklahoma Lawmakers Have Loosened Gun Regulations the Past Decade) (Oklahoma Watch) https://www.okhouse.gov/Media/ShowStory.aspx?MediaNewsID=8570 (Democrats Push for Solutions to Gun Violence with SAVE Act)

The Oklahoma legislature passed four "total abortion bans" this session, but they're not all the same. We're joined by Tamya Cox-Touré, executive director of https://www.acluok.org/ (ACLU Oklahoma) and co-chair of the https://www.facebook.com/OKRepro/ (Oklahoma Call for Reproductive Justice), to discuss what each of the bills does, how they conflict, and what the future of abortion may look like for Oklahoma.

Andy is joined by Emma Morris, Healthcare and Revenue Policy Analyst at OK Policy, to discuss the newly-approved FY23 state budget winners, losers, and who-knows-what's-going-to-happen-with-the-leftovers.

With less than two weeks before sine die, we have yet to see a budget proposal...from anyone! Also, the investigation into the Swadley's scandal deepens and the multicounty grand jury issued policy recommendations but no indictments. Relevant links are below! Let’s start with the latest on BBQGate. Two important developments came to light this week: First, The Frontier reported that https://nondoc.com/2022/05/11/pair-of-campaign-websites-now-available-on-state-network/ (Months before seeking bids, a state tourism official spoke of a deal for Swadley’s Foggy Bottom Kitchen to ‘make money from day one’) Also, the House Special Investigative Committee that is looking into this scandal convened their first hearing and heard testimony from LOFT director Mike Jackson. During that meeting, it was disclosed that 74% of the funds - https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2022/05/13/swadleys-foggy-bottom-kitchen-investigation-okahoma-tourism-recreation-department-taxpayer-costs/9702143002/ ($12.4M of the $16.7M given to Swadleys - was misspent.) Director Jackson said this happened because the Tourism Department lacked the proper checks and balances. Some examples: Travel was reimbursed multiple times. Jackson noted that the mileage reimbursement for one month in 2020 could have paid for someone to drive around the globe four times. one of the 59 subcontractors hired by Swadley's to make park and dining improvements charged a $20,000 fee on $53,000 worth of work. In addition, Swadley's then charged project-specific consulting and management fees, Jackson said. a cheese melter that Swadley's expensed for $11,600. When LOFT looked into it, the office found the same manufacturer charged no more than $5,500 for that item, Jackson said.

https://nondoc.com/2022/05/12/oklahoma-county-grand-jury-report/ (The multicounty grand jury filed their report on Thursday )and included within it were a number of findings as well as recommendations. The report says, among other things, that Governor Stitt put improper political pressure on his appointees to the Pardon & Parole board. The grand jury is convened by the District Attorney for the purpose of reviewing evidence and, when justified, issuing indictments. So...why is this grand jury issuing policy recommendations? (And is that even legal?)

https://nondoc.com/2022/05/11/pair-of-campaign-websites-now-available-on-state-network/ (Initially blocked, pair of campaign websites ‘now available’ on state network) (NonDoc) https://nondoc.com/2022/05/12/the-weird-political-misadventure-of-two-tag-agent-bills/ (The ‘weird political misadventure’ of two tag agent bills) (NonDoc)

Andy, Bailey, & Scott discuss a legislative proposal, http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=SJR%2043 (SJR43), that is an overt attempt to politicize Oklahoma's judicial system by replacing most judges with Governor-appointed cronies, make the rest of the judicial elections partisan, and create an entirely separate class of lawyers that are licensed by the legislature, not the Oklahoma Bar Association. (For broader context on these assaults on the judiciary beyond Oklahoma, https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/legislative-assaults-state-courts-december-2021-update (read this).)

Andy & Scott discuss https://nondoc.com/2022/04/29/tourism-director-jerry-winchester-resigns-state-files-lawsuit-against-swadleys/ (the latest news) in the BBQ-flavored [alleged] corruption scandal, yet another bill that promises to be a "total ban" on abortion in Oklahoma, and who got tossed from the ballot during candidacy challenges this week.

Scott and Andy discuss the recent rash of allegations of corruption among state legislators, gubernatorial appointees, and other public officials, as well as the recently-launched Clean Up Oklahoma campaign that has been tracking and highlighting these reports. A few pertinent links: https://cleanupoklahoma.org/ (Clean Up Oklahoma) [https://cleanupoklahoma.org/download/6403/ (timeline of corruption)] https://nondoc.com/2022/04/20/brent-swadley-on-following-the-rules/ (Brent Swadley in 2018: "Wouldn't be where I am today if I followed the rules.") (NonDoc) https://tulsaworld.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/odonnell-indictment-could-have-far-reaching-consequences/article_2a018eda-62a7-11ec-b999-e7b004464144.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=user-share (O'Donnell indictment could have far-reaching consequences) (Tulsa World)

Candidate filing winds down and there are roughly 200 fewer candidates than there were in the 2018 gubernatorial cycle. Andy & Bailey sort through the filings and discuss what impact this may have on voters' experience at the ballot box and Oklahoma's representation for the next cycle.

Sometimes bills die for very obvious reasons; other times they go away quietly, often so quietly that no one knows why. We discuss https://nondoc.com/2022/04/07/mike-hunter-convinced-charles-mccall-to-stop-terry-odonnell-bill/?utm_source=NonDoc+Newsletter&utm_campaign=b765a02173-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_01_23_10_11_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6888206bfb-b765a02173-142195445 (new reports) about how former Attorney General Mike Hunter killed a bill that would have impacted (and increased scrutiny of) his ability to hire private law firms to assist with state lawsuits. We also chat about the surprising number of legislators who are not seeking re-election this year, a new primary challenger for the Governor, and SCOTUS' newly-seated Justice, Kentanji Brown Jackson.

The Tourism Dept. has to answer some questions (and is now being investigated) concerning the $13 million they paid to a private business to open restaurants at rural state parks during the pandemic, the Oklahoma Pandemic Center cost $30 million but isn't doing the testing they promised, and, as a treat, Andy and Scott take a trip down memory lane to discuss their first cars, gas prices in the 90s, and the finer notes of power washing. Links mentioned: https://nondoc.com/2022/04/01/state-parks-management-questioned/ (State Parks Management Questioned) (NonDoc) https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2022/04/01/osbi-launches-investigation-oklahoma-tourism-department-swadleys-bbq-deal/7244267001/ (OSBI launches investigation of Oklahoma Tourism Department) (The Oklahoman) https://fivethirtyeight.com/videos/how-education-became-todays-wedge-issue/ (538 Politics podcast "How education became today's wedge issue") (FiveThirtyEight) https://tulsaworld.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/oklahoma-house-rings-up-500-million-in-proposed-tax-cuts/article_e5afb20c-a9e6-11ec-8899-bf9dd8ea5227.html (Oklahoma House rings up $500 million in proposed tax cuts) (Tulsa World) https://tulsaworld.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/gov-stitt-taps-businessman-with-no-college-degree-for-board-overseeing-higher-education/article_69ddec2e-b1ee-11ec-827d-37a200b57345.html#tracking-source=most-popular-news (Gov. Stitt taps businessman with no college degree for board overseeing higher education) (Tulsa World)

The Oklahoma legislature passed the first floor deadline this week, and per usual, that meant some contentious bills made it further through the process while others died an early death. (Or did they...?) Andy & Scott discuss the politics and procedures surrounding three big issues: restrictions on transgender students playing sports, school vouchers, and managed care.

Oklahoma House Rep. Merleyn Bell and Norman City Councilmember Lauren Scheuler join us for an important and enlightening conversation about women in government, what it takes to run (and serve) in elected office, and the power of authenticity in our world. Links & bios: Former Congresswoman Kendra Horn has officially entered the race for US Senate https://www.cbsnews.com/news/scott-pruitt-senate-oklahoma-weighing-run/ (CBS News reported that Scott Pruitt may be contemplating a run for Senate) https://nondoc.com/2022/03/14/joel-kintsel-campaign-rumors-computer-concerns/ (NonDoc reported that OK Dept of Veterans Affairs director Joel Kintsel may be contemplating a run for Governor) and has all but accused Governor Stitt’s staff or campaign team of accessing his computer without authorization. https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/education/2022/03/17/jena-nelson-first-democrat-enter-oklahoma-state-superintendent-race/7084088001/ (The Oklahoman is reporting that Former Teacher of the Year, Jena Nelson, is entering the race for State Superintendent of Public Instruction.) She will be running as a Democrat; there are currently three Republicans vying for their party’s nomination: Ryan Walters, who is Stitt’s Education Secretary, April Grace, who is superintendent of Shawnee Public Schools, and John Cox, who is superintendent of Peggs Public Schools. Cox previously ran for state superintendent in 2014 and 2018, both times as a Democrat. https://nondoc.com/2022/03/16/joe-don-dickey-tim-binghom-indicted-ced-7/ (NonDoc also has a fascinating article) about alleged corruption and millions of dollars of embezzlement in western Oklahoma involving two county commissioners, one from Kiowa County and one from Tillman County. It’s too complicated to really talk about in this episode, but I strongly encourage you to read it and then to go listen to the most recent episode of “https://www.okhistory.org/learn/avokp (The Very OK Podcast,)” produced by the Oklahoma Historical Society and hosted by current OHS Executive Director Trait Thompson and former director Bob Blackburn. The episode is entitled “At War with Corruption” and it details the major corruption scandals from the 1960s to 1980s involving county commissioners, the political climate in which they happened, and an interview with Bill Price, who was the former US Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma who prosecuted the county commissioners. It’s absolutely wild. There’s a claim in there that some of the county commissioners estimated - openly admitted - that 50% of the materials reported as received by the county government in Oklahoma between statehood and the 1960s were never received! Every March is nationally designated as Women’s History Month, a time in which we celebrate the contributions women have made to the United States and recognize the specific achievements women have made over the course of American history in a variety of fields. Since this is a podcast about government and civic engagement, we thought it would be most appropriate to talk to some of the female leaders in those fields, Oklahoma House Representative Merelyn Bell and Norman City Councilmember Lauren Schueler.

Representative Merleyn Bell is a fifth-generation Oklahoman and an art director with over 15 years of experience in publication design. She was first elected in 2018 to represent House District 45, which is east Norman, and is the first woman of color to ever represent her hometown. Lauren Schueler is the director of N.E.W. Leadership and civic engagement at the Carl Albert Congressional Research and Studies Center. She coordinates the N.E.W. (National Education for Women’s) Leadership program that seeks to address the historical under-representation of women in politics and public service, as well as civic engagement more broadly on campus. In addition, she helps organize and advise other programs housed the Carl...

The legislative debate over education vouchers continues to heat up, and this week OEA released https://okea.org/wp-content/uploads/Voucher-Polling-slides-Final-v2.pdf (some polling numbers) which indicated that a majority of Oklahomans do not support the use of public tax dollars for private education. Also, more big names enter the race for Inhofe's US Senate seat.

With the legislature's first committee deadline in the rearview mirror, Andy & Scott discuss some of the bills that are still alive as well as the down-ballot implications of Senator Inhofe's retirement and what those shifts may mean for Oklahoma voters.

One of Oklahoma's US Senators,https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2022/02/25/sen-jim-inhofe-oklahoma-endorses-chief-staff-luke-holland-successor/6930792001/ ( Jim Inhofe, announced he is retiring from the Senate) at the end of the year, just two years into his six-year term. While the state legislature recently changed the law to permit the Governor to appoint a replacement, the timing of Inhofe’s resignation - before March 1st in an even-numbered year - means that Governor Stitt will NOT get to appoint someone. Instead, a special election will be held this November, meaning that both of Oklahoma’s US Senate seats are up for election, one with incumbent James Lankford seeking reelection and the other now an open seat. In this episode, we discuss possible candidates for the seat and what the implications are for Oklahoma's political landscape.

A voucher bill narrowly passes committee, the Governor's cronyism rears its head again, a representative displays questionable ethics, a party is being audited by the IRS, and a candidate makes a bad decision. Links to articles discussed: https://nondoc.com/2022/02/15/oklahoma-empowerment-act-advances/ (SB 1647 (vouchers) advances on a close vote) https://okcfox.com/news/local/election-bill-school-board-edmond-oklahoma-state-capitol-senate-bill-greg-treat-2021 (Bill that would switch up school board election dates resurrected at the Capitol) https://twitter.com/jpalmerOKC/status/1493343212227989508 (Governor Stitt appointed his former employee who is also the daughter of a state legislator to the State Board of Education. ) https://oklahomawatch.org/2022/02/15/how-a-state-lawmakers-day-job-tiptoed-into-lobbying/ (How A State Lawmaker’s Day Job Tiptoed into Lobbying) https://nondoc.com/2022/02/16/oklahoma-gop-fined-by-irs-fec/ (OK GOP has paid over $14,000 in fines to the IRS & FEC for improper filings.) https://nondoc.com/2022/02/17/abby-broyles-accused-accosting-kids/ (Abby Broyles allegedly got drunk and verbaly accosted teenage girls at a Valentine’s Day party)

Governor Stitt delivers his fourth State of the State, the State Auditor releases her audit of OSDH, the OK County Jail leadership left a very bad voicemail.

Non-profits aren’t supposed to use federal funds for fun furloughs: Candida Manion, formerly ED of Oklahoma Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, https://oklahomawatch.org/2022/02/10/oklahoma-nonprofit-used-federal-funds-for-vacations-instead-of-victim-services/ (repeatedly used federal funds to take vacations and even go wine tasting)…story from Oklahoma Watch The LOFT doesn’t think OKs Medical Marijauna regime passes muster; 788 created the most accessible MJ industry in the country Inadequate regulatory structure Better regulatory regime is needed 56 dispensaries per 100k in population More than Sonic, Braums, Starbucks, Wal-Mart and McDonalds combined.

“COVID is our friend”: You really should always make sure you hung up the phone…OK County Jail Administrator Greg Williams director of communications Mark Opgrande https://nondoc.com/2022/02/08/greg-williams-mark-opgrande-covid-recording/ (had a phone call where they discussed public health)…it did not go well. NonDoc has the story. Does state Auditor and Inspector Cindy Byrd listen to the pod????: Following our discussion last week, State Auditor and Inspector Cindy Byrd has released the audit into OSDOH…https://www.readfrontier.org/stories/pandemic-spending-at-the-oklahoma-health-department-violated-the-state-constitution-an-audit-found/ (it’s not great Bob). Legislative Round-Up: HB3621 - Virgin, passed out of committee this week. No more taxes on groceries https://tulsaworld.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/bill-distancing-oklahoma-national-guard-from-federal-command-advances/article_ad1e9542-891c-11ec-8072-c312043db3da.html (HB3902 - Kannady) passed out of the House Veterans and Military Affairs Committee - who determines what a lawful order is?? Who is qualified to be Adjutant General? https://www.poncacitynow.com/sen-warren-hamilton-proposes-changes-to-state-question-approval-process/ (SJR 30 - Hamilton) - give rural counties veto power over state questions https://www.thelostogle.com/2022/02/11/oklahoma-lawmaker-is-still-obsessed-with-kids-praying-the-gay-away/ (HB2973 - Olsen) - pray the gay away SB 1647 - Treat - McCall says the house has no appetite to hear the bill

Governor Stitt delivered his annual https://oklahomawatch.org/2022/02/07/oklahoma-gov-kevin-stitts-fourth-state-of-the-state-address-annotated/ (State of the State) address

We are just days away from the beginning of the 2022 legislative session and boy-oh-boy what a wild week it’s been. In this episode we’re going to be talking about the state budget, how it’s looking, what we expect the Governor and the legislature will prioritize when it comes to spending your money, and what issues we hope they’ll consider. We are joined by special guest Emma Morris, who is a policy analyst for healthcare and revenue at the Oklahoma Policy Institute. Links mentioneD: First, the https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/education/state-auditor-to-lawmakers-epic-charter-schools-mismanagement-is-largest-abuse-of-taxpayer-funds-in/article_7d9f6fc4-83a6-11ec-9c66-836dae32ab96.html (Tulsa World reported )that State Auditor Cindy Byrd reported to the legislature that her office’s audit into Epic Charter Schools for gross misuse of public education funds was “the largest abuse of taxpayer funds in the history of the state” and she wasn’t sure why Attorney General John O’Connor had not yet filed charges. Then The Frontier reported that https://www.readfrontier.org/stories/oklahoma-ag-wont-release-audit-on-health-department-spending/ (Oklahoma Attorney General John O’Connor is refusing to release the investigative audit of the State Health Department) and won’t even really say why. https://okpolicy.org/events/state-budget-summit/?utm_source=hp-slider&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=sbs2022 (2022 OK Policy Annual Budget Summit)

Senator Julia Kirt and Representative Cyndi Munson join the show to discuss the https://oklahomawatch.org/2022/01/24/oklahoma-legislative-financial-disclosures-tracking-potential-conflicts-of-interest/?utm_content=buffer16ac3&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer (recent article published by Oklahoma Watch) which aggregates legislators' conflict of interest disclosure forms, the nature of legislative conflicts of interest in general, and the bills they filed to address the state's disability services waiting list.

This week the battle between Governor Stitt and Oklahoma’s public education escalated further, the State Election Board released the annual voter registration tally, and the bill filing deadline has officially passed. Let’s start with the numbers. https://oklahoma.gov/elections/voter-registration/voter-registration-statistics.html?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery (According to the State Election Board), as of January 15th, 2022 Oklahoma had 2,218,374 registered voters, which is actually 54,000 fewer voters than we had a year ago. On Tuesday Governor Stitt issued an executive order authorizing all state employees to serve as substitute teachers in an effort to keep schools open. Good use of state resources or bad use of state resources? Also on Tuesday, national public education advocacy organization, http://stand.org (Stand for Children), released the results of their latesthttp://stand.org/national/blog/3-10-teachers-say-they-may-quit-year ( nationwide teacher survey) and it’s not good news. The topline result: 3 out of 10 teachers nationwide say they may quit the profession this year due to the political attacks on teachers and education. Other interesting takeaways from this survey: 92% say students should be able to learn about historical truths, even when they are uncomfortable. 94% say schools should ensure that no students feel unsafe, invisible, or unheard. 93% agree with the statement: “So that children can thrive in diverse workplaces, it is essential for schools to help children learn to value and respect the humanity of every person and to recognize and reject racism.” 93% agreed with the statement: “Students deserve a thorough and accurate account of American history, including the hard parts, not a whitewashed version, because knowing the full story of the past empowers students to create a better future.” Bill filings, including Senator Tom Duggar’s Open Records Act bill Rep Jose Cruz resigns The McGirt case

The omicron variant of Covid continues to ravage our state, with more than 11,000 new cases reported today and many businesses and schools forced to close. Bill filing continues, and, true to form, many of the proposed laws are simply undemocratic, unconstitutional, and generally bad policy. We talk about all that plus McGirt, Mayoral races, and more!

With less than a month before the legislative session begins, we're already seeing bills being filed, budgets being discussed, and elected officials indicted by grand juries. Wait...what? All that and more in this episode as we discuss what we expect to happen over the next five months.

Andy & Scott discuss the latest on the Epic Charter School debacle (including breaking news that occurred while we were recording), the latest in Covid, and our current television viewing interests.

Alyssa Fisher joins the pod to chat about the weather, local elections, and, most importantly, to tell us about the new https://sallyslist.salsalabs.org/sallyslistambassadorapplicationform/index.html (Ambassador Program) at https://my.captivate.fm/sallyslist.org (Sally's List). Things mentioned: Oklahoma Watch: https://oklahomawatch.org/2021/11/12/they-dont-vote-but-they-do-count-how-the-incarcerated-skew-political-representation-in-oklahoma/ (They Don’t Vote, But They Do Count: How the Incarcerated Skew Political Representation in Oklahoma) The Oklahoman: https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2021/12/02/oklahoma-sues-biden-covid-19-vaccine-mandate-air-national-guard/8844306002/ (Stitt administration suing Dept of Defense over vaccine requirement) NonDoc: https://nondoc.com/2021/11/26/unearthed-joe-exotic-interview-donald-trump/ (The unearthed Joe Exotic interview about Donald Trump, Oklahoma’s teacher walkout) How to Win Friends and Save the Republic podcast from the National Association of Nonpartisan Reformers

It's been a difficult week. As redistricting draws to its disappointing end, Governor Stitt tries to score political points by blocking vaccines for our National Guard and offering a last-minute merciful reduction in Julius Jones' death sentence.

Wanda Felty (OUHSC Center for Learning and Excellence) and RoseAnn Duplan (OK Disability Law Center) join the show to discuss Oklahoma's disability services waiting list, why it's still moving so slowly despite the rhetoric from the Governor & legislature. We also discuss Oklahoma redistricting, the firing of Maj. Gen. Mike Thompson, and Julius Jones. https://www.publicradiotulsa.org/local-regional/2021-11-12/maj-gen-mike-thompson-speaks-with-kwgs-about-being-fired-from-leading-the-okla-national-guard (Public Radio Tulsa story on Mike Thompson) https://www.peoplenotpoliticians.org/post/the-legislature-must-adopt-the-peoples-map (The People's Map)

Governor Stitt travels to Mexico where he travels in style, opposes vaccine mandates, and remains aloof on the subject of Julius Jones' life (which still hangs in the balance). Also, the legislature is trying to gerrymander Oklahoma County.

There's so much going on, we have to do a lightning round. Some good, a lot of bad. Don't give up the fight.

We discuss the quarterly polling data from Amber Integrated (mentioned last episode), the state threatening to sue the feds, and how the contract signing event with Canoo was a bit of a publicity stunt. Links discussed: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/60099f1f6ffad96a2d94bf98/t/6160626094852806944ad325/1633706593494/Toplines_Oklahoma+Statewide+Poll_Septmeber+2021.pdf (Polling from last week that we said we’d cover) https://www.kgou.org/politics-and-government/2021-10-15/oklahoma-attorney-general-oconnor-calls-for-employers-to-disregard-president-bidens-vaccine-mandate-requirements (Can the Governor spell Constitution? Governor Stitt’s AG tells business to ignore the federal vaccine mandate) http://algerhart.blogspot.com/2021/09/why-republican-party-needed-to-be-sued.html (Oklahoma Tea Party is at war with the OKGOP leadership) Is this Canoo taking on water? Frontier has some information on the states deal with electric vehicle manufacturer Canoo https://tulsaworld.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/gov-kevin-stitt-taps-appeals-court-judge-as-new-general-counsel/article_c5a42352-2de1-11ec-b390-bbd0495a8719.html (New General Counsel for the Governor’s office: Trevor Pemberton ) https://kfor.com/news/local/worlds-tallest-fresh-cut-christmas-tree-arrives-in-oklahoma/ (Everyone has their Christmas decorations out - Target, Amazon…and the city of Enid )

Joy Hofmeister enters the the race for Governor...as a Democrat! Also some other stuff happened, but that's most of what we discuss. Links discussed in episode: First, the public affairs software company https://quorum-media.s3.amazonaws.com/media/blog/2021-09-30T100446.981267_Quorum_2021USStateLegislatureReport_R4-web.pdf (Quorum recently released a report) summarizing information about state legislatures during 2021. Some interesting takeaways: In general, the larger a state's population, the more bills their legislature filed. No correlation to the number of bills enacted, though. Oklahoma’s 149 state legislators filed 3,057 bills, of which 582 were enacted. That averages out to 20.5 bills filed and 3.9 bills enacted per legislator, which is the 11th highest rate in the country. Health and Education were far & and away the most popular topics for bills nationwide. Oklahoma state Senator Mary Boren is the most active Oklahoma legislator on social media with 3,600 posts on Twitter & FB this year. https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2021/10/07/group-wants-oklahomans-vote-recreational-marijuana-petition/6041574001/ (Advocacy group “Oklahomans for Responsible Cannabis Action” filed two initiative petitions this week.) One would basically fully legalize recreational marijuana for anyone age 21 or older, including growing, buying, transporting, preparing and consuming it. The measure would double the excise tax on marijuana sales, from 7% to 15%. It would also allow anyone serving time for a marijuana-related conviction to request that conviction be dismissed. (Which seems like it violates the single subject rule.) The second initiative would eliminate the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority, which is a part of the state dept of health, and create a standalone state agency called the Oklahoma State Cannabis Commission, which would also have a seat in the Governor’s cabinet. It would also remove the cap on the number of cannabis-related business licenses and allow for home delivery of marijuana products. (Again, seems like a violation of the single subject rule.) Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/elections/letters-from-the-secretary/lettertolegislature-20211005.pdf (sent a letter to lawmakers) debunking allegations of election hacking by MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell

Bailey's back! Also, US Senator James Lankford now has three opponents - two conservative Republicans and a newcomer Democrat. We discuss the dynamics of that race, down-ballot races, and the racial disparity in police shooting (a data point for which Oklahoma ranks #1 in the nation). Links mentioned: https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/investigations/police-shootings-database/ (Oklahoma has highest rate of people killed by police)

More than six weeks since the 2020 Census data was released, but the Oklahoma legislature has yet to release any maps. What's up with that? Also—a breaking news announcement happened during recording! Outline & Links State Fair is underway! And tonight: Ginuwine! Oklahoma passes 10,000 Covid deaths Stitt’s removal of two OHCA board members over the Labor Day weekend has ruffled the feathers of some lawmakers from both parties. His ability to do that, of course, stems from the legislature’s decision in 2019 to grant the Governor broader authority over state agencies. https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2021/09/19/oklahoma-gov-kevin-stitt-firings-spur-debate-gubernatorial-power/8339729002/ (According to The Oklahoman,) Representatives Marcus McEntire & Mark McBride expressed some reservations or regrets about how it happened. Rep. Monroe Nichols has pre-filed legislation to change the Governor’s role with the OHCA board specifically by requiring the governor to appoint to the board at least one licensed physician, two Medicaid recipients and several people who have experience in health care fields. The Governor would be able to pick appointees only from a set of three candidates nominated by the board, appointees would have set term limits and the governor would not be able to remove them without cause. https://nondoc.com/2021/09/23/oklahoma-county-sheriffs-office-new-body-camera-policy/ (Oklahoma County Sherrifs will now be equipped with body cameras) and they released their policy for them. https://nondoc.com/2021/09/24/oklahoma-special-session-date-set/ (Special session begins Nov 15th! )

There's been considerable trouble in the Western Heights school district over the last couple of years...and "trouble" doesn't begin to describe it. Thanks to strong journalism by the folks at NonDoc and others, we were able to put together a pretty comprehensive timeline for you, which we'll detail in this episode (it is included below with links to all the stories). Remember: local elections matter. Timeline for Western Heights In October 2019, https://kfor.com/news/15-employees-resign-at-western-heights-school-board-meeting/ (15 employees resigned), ranging from bus drivers to the assistant superintendent, citing ongoing issues of mismanagement at all levels of the district.

Two weeks later, still in October 2019, https://www.news9.com/story/5e346e6c527dcf49dad6e133/parents-call-for-investigation-of-western-heights-superintendent (parents in the district requested an investigation) into the district for these issues, and specifically wanted an investigation into Superintendent Mannix Barnes, his $220,000 per year salary, and the fact that the chair of the WH school board, Robert Everman, is his former employee when they worked at a casino. (Which is obviously directly useful knowledge for running a school district, right?) Before we go on, you’ve got to hear about the compensation package superintendent Mannix Barnes had at the time. And, again, remember that he had no experience as a superintendent when he was hired by the district just a couple of years ago. Barnes’ contract with Western Heights included: A $220,000 base salary with a $75,000 retention bonus effective June 15, 2022; 20 days of unpaid leave for outside activities; Reasonable time off and pay for professional growth and community involvement; 25 semester credit hours annually to further education; Membership for community organizations including the Chamber of Commerce; 40 vacation days per year; 20 sick days per year; 20 personal business leave days per year. We’ll do the math for you: that’s a minimum of 100 days of paid leave. The district only has 167 instructional days.

Anyway, in April 2020, the WH district got into hot water with the state board of education when the district unilaterally https://www.oklahoman.com/article/5659613/mayor-disagrees-with-western-heights-food-service-suspension (decided to suspend the free meal )program during the pandemic, despite the fact that 90% of the distinct’s students qualify. The superintendent said some pretty inflammatory things about state superintendent Joy Hofmeister and OKC Mayor David Holt, including using the phrase “I double dare those two to come down here” and threatened to sue the state board.

Nearly a year later in March of this year, the state board of education expressed “utmost concern” about the operation of Western Heights Public Schools https://nondoc.com/2021/03/25/state-board-accreditation-western-heights-schools/ (and threatened to end their accreditation), mentioning multiple issues, including: failure to provide in-person instruction since March 2020; a decision in the spring of 2020 not to provide nutritional services to students; an audit report showing violations of state law, including the use of 2018 bond proceeds meant for contracting and repairing facilities to pay off debt instead; a board member consuming alcohol during a public meeting; a 23 percent drop in student enrollment, from 3,365 to 2,597 in the past year, and a loss of more than 100 staff members in the past two years; disharmony in the school environment and community.

In April the state board https://nondoc.com/2021/04/09/state-board-hands-out-probation-for-western-heights-district-and-sovereign-school/ (placed the district on probation) and giving them 90 days to remedy the situation or face being annexed by the state board.

As you might have guessed, the district didn’t comply and instead they filed suit against the state board, So, in June the state board...

We discuss the far-reaching implications of Texas' new abortion law with attorney Melanie Rughani and then catch up on the latest developments from the OK Dept of Labor with Commissioner Leslie Osborn.

We accidentally took last week off and getting back into the swing of things amidst a pandemic means we wax poetic about where we're been and where we're headed next. Everything is terrible; please keep going.

Oklahoma schools started their year without the ability to mandate masks, and as Covid predictably spreads through staff and students, some districts are finding ways around the law so that they can mitigate the pandemic's spread. Also, Sara Jane Rose and Alyssa Fisher from https://sallyslist.org/ (Sally's List) join the pod to discuss how they're preparing progressive female candidates for the 2022 election cycle.

Despite mounting pressure from voters, especially parents, Governor Stitt continues to refuse to issue a "state of emergency" declaration, a decision that has negative consequences for Oklahoma's ability to respond to the pandemic far beyond mask mandates in school. We're joined by state Senator Julia Kirt (D-SD30) to discuss that and more. Newly appointed attorney General John O’Connor has filed a formal petition with SCOTUS asking them to overturn their McGirt ruling. Good luck with that, General. Cherokee Nation chief Chuck Hoskin Jr issued a statement, saying “With today’s ruling in Bosse v Oklahoma, they have made it clear that this was never about protecting victims or stopping crime, but simply advancing an anti-indian political agenda.” OKGOP chairman John Bennett issues a truly terrible statement equating vaccination records with the Star of David patches the Nazis forced the Jews to wear during the Holocaust...and then he doubled down on it the next day, AND THEN HE tripled-down. At the same time, the head of OK2A, the second amendment association, issued a statement equating vaccine mandates to rape. Covid update Sooner Survey Interview with Julia Kirt https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2021/08/02/oklahoma-democrats-call-for-special-session-repeal-school-mask-ban-covid-19/5459317001/ (Democrat’s letter to Governor Stitt requesting special session to allow mask mandates) Belated session recap Interim studies - plenty to talk about there in terms of value, process and all the potential we leave on the table for robust public participation.

“https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/publication/documents/2021-05/21-04-51_FaultLInes_pov.pdf (The Fault Lines of America)” report

As we prepare to enter the third school year affected by Covid, we're joined by OEA's Amanda Ewing to discuss what's on the mind of teachers and how the government could (or should) respond.

This week: A bogus witch hunt in public education. The Governor ended his McGirt panel due to protesters. Power struggle in Western Heights school district. A former Cherokee chief will be featured on the quarter. Episode outline: The State Board of Education https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/education/state-education-board-adopts-temporary-rules-on-teaching-race-gender-in-oklahoma-public-schools/article_117d56b4-e1bf-11eb-b493-336e22605c9d.html#tracking-source=home-trending (adopted rules following passage of HB1775). Western Heights school district fired superintendent, appointed a new one, then SBE said no and appointed their own, THEN https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/education/2021/07/15/western-heights-school-district-appoints-superintendent-continues-fight-oklahoma-authority/7986555002/ (this week Western Heights said no to the state and again appointed their own.) We mentioned in our last episode that Governor Stitt was going to hold a “community impact panel” this week about the McGirt ruling. Well, he did...but https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/residents-voice-concerns-at-panel-discussion-on-mcgirt-supreme-court-ruling/collection_29e1694a-e447-11eb-ad0e-b3a5303301ea.html#tracking-source=home-the-latest (it did not go well for him). On a related note, the https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2021/07/16/mcgirt-v-oklahoma-ruling-thousands-new-cases-fbi-director-christopher-wray/7979571002/ (FBI anticipates 7500 new cases) in federal court next year as a result of the McGirt ruling The board of Epic Charter Schools shared information about https://www.readfrontier.org/stories/how-oklahomas-largest-virtual-charter-school-decided-to-cut-ties-with-its-founders/ (why they distanced themselves from the founders), and it’s kind of fascinating. Let’s end on a good note: the US Mint https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/design-candidates-set-for-wilma-mankiller-quarters-coming-next-year-from-u-s-mint/article_a039e680-e3f2-11eb-9d87-e75a44d3377e.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1 (announced) the designs for the new quarters featuring Cherokee Nation Chief Wilma Mankiller that will be released next year.

Update on the prison closure, Congressional redistricting, and the one year anniversary of the McGirt ruling. Full description with links: Last week we discussed the closure of the prison in Ft. Supply, and this week Senator Casey Murdock has https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2021/07/08/oklahoma-lawmakers-ask-gov-kevin-stitt-delay-fort-supply-prison-closure/7890020002/ (asked Governor Stitt to delay closing the prison). Senator Murdock has raised concerns that closing the prison would cost the state money...which seems to be at odds with what DOC has indicated, since keeping open a half-empty prison is not exactly without cost. On Thursday this week the legislature held their first town hall meeting about congressional redistricting, it went about like you’d expect. Twenty-ish people, roughly 10 or 12 of whom gave public comment or asked questions. Video is available on the https://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00282/Harmony/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV2/20210709/-1/50480 (Senate website) so you could go watch it, but also People Not Politicians was there andhttp://twitter.com/pnp4ok ( live-tweeted it), you can go back and read Today is the one-year anniversary of the famous McGirt ruling, so naturally, yesterday a court overturned a https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2021/07/09/kevin-tyler-foster-murder-conviction-tossed-eve-mcgirt-anniversary/7902883002/ (murder conviction) due to the ruling. Despite the fear-mongering headlines, the guy isn’t getting out of prison, as he was also convicted of arson, desecrating a corpse and possessing a firearm during the commission of a felony, all of which are not affected by the McGirt ruling. ALSO the murder will be re-tried in federal court and a grand jury was already empaneled for that reason back in March. Also, next week https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/mcgirt-v-oklahoma-community-impact-forum-set-for-tuesday-tribal-leaders-irked/article_0a383592-e037-11eb-8e17-8b66ba6843f4.html (the Governor is holding a “community impact forum)” in Tulsa about the McGirt ruling and its implications. His guests will be the Tulsa County sheriff, several district attorneys (districts attorney?), and...none of the tribes. Tribal leaders say they weren’t invited; Tulsa County DA says they were. Three tribal AGs acknowledged they got an email about it that said “you and your chiefs” are invited and that a “formal invitation will follow,” but that was never received. The tribes, of course, feel this forum is political theater.

The Oklahoma Dept of Corrections is closing a prison in Ft. Supply and, well, it's a complicated matter. We break down how it may affect the town and the state. Plus, Effie Rorke joins Scott and Andy to discuss her experience of variations in voting from state to state. A few notes: Prison being closed in NW Oklahoma has several implications...but it’s a mixed bag. Fewer incarcerated people saves the state money and, presumably, more people in the workforce. (~5000 fewer than 2 years ago) Except… The closure means fewer job opportunities for prison employees, and they generally live in an area of the state that has limited opportunities as it is. (142 jobs; population of the town where it’s located is only 350) DOC board is now advisory in nature, but DOC still falls under the Executive branch, and we all know how much Governor Stitt wants to run this state like a business. Well, DOC is a loss leader for the state to an exceptional degree, so if nothing else, closure of this facility makes good business sense. However, the legislative branch isn’t thrilled with it, especially those from that part of the state, like Senator Casey Murdock from Felt. So, this week https://nondoc.com/2021/06/29/state-leaders-discuss-significant-impact-of-closing-william-s-key-prison/ ( lawmakers had a meeting) about it. Discussion between Sen. Casey Murdock (R-Felt) and DOC Director Scott Crow: Murdock asked, “The day that you made this decision, when you went home that night. How much sleep did you lose?” “Sir, I lose sleep on nearly a daily basis because of the problems in the correctional system around the state of Oklahoma,” he said. “It’s not limited to one facility or community.” Also has negative impact on local hospital, which isn’t great Also discussed the historical value of the prison, which seems...weird, right?

Covid is up, tuition is up, TSET effectiveness is in question, Canoo incentives are secret, and we still don't have an Attorney General. Let's talk about it. https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2021/06/25/oklahoma-covid-cases-rising-possible-delta-variant-trend-alarming-health-leaders/7781208002/ (COVID cases are increasing in Oklahoma) and around the country. OK has roughly doubled the number of new diagnoses since the beginning of June. Likely due to Delta variant (as there is an outbreak in Missouri), but we can’t know for sure because Oklahoma is dead last for genomic sequencing, with just 0.19% of total cases sequenced. So, they’re working on that. Good news is, vaccinated folks are not contracting the virus. OK only at 37% vaccinated, though, so there’s a lot of people out there who are “eligible to get the virus”

https://nondoc.com/2021/06/22/regents-advance-tuition-increase-ou-health-merger/ (OU increases tuition) (NonDoc) (avg of $248 per year for in-state, $671 per year out-of-state) Timing is just coincidental, but also not great given last week’s news about NonDoc suing OU to release two reports from Jones Day law firm, one of which has to do with misreporting or fabricating of fundraising data...which impacts the university budget, even if just a little.

https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2021/06/22/oklahoma-legislative-watchdog-office-questions-tobacco-settlement-endowment-spending/7770584002/ (LOFT report questions the effectiveness of TSET )and says some of its impact cannot be measured. OK is Top 10 for tobacco cessation spending...but despite that, we’re also still Top 10 for number of adults and youth who use tobacco But is part of the blame on lawmakers? They could increase the tax on tobacco products and e-cigarettes—in fact, TSET asked them to do it—but they haven’t. But remember, last year the legislature sent a state question to the ballot (SQ814) asking voters to give them [the legislature] more access to TSET funds. Voters rejected the measure...and now the legislature is coming after TSET again. If nothing else, this seems suspicious.

Oklahoma chosen as site for new Canoo electric vehicle production facility https://www.oklahoman.com/story/business/2021/06/24/canoo-oklahoma-tax-money-incentives-secret-electric-car-factory-jobs/5306567001/ (Incentives still secret, at least for now.) Apparently agreements haven’t yet been signed, which means there’s still time for talks to break down? https://tulsaworld.com/business/local/auto-makers-development-in-pryor-gets-assist-from-former-oklahoma-u-s-senator/article_185494fe-d35d-11eb-ab7a-a3bdc06cc160.html (Tulsa World reports) that former US Senator Don Nickles tipped off Oklahoma to the possibility of the deal

https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2021/06/23/oklahoma-attorney-general-search-still-ongoing-governor-kevin-stitt-says/5304700001/ (Governor still mulling candidates for Attorney General). Names supposedly on the short list: Ryan Leonard, currently Stitt’s special counsel for Native American affairs, Tim Downing, Stitt’s counsel for Sec of State until Trump bumped him up to US Attorney, but he resigned once Biden took office (weird) Tricia Everest, formerly Stitt’s Sec of Public Safety, then chair of OK County jail trust Greg Mashburn & AJ Ferate, both attorneys with strong ties to OK GOP and big oil and of course there’s Gentner Drummond (ran in 2018, narrowly lost in primary to Hunter who was the incumbent)

https://www.eventbrite.com/o/people-not-politicians-31941585843 (Legislature’s Congressional redistricting town halls) start July 8th. 6 p.m. July 8 in Oklahoma City at the state Capitol, Room 535 6 p.m. July 13 Virtual 6 p.m. July 20 in Enid at the Autry Technology Center 6 p.m. July 22 in Tulsa at the Tulsa Technology Center 6 p.m. July 27 in McAlester at the Kiamichi Technology Center 6 p.m. July 29 at Lawton City Hall 6 p.m. August 3 Virtual

Relatively slow week in Oklahoma political news, which leaves Scott and Andy to ponder the questions "What would ALEC do?" and "Do Oklahoma Republicans have any notable policy agenda items remaining?"

It seemed like a quiet week for Oklahoma government, and yet, lawsuits were filed, transparency was reduced, and two pieces of legislation still hang in the balance.

Budget analysts Paul Shinn & Emma Morris from OK Policy join the show to help us understand what actually went down with the state budget this session. Also, a bit of good news! More than 50,000 Oklahomans have enrolled in Medicaid since the expansion opened up on June 1st.

We're taking a break for this week, but here are some important headlines we don't want you to miss and we'll be back next week to discuss them in more detail!

It's the second-to-last week fo session AND our first in-person recording in over a year. Needless to say, we're excited about those things. About those things, at least, but we are much less excited about the tax cuts, special interest credits, and other bad bills that were passed into law this week.

The Oklahoma Association of Realtors share some insight into the real estate market and why building costs have skyrocketed so much, and also, it appears the legislature has agreed on a budget! Well, at least some members have agreed.

How will the legacy of Covid-19 impact the 2022 election cycle in Oklahoma? We discuss that plus the legislature's involvement in emergency relief funds and a record number of unconstitutional bills . Articles mentioned: https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2021/05/02/oklahoma-legislature-passes-unconstitutional-laws/7252789002/ (Oklahoma's Legislature has a history of passing unconstitutional laws) https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2021/05/05/law-gives-oklahoma-legislature-say-federal-cares-act-stimulus-spending/4936403001/ (New law gives Oklahoma's Legislature a role in federal stimulus spending)

Joshua Harris-Till joins the show to discuss his veto referendum on HB1674, an anti-protest bill that was recently signed into law. We also discuss HB1775, which would outlaw the teaching of critical race theory. Here is the Facebook page for the veto referendum: https://www.facebook.com/NoOn816 (https://www.facebook.com/NoOn816) And you can sign up to help here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZrg110hBBc9-Rwz8QrOJRozzj68K1vCN69Sp1ZWLP00K1rw/viewform (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZrg110hBBc9-Rwz8QrOJRozzj68K1vCN69Sp1ZWLP00K1rw/viewform)

As budget negotiations begin, Bailey & Andy play "Good News, Bad News" with what happened this week. Here's the list if you're impatient: Good news Ida’s Law (SB172) signed into law SB44 signed into law - stops punishing people for missing court dates due to being incarcerated Needle exchange bill signed into law Guilty verdict in Derek Chauvin case

Bad news Governor signed HB1674 (but there may be a veto referendum!) SB1643 - Anti doxxing bill that is way too vague Legislature released their redistricting maps (but not the data) Senator Dahm sends out the Worst Press Release Ever (and then makes it worse in an interview about it)

Contentious, anti-protest and anti-trans bills dominated the headlines this week; we discuss the social & economic implications they could have for the future of Oklahoma. Links mentioned: https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2021/04/14/oklahoma-senator-jake-merrick-sworn-in-senate/7190106002/ (Senator Jake Merrick, SD22, was sworn in on Wednesday) https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2021/04/15/oklahoma-governor-kevin-stitt-tackles-immunity-drivers-hit-protesters/7220518002/ (HB1674 heads to the Governor's office) http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=SB2 (SB2 - dealing with womens' sports) https://www.koco.com/article/class-action-lawsuit-filed-over-states-medical-marijuana-tracking-program/36137926# (Class-action lawsuit filed over state's medical marijuana tracking program) https://nondoc.com/2021/04/14/oklahoma-development-finance-authority-securitization-questions/ (State finance entities that don't have websites) https://nondoc.com/2021/04/16/john-bennett-as-chairman-slows-progress-oklahoma-muslims/ (John Bennett elected GOP chair)

Deadline week means some dead bills found new life, nearly all of which would make life harder for many Oklahomans. Throw in a handful of insensitive comments and a House vs. Senate tax cut kerfuffle, and it's almost like a typical legislative session. Links are below! https://stateimpact.npr.org/oklahoma/2021/04/08/empty-appointments-at-mass-vaccination-sites-mark-a-new-priority-hesitant-and-hard-to-reach-oklahomans/ (Has Oklahoma reached a plateau in COVID vaccination?) https://nondoc.com/2021/04/06/incumbent-councilman-darrell-davis-elected-edmond-mayor/ (Edmond elects first black mayor) https://nondoc.com/2021/04/06/paula-lewis-re-elected-okcps-chairperson/ (Paula Lewis re-elected; female candidates sweep OKCPS board) https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/politics/2021/04/09/oklahoma-weighs-ban-transgender-athletes-from-girls-womens-school-sports/7142147002/ (Trans women sports ban bill ) https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/politics/2021/04/08/lawmaker-aims-stop-oklahoma-gov-stitt-privatizing-medicaid/7108141002/ (McEntire bill to do in-state managed care) https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2021/04/08/oklahoma-state-senate-no-corporate-tax-cut-greg-treat-says/7147968002/ (No corporate income tax cut)

Between the State Board of Education's contentious (and possibly unconstitutional) settlement with charter schools and a hostage situation at the OK County Jail that resulted in yet another death, this week felt like Oklahoma is reaching a breaking point. Something's gotta give. We're joined by OEA president Alicia Priest and OK County Commissioner Carrie Blumert to discuss these situations and how you can be involved in helping the state navigate through. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz_5jEcl6kV8f6Y71exwfJA (Oklahoma County YouTube channel) https://sde.ok.gov/state-board-education (Oklahoma State Board of Education)

It's #MeatAllWeek in Oklahoma and so we're talking about education instead. Rep. Cyndi Munsons joins the show to discuss #EverythingEd—from the OSDE's settlement with the charter schools to the Governor's staff attacked Tulsa Public Schools to attempts to break the "Oklahoma's Promise" program. If you'd like to reach out to members of the OK House Higher Ed & Career Tech Committee, here you go: https://www.okhouse.gov/Committees/CommitteeMembers.aspx?CommID=431&SubCommID=0

We're joined by policy analyst Paul Shinn from the Oklahoma Policy Institute to discuss expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit and the legislature's proposal to give a tax cut to...Californians?

It's been a hell of a week in Oklahoma politics. Andy, Scott, & Bailey discuss two very public reminders that racism still runs rampant in our state. Also, another legislative deadline has passed, and with it so did a surprising number of downright terrible bills, which now move to the opposite chamber for consideration. Vaccines are up, Covid cases are down, so Governor Stitt thinks it's a good time to go ahead and lift the few meager restrictions he put in place. Articles referenced or discussed: https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2021/03/11/oklahoma-gov-kevin-stitt-undo-remaining-covid-19-restrictions/6947773002/ (Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt to lift coronavirus restrictions, despite CDC warnings) https://tulsaworld.com/sports/high-school/announcer-who-used-racial-slur-against-norman-basketball-team-cannot-explain-comments-blames-medical-condition/article_f305d6b8-8352-11eb-8c0a-4760dd0d5a95.html#tracking-source=home-top-story (Announcer who used racial slur against Norman basketball team 'cannot explain' comments, blames medical condition for outburst) https://tulsaworld.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/oklahoma-house-passes-500-million-income-tax-reduction/article_1b1323c6-82b9-11eb-a093-3702ce3e7488.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1 (Oklahoma House passes $500 million income tax reduction)

Andy, Bailey, & Scott discuss OESC's $4.4 billion of unemployment payments, Governor Stitt's op-ed to conservatives (in which he said he trusts Oklahomans but not the government), Broken Arrow's very belated (and mostly useless) mask statement, and the American Rescue Plan.

The first deadline week of the 2021 legislative session did not disappoint! Andy & Bailey discuss bills that would do things like: allow the Governor to appoint US Senators, eliminate the state's corporate income tax, and authorize the state legislature to deem a Presidential executive order as unconstitutional. (For the record, that's not things work in America.)

Andy, Scott, and Bailey defrost from this week's deep freeze And catch up on what the legislature managed to get done despite the weather. Also, a reminder: if you are an elected official and your state is experiencing a crisis, don't go to on vacation.

In addition to the usual weekly round-up, Andy, Scott, & Bailey are joined by https://www.icnl.org/about-us/bio/elly-page (Elly Page), Senior Legal Advisor with the https://www.icnl.org/ (International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL)) in Washington, DC, and founder of ICNL’s https://www.icnl.org/usprotestlawtracker/ (US Protest Law Tracker), to discuss the more than 10 bills proposed by Oklahoma lawmakers this session that aim to intimidate, criminalize, and/or punish Oklahomans who exercise their First Amendment rights to free speech and peaceful assembly. Corresponding blog post: https://letsfixthis.org/blog/2021/2/12/two-is-company-threes-a-riot-oklahoma-lawmakers-unleash-a-barrage-of-anti-free-speech-bills-in-the-2021-session (Two is Company; Three’s a Riot: Oklahoma Lawmakers Unleash a Barrage of Anti-Free Speech Bills in the 2021 Session.) https://letsfixthis.org/legislation-overview (Our 2021 legislation tracker)

Andy, Scott, & Bailey discuss Governor Stitt's "State of the State" address that was delivered this week and try to answer questions like Was it really a state of the state...or was it a pre-campaign stump speech? What did he mean by "The People's Agenda" (and who are these "people?") What constitutes being a "Top Ten State?" https://www.governor.ok.gov/articles/press_releases/governor-stitt-delivers-2021-state-of-the-state-ad (Full text of the speech (Governor's Office) ) https://oklahomawatch.org/2021/02/01/oklahoma-gov-kevin-stitts-state-of-the-state-address-annotated/ (Full text w/ annotations and fact checking (Oklahoma Watch))

We're joined by state Senator Julia Kirt to hear her [very well-rounded] take on what to expect this session from the legislature, the Governor, the budget, and everything else. We guarantee you'll learn something in this one!

More than 3,000 bills have been filed for the upcoming legislative session - a new record for Oklahoma. We discuss the good, the bad, and the unconstitutional and what impact these bills may have on how things go at the Capitol this spring. Links mentioned: Our blog post: "https://letsfixthis.org/blog (How to Track Legislation)" OK Legislature website LegiScan website

Governor Stitt wants all students back to in-person schooling...but on what authority (and science) is he basing that decision? Will the Senate actually hold a trial of President Trump? What should we expect from the upcoming legislative session? All that and more!

We discuss the siege on the US Capitol and the potential implications and paths forward for America.

Vaccinations for COVID-19 have begun in Oklahoma (including one of our hosts!), a cabinet secretary gets indicted for bribery, two GOP candidates get each other kicked off the ballot, and we manage to find a few diamonds in this otherwise giant turd of a year.

Session doesn't start until February but some members of the legislature are already plotting a course toward restricting voters' ability pass laws directly. Also, is "qualified" simply in the eyes of the beholder? Let's discuss.

This episode is...hard. Bailey lost her grandfather to Covid and Andy's mom is in the ICU on a ventilator. We stew on that and the glaring absence of political will by many elected officials to take the steps necessary to slow the spread and prevent even more Oklahomans from dying.

The newly-elected Oklahoma legislature has been busy - filing bills, scheduling meetings, and sending letters to other states telling them how to handle their elections. And, of course, there's the continued rampant community spread of Covid-19, which has finally made it's way into our homes. Links mentioned in this episode: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/2/edit?mid=1pSjBQuGvxBpk3rucC3e2vPy8vY-g9bc8&usp=sharing (Map of the legislature's redistricting town hall meetings) https://oklahoman.com/article/5676715/oklahoma-using-15-million-in-cares-act-funds-to-update-state-websites (Oklahoma using $15 million in CARES Act funds to update state websites) Oklahoma County CARES Act grants (non-OKC)

We're joined by Rep. Cyndi Munson to discuss OG&E's response to the recent ice storm and how Oklahomans can be more effective advocates for change regarding utilities oversight. We also give an update on Oklahoma County shenanigans (including Hooten's horn) and Scott leaves us with a very strange "Moment of Zen." (Spoiler: the Oklahoma Corporation Commission oversees utilities.) To file a complaint with them, https://oklahoma.gov/occ/complaints.html (go here.) To find their next meeting, https://oklahoma.gov/occ/dockets/agendas/commission-meetings.html (go here.)

Please wear a mask whenever you are outside your home and do not go to work OR ANYWHERE ELSE if you have symptoms of Covid. Get a test and wait for the results.

In this special episode, we're sharing the "civic sermon" from our first virtual Civic Saturday event, which was held on October 17th, just a few weeks before Election Day. A video of the event and the full text of the sermon and "civic scriptures" can be found in https://www.letsfixthisok.org/blog/2020/10/17/virtual-civic-saturday-perseverence (this blog post.) We'll be back next week with a full recap of the election.

No full episode this week since everyone is dealing with fallout from the ice storm. BUT! two reminders: (1) Don't forget to vote and (2) we're doing a liveblog on election night beginning at 6pm. Join us at letsfixthisok.org/blog.

The past year has brought numerous challenges for government at all levels, and that includes the county level. Oklahoma County, in particular, has repeatedly made headlines for decisions regarding the county jail, what they're doing (or not doing) with federal CARES funds, and their relationship with the Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. It's a complicated mess, and so we're joined by County Commissioner Carrie Blumert to walk through who all the players are and a timeline of events. https://www.oklahomacounty.org/440/Commissioners (Board of County Commissioners Members) Commissioner Carrie Blumert Commissioner Brian Maughn Commissioner Kevin Calvey

https://oklahoman.com/article/5635131/meet-the-members-of-the-oklahoma-county-jail-trust (Jail Trust Members) Tricia Everest (chair) Sue Ann Arnall, attorney & philanthropist Francie Ekwerekwu, assistant public defender & law professor Ben Brown, former state senator Commissioner Kevin Calvey Sheriff P.D. Taylor Todd Lamb, former Lt. Governor Jim Couch, former OKC City Manager M.T. Berry, former OKC Police Chief

Budget Board Members Commissioner Kevin Calvey (chair) Commissioner Carrie Blumert Commissioner Brian Maughn County Treasure Butch Freeman County Clerk David Hooten County Court Clerk Rick Warren County Assessor Larry Stein Sheriff PD Taylor

ISSUES AT HAND ICE holds - the jail notifies ICE before inmates are released and will continue to hold individuals for up to 48 hours if ICE wants to take them into custody. The Jail also provides office space for ICE agents inside the jail. (Or they used to; we’ll talk about that) CARES funds - federal funding designed for various covid-19 relief programs

TIMELINE OF EVENTS 5/2019 Jail Trust created to oversee the management and financial activity of the jail. Prior to the Trust, the County Sheriff was responsible for managing the county jail.

8/31/19 Sheriff submitted his resignation from Jail Trust & CJAC (Criminal Justice Advisory Council). However, the Sheriff can’t actually resign from the Trust, so the effect of this was more along the lines of “I disagree with this whole deal so I’m not going to attend meetings any longer, and in my place our general counsel will be attending as my proxy.”

11/??/19 Trust hired jail administrator hired

1/29/20 BOCC votes to contract with Jail Trust for management of the jail

7/1/20 Date that the Trust officially assumed mgmt of jail

8/13/20 Budget Board voted 5-3 to move $36M of CARES dollars to the Jail Trust. County Treasure Butch Freeman questioned if this was a legal use of CARES funds.

8/19/20 BOCC voted to move $34M in CARES dollars to Jail Trust. The issues was listed as item #22 on the agenda but it was moved up and the vote was called for before Commissioner Blumert was even seated.

8/31/20 Jail Trust voted to accept $37M in federal CARES dollars - $3M for airflow at the jail and another $34M for yet-undetermined expenditures. Members of the public were there, gave comment, and were not happy with the vote.

9/21/20 Jail Trust voted 4-2 to not honor ICE detainers, however, the Jail Trust’s bylaws require 5 affirmative votes, so the vote was not actually valid and thus the decision was vacated. There was consternation about how this all went down. There were a number of very vocal protestors at the meeting, so tensions were running high. Trust chairwoman Tricia Everest was participating virtually and just before the vote was called, she disconnected from the meeting. It is unclear why. In her absence, Co-Chair Jim Couch called for the vote. Calvey & Lamb voted ‘no,’ Couch, Berry, Brown, & Ekwerekwu voted ‘yes,’ Everest was now absent, and because of that, Danny Honeycut, counsel for the Sheriff’s office who was sitting in for Sheriff Taylor, abstained from voting because he wasn’t sure it was a...

Monday was a barn-burner of a news cycle when it comes to Oklahoma politics, with important developments about everything from pandemics to Medicaid managed care, from new cabinet & agency heads to Epic Charter School investigative audits, and a ribbon of Governor vs Legislature running through most issues. Links are below: https://stateimpact.npr.org/oklahoma/2020/10/12/oklahoma-public-health-laboratory-relocation-plan-draws-blowback/ (Rep. Ryan Martinez (R-Edmond) announced plans to file legislation aimed at blocking Governor Stitt’s plan to move the public health lab to Stillwater) https://oklahoman.com/article/5673711/gov-kevin-stitt-seeks-to-privatize-medicaid-faces-early-opposition (Numerous legislators have voiced opposition to the Governor’s plan to privatize Medicaid) (notably Rep. McEntire, Sen. McCourtney, and Sen. Standridge) https://nondoc.com/2020/10/12/brian-bingman-named-secretary-of-state/ (Governor Stitt appointed former Senate Pro Temp Brian Bingman as new Secretary of State) & Governor’s Finance Secretary Mike Mazzei resigned Governor formally appointed three state agency directors - Rachel Holt (OJA), Lt Col Lance Frye (OSDH), Carrie Sutton-Hodges (ODMHSAS) AG Mike Hunter assigned special counsel to investigate Epic Charter Schools https://oklahomawatch.org/2020/10/12/state-board-orders-epic-charter-schools-to-repay-11-million/ (State Board of Education giving Epic 60 days to pay back $11 million ) https://oklahomawatch.org/2020/10/13/state-virtual-board-vote-puts-epic-charter-schools-in-jeopardy/ (Statewide Virtual Charter School Board moves to begin process of ending contract with Epic)

Criminal justice reform has been widely supported by most Oklahomans, but there seems to be a lot of division and uncertainty surrounding the latest CJR measure on the ballot. In this episode we speak with supporters Kris Steele and Jacqueline Blocker from Oklahomans for Criminal Justice Reform as well as opponent Pat McFerron to hear their perspectives on the issue. Read more: Supporters: YesOn805.org Opponents: No805.org Also, near the end of the episode Bailey mentions a link to a resource about the judges up for retention on the ballot. Here's that resource: https://courtfacts.org/retentionballot/

Of the two state questions on the ballot this year, SQ814 has received less attention from the media. In this episode we’ll chat with supporters & opponents of the measure to help you be a more informed voter.

On the ballot this year are several changes to Oklahoma City's governing document - the city charter. We're joined by City Councilors JoBeth Hamon and James Cooper, municipal attorney Laura McDevitt, and Generation Citizen's Elizabeth Sidler to discuss the nine proposed changes.

News9 just released the results of their most recent poll, and some of the results are downright surprising. We discuss them as well as the latest ad from Senator Jim Inhofe, which was also surprising (but for different reasons).

Happy Labor Day, listeners! We break from the usual format to pause & reflect on the origins of this holiday and share a "civic sermon" by https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitney-kimball-coe-22a05031/ (Whitney Kimball Coe), which she delivered during our Civics Con event in May 2020.

We discuss some of the most notable results from this week's primary run-off election, including: (1) Bice squeaks out a win over Neese for CD5 nomination (and what happens to Bice's campaign now as she turns to face Congresswoman Horn in November), (2) Tommie Johnson bests incumbent PD Taylor for OK County Sheriff, thereby guaranteeing OK County will have its first black sheriff, and (3) three #okleg incumbents lost their seats, all for very different reasons. Only 10 weeks until the general election!

The DNC goes virtual, Oklahoma County commissioners go rogue, and contrary to what the Governor has said, apparently the White House does have a whole bunch recommendations for how Oklahoma should be responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Universities struggle to articulate what it is they offer to students and Oklahoma County has a budget board meeting go in an unexpected (and potentially unwise) direction.

While the usual partisan gridlock in Washington is holding up additional stimulus money for the entire country, we discuss whether or not Oklahoma really needs more money and some ideas on how to disrupt that two-party, partisan gridlock. Also: zombie insects. Links: https://amzn.to/2PBMdjj (Breaking the Two-Party Doom Loop )by Lee Drutman https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/03/us/zombie-cicadas-west-virginia-fungus-scn-trnd/index.html (Zombie cicadas) https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/26/science/tracking-a-parasite-that-turns-bees-into-zombies.html (Zombie bees)

Breaking the Two-Party Doom Loop: The Case for Multiparty Democracy in America

We discuss how the state and federal government continue to struggle to respond to COVID-19 (despite how they frame it). Meanwhile, significant movement in the criminal justice space: a ballot initiative qualifies for the ballot, the director of the Pardon & Parole board resigns and, ironically, two men escape from the Oklahoma County jail. Also Scott apparently loves magicians. Helpful Links: https://coronavirus.health.ok.gov/testing-sites (Find a COVID-19 testing site near you.) https://nondoc.com/2020/07/29/runoff-debate-set-terry-neese-stephanie-bice/ (Run-off debate between Terry Neese & Stephanie Bice)

We discuss the possible reasoning behind and implications of the resignation of Governor Stitt's Chief of Staff, Michael Junk, the state legislature announces interim studies, and...apparently aliens may actually exist? Links mentioned in this episode: https://okhouse.gov/Committees/ShowInterimStudies.aspx (House interim studies) https://oksenate.gov/publications/senate-interim-studies (Senate interim studies) https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/23/us/politics/pentagon-ufo-harry-reid-navy.html (NYT article about aliens) https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=pg3_smusTk-xmizyBLJyX5rwlNeFoIVGgudtnfcSDYVUQ1JFRlVTQVlYTjNaU0NTTUtBN1dHTU9EMi4u (Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma Summer Advocacy Bingo)

Wow, what a week! Governor Stitt has COVID, cities are mandating masks, updates on SQ807 & SQ810, a lot of folks are down with PPP, the McGirt ruling breeds disagreement amongst the Five Tribes, and the food banks partnered with OESC to help help Oklahomans in need. During the episode we reference https://www.oscn.net/dockets/GetDocument.aspx?ct=appellate&bc=1046941774%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20&cn=O-118919&fmt=pdf (this legal filing) regarding SQ807 as well as https://www.readfrontier.org/stories/thousands-of-oklahoma-businesses-retained-no-jobs-or-laid-workers-off-after-receiving-employment-retention-funds/ (this article) from The Frontier about PPP recipients laying off workers.

The Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that 19 million acres of Oklahoma is indeed part of an Indian reservation. Legal correspondent Brian Jones joins us to discuss the potential implications of the McGirt vs. Oklahoma ruling, the continued increase in COVID-19 cases, and the Governor's refusal to require masks. Things to read: http://www.cc.com/video-clips/63ite2/the-colbert-report-the-word---truthiness (Stephen Colbert’s “Truthiness” video clip) https://casetext.com/case/mcgirt-v-oklahoma (McGirt majority opinion) https://www.scotusblog.com/2020/07/opinion-analysis-justices-toe-hard-line-in-affirming-reservation-status-for-eastern-oklahoma/ (SCOTUSblog post about McGirt) https://crooked.com/podcast-series/this-land/ (This Land podcast series) about the case

Bailey shares her experience being a first-time poll worker and we recap the results of the 2020 state primary election.

The number of COVID-19 cases is up, attendance at President Trump's campaign rally was down, problems with the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission are up, and a reminder that there's an election going down...right now, actually.

Happy Juneteenth! We take a few minutes to discuss the history & significance of the holiday and then get into the big news of the week: COVID-19 numbers are WAY up and there's going to be a huge campaign rally tomorrow. What could go wrong? Also, remember to VOTE on or before June 30th - by mail, early in-person, or in-person on the day of the election.

It’s been three months since the NBA suspended their season following the announcement that a member of the Utah Jazz tested positive for the novel coronavirus, a day that effectively marks the beginning of a new era in our lives. At the time that happened, March 11th, Oklahoma only had two confirmed cases of COVID-19; now there are 7,848 confirmed cases and today, June 11th, 222 of which were reported today - the most new cases ever reported in a single day. Protests concerning racism, racial inequality, and police brutality continue across the country and here in Oklahoma. Also, we’re just over two weeks away from our state primary election on June 30th...and this election is sure to be unlike anything most people have experienced. Black Women Voices online forum: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=543190373042325 (Facebook) | https://twitter.com/BWVokc/status/1270853207363706880?s=20 (Twitter)

Important announcement - Oklahoma is in dire need of poll workers, particularly in the metro areas. It’s a paid position, and there are trainings being held next week, so if you’re interested, please contact your county election board ASAP and sign up.

Oklahoma County Election Board Doug Sanderson, Secretary (405) 713-1515 uocava@oklahomacounty.org

Tulsa County Election Board Gwen Freeman, Secretary 918-596-5780 electionboard@tulsacounty.org

Insight into being a poll worker from Michelle Bui: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGk3pOFl47k (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGk3pOFl47k)

In the two weeks since our last episode, the nation has erupted in protests following the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. We stand with #BlackLivesMatter, and in this episode we have a discussion about racism, policy, and how we can do better. Below are the resources we discussed: Resources list referenced by Andy: https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/1BRlF2_zhNe86SGgHa6-VlBO-QgirITwCTugSfKie5Fs/mobilebasic (Anti-Racism Resources for White People) Video referenced by Bailey: https://twitter.com/MsPackyetti/status/1269201784758771712 (Brittany Packnett Cunningham video about breaking the contract) Book referenced by Scott: https://www.amazon.com/Body-Keeps-Score-Healing-Trauma/dp/0143127748 (The Body Keeps the Score by The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D.)

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma

As the legislative session draws to a close, Governor Stitt had a busy week signing - and vetoing - a large number of bills. In doing so, the divide between the legislative and executive branches appears to be growing ever wider. What does that mean for the Governor's agenda...and for the state? The Oklahoma legislature ended both their regular session and their special session today. In doing so they voted to end CHEPA, the Governor’s catastrophic health emergency powers act, on May 30th. Does that mean we should expect the Governor to end the state of emergency declaration soon as well?

This morning Governor Stitt named Col. Lance Frye, MD, as the interim commissioner of health. As listeners may remember, current interim commissioner, Gary Cox, was not confirmed by the Senate because he lacks the academic credentials required by law for that position. On behalf of Let’s Pod This, we extend our appreciation to Gary Cox for his service and wish Col. Frye good luck as he takes the helm of the Dept of Health in the midst of a pandemic and with his agency facing an audit.

Also this morning, the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission, which handles Oklahoma’s unemployment claims system, voted to consolidate its IT & business practices with the Office of Management and Enterprise Services. This happened because OESC, like many state agencies, has an aging & outdated IT infrastructure that was woefully inadequate for the massive number of claims they’ve received over the last couple of months. There are three things that are ironic about this: Yet another state agency falling apart due to lack of investing in infrastructure. It’s 2020 - you can’t run a state government on Windows XP. OMES was created for just this purpose - to consolidate and house the IT and business operations of all the state agencies. That never really worked out as some agencies didn’t conform, so we have this very splintered system. If memory serves, didn’t Governor Stitt previously say he wants to dismantle OMES and return those operations back to individual agencies so they can run more efficiently?

Then, this afternoon news broke that the head of OESC, Robin Roberson, stepped down. She was just hired in January, before all this Covid mess started, and according to the Oklahoman, Roberson said she had five calls yesterday asking her to step down before the meeting.

The Governor also had a busy week signing - and vetoing - a large number of bills. We don’t have time to discuss all ~134 approvals, but do want to mention the COLA for retired state employees was signed into law. And then, let's talk abouthttps://nondoc.com/2020/05/20/stitt-vetoes-five-mccall-bills/ ( the vetoes are certainly interesting.) Let’s quickly run through all the vetoes:

HB 2749 and HB 2750, which worked in conjunction to authorize an additional $161 million bond package to fund the state’s matching obligation for endowed chair positions at Oklahoma higher education institutions. The measures also functionally capped the state’s funding of endowed chairs. Stitt wants to end state funding for endowed chairs entirely.

2749 Veto override passed 94-3, 44-1 2750 Veto override passed 92-6, 44-1

HB3819 - made any contract from a state agency open to inspection by any member of the Oklahoma Legislature, and it also banned any agency from prohibiting an employee, contractor or other person to communicate with the Legislature. It passed the House 94-1 and the Senate 44-0. Stitt said the measure was duplicative, detailed concern about confidential information not being protected under the bill, and observed that the Legislature did not make its own contracts or employees available for inspection.

Veto override passed 94-3, 45-0

HB4018 - reated a Rural Broadband Expansion Council to study and map rural broadband access in the state of Oklahoma. Passed nearly unanimously. Stitt said it was redundant w/ his...

When a quadruple veto override is the least notable thing that happens at the legislature in a given week, you know session must be drawing to a close. This week the Governor vetoed the budget plus three related bills, the legislature quickly voted to override the vetoes, and the legislature passed all manner of other bills that would do everything from: Changes to the initiative petition process (HB 3826) Attacks on campaign ethics rules (HB3613 & HB3996, though it was retracted) Pay raise for judges Omnibus administrative rules bill (passed, save for the OSDH rules about vaccines) An abortion bill Expanded Medicaid Took authority away from cities & mayors Permanently permitting curbside and delivery of liquor https://nondoc.com/2020/05/15/pension-cola-sent-to-stitt/ (A COLA increase for retired state employees) And so much more!

First, let’s start with the ethics commission. On Thursday it looked like they were trying to pass a law to allow candidates to spend campaign funds on personal expenses, but that bill was retracted. https://oklahoman.com/article/5662378/donation-use-stays-restricted (Donation use stays restricted (The Oklahoman)) On Wednesday, they sent HB3613 to the Governor, and the Ethics Commission says it is opaque enough that it might mean they can’t collect reports they need. Would this counteract HB3827? https://www.readfrontier.org/stories/bill-could-hide-donor-and-lobbyist-info-from-the-public/?fbclid=IwAR0aWEgdYmVTLLbbHVRvx3oxP78lPqH3oyN-DjiZF8kvDwAQASE_taeHwwI (Bill could hide donor and lobbyist info from the public (The Frontier))

Let’s talk about the budget. What was vetoed and why What the legislature did about it https://nondoc.com/2020/05/13/gov-kevin-stitt-vetoes-three-bills/ (Gov. Kevin Stitt vetoes budget, Legislature overrides (NonDoc)) S&P says 33% change Oklahoma’s bond rating drops

Don't forget: Civics Con is on May 29th! Registration is now open: http://civicscon.com (CivicsCon.com)

This week the Oklahoma Supreme Court struck down the notary requirement for absentee ballots, and three days later the legislature put it back. But that’s not all they did - they also extended the Governor’s emergency powers under CHEPA for another month and passed a budget for FY21. And don't forget for register for CIVICS CON, which is coming up on May 29th!

The State seems to be having a hard time acquiring personal protective equipment (PPE), and that has led to some...questionable purchase decisions and a forthcoming audit of the state Department of Health. Also, it looks like the state budget will be $800M-$1.3B short next year...but why can't the legislature and Governor's office agree on how much? SHOW NOTES Announcements Civics Con registration is now open! http://civicscon.com (CivicsCon.com)

Overview of what happened this week Today is May 1st and, as I’m sure all of our listeners are aware, effective today the state has relaxed some of its ‘safer at home’ rules and allowed certain businesses to reopen. Cities followed suit, albeit somewhat begrudgingly. The state has reportedly received $1.2 Billion in federal funding to fight the coronavirus pandemic, and this week we got some more information about how that money is being spent. On Thursday https://nondoc.com/2020/04/30/state-announces-mobile-testing-underserved-areas/ (Governor Stitt announced a new mobile testing program for underserved areas) and expanding testing to “anyone who wants it,” even those without symptoms, at any of the state’s 80 drive-thru testing locations. Health Department Commissioner Gary Cox said their goal is to test 90,000 Oklahomans during the month of May. They are also dramatically expanding the number of contract tracer staff, from 150 to more than 1000. How is this going to affect Oklahoma’s response to the pandemic? Not all the news about COVID expenditures has been positive. On Tuesday https://oklahoman.com/article/5661110/coronavirus-in-oklahoma-state-cancels-ppe-buy-from-company-under-fbi-scrutiny (the Oklahoman reported) that the state had canceled a $9.5 million purchase of N95 masks because the FBI was investigating the seller. (This sounds like a bad ebay review.) Basically it sounds like it was a “half now, half on delivery” situation. The FBI said the company possibly had “fraudulent activity” involving Chinese ventilators and that Oklahoma had been specifically identified as a potential victim. Also on Tuesday, https://oklahoman.com/article/5661180/coronavirus-in-oklahoma-attorney-general-asks-for-audit-of-health-department (the Oklahoman also reported) that Attorney General Mike Hunter has requested the state auditor’s office to conduct yet another investigation of the State Department of Health, specifically related to how they’ve been handling COVID-19 related purchasing decisions. How are they making these decisions? Who's the person making most of these decisions? Aside from the FBI-investigated company , what are some other questionable purchasing decisions have been made? Is this really the state’s fault, or is it just because every country in the world is trying to procure these items and most are made in the one country where this all started? In other financial news, the state legislature is expected to reconvene next week to get pass a budget for next year. The problem, of course, is that the state is expected to have between $800M - $1.3B less than this year...but they’re not sure how much. Thats a big variance, and #okleg isn't happy with the Governor’s office. Big cuts to education coming? Big enough to undo what what LWV vs Election Board lawsuit was heard this week; ruling should come soon

A whole lot has happened over the last week! From declarations of revenue failures at the state and city level, to civic groups suing the election board, to legislative candidates who don't actually live in Oklahoma, to - wait for it - the state is slowly beginning to reopen. But is that a good idea? We discuss it all! https://nondoc.com/2020/04/17/sq-802-stitt-sets-election-date-on-medicaid-expansion/ (Governor Stitt announced that SQ802, Medicaid Expansion, will be on the ballot on June 30th.)

Quick recap: On Monday, April 6th, Governor Stitt https://nondoc.com/2020/04/09/stitt-avoids-april-cuts-blames-legislature-for-politics/ (cancelled the Board of Equalization meeting) because his ‘digital transformation’ project was not funded. So, he only signed 2 of the 3 bills the legislature passed to help shore up this year’s budget, but without that third bill, there was still a $416M hole in the budget. Basically, they state was funded through the end of April, but we didn’t have enough money for May and June. The legislature scoffed. So, a week later, on Tuesday, April 13th, House & Senate leaders https://nondoc.com/2020/04/14/house-senate-lawsuit-board-of-equalization/ (sued the Governor )to force the Board of Equalization to meet, because they have to declare a revenue failure in order for OMES to be allowed to access the state’s Rainy Day Fund. The Governor scoffed. This week, the Governor unceremoniously called a meeting of the Board of Equalization, who meet via Zoom and declared a revenue failure for current fiscal year (FY2020). While most everyone agrees that next fiscal year (FY21, which begins on July 1st) will also have a revenue failure, we have to wait until we get there before the Board of Equalization can make that determination. (But that didn’t stop the Governor from announcing his proposal for budget cuts for both FY21 and FY22.

Meanwhile, the price of oil went negative. https://oklahoman.com/article/5660635/horn-wants-3-billion-for-strategic-petroleum-reserve (Congresswoman Kendra Horn suggests the US invest $3 billion to add additional oil to the strategic oil reserve).

https://oklahoman.com/article/5660568/anticipating-revenue-shortfall-oklahoma-city-will-reduce-spending (Oklahoma City basically declared a revenue failure and announced across-the-board departmental budget cuts) ranging from 3-11%. Cities are funded by sales tax revenue and, well, the world is closed.

https://nondoc.com/2020/04/21/two-tribes-sign-new-gaming-compacts-with-oklahoma/ (Governor signed gaming compacts with two tribes and it includes sports betting), but the https://oklahoman.com/article/5660743/house-and-senate-leaders-write-letter-criticizing-gaming-compacts-negotiated-by-governor (legislature) and the https://www.tulsaworld.com/news/local/government-and-politics/oklahoma-ag-mike-hunter-says-gov-stitts-new-tribal-gaming-compacts-not-authorized-by-state/article_1e9bd0d3-3d50-50c0-8233-a3d924f01f44.html (Attorney General) aren’t on board. But...why is that, really?

Challenges to candidacy were heard and they were...https://nondoc.com/2020/04/21/bizarre-hearing-kevin-mcdugle-stays-on-ballot/ (pretty bizarre).

On Thursday, the Oklahoma https://oklahoman.com/article/5660790/league-of-women-voters-asks-oklahoma-supreme-court-for-absentee-ballot-changes (League of Women Voters and two individuals filed legal action) against the Election Board to try and force changes to absentee voting to make voting by mail safer and easier, while still maintaining the integrity and security of our elections.

And, of course, in COVID-related news, http://www.ou.edu/web/news_events/articles/news_2020/ou-files-for-fda-emergency-use-authorization-for-covid19-test-utilizing-fluidigm (OU has made a new, faster test) and the https://www.okcommerce.gov/wp-content/uploads/Open-Up-and-Recover-Safely-Plan.pdf?fbclid=IwAR2s95NyqE7gnE-7C46VZLW683o7YzslfD5U48dM-W0hS2eHTEzEYPzDOB0 (Governor announced his plan to...

We spend a little extra time discussing not just the current state of the COVID-19 pandemic but how we get to the end of the pandemic, specifically four proposals for how we get there. SHOW NOTES State of play in Oklahoma Avg Tests per day: 1440 (265-2750) Positivity: 7.0%

Tests available: 86,603

Testing supplies available: 41,327 Serology testing is underway

How does OK stack up? To test at SK levels: 31,000 tests daily (2.7 days) At levels recommended by Paul Romer: 280,000 daily (about 3 hours) Serology: How accurate? What does it mean?

Update on Stitt v #okleg On Tuesday, the House & Senate filed a lawsuit against the Governor...what??? They argue that since Stitt didn’t sign nor veto SB199, that it is now law And thus, the Board of Equalization must meet in order to declare a revenue failure since the law is in place Board of Equalization set to meet April 20. Does that mean the Governor is giving in?

Update on candidate filing 46 of 148 seats unopposed. Much more than the last two cycles, but appears to be average overall.

Now is a good time to reach out to lawmakers at home - social media, email, phone, etc.

Just when it seemed like the 2020 #okleg session was going to be smooth & uneventful, budget negotiations took an unexpected turn this week when the Governor threatened across-the-board cuts all state agencies if his "digital transformation" project isn't fully funded. In response, House & Senate leaders pushed back hard in an attempt to call his bluff. Where does leave us?

On Thursday Governor Stitt invoked the Catastrophic Health Emergency Powers Act (CHEPA), which is a set of emergency powers that was passed after 9/11 to enable the state to respond more quickly to a nuclear or biological attack. Needless to say, this has never been used before. What we know this means: Well, the Legislature will go back to the Capitol next week for a special session to ratify the Governor’s declaration, and we’ll talk more about the legislative action aspect of this later on in the show. More directly, CHEPA gives the Governor VERY broad powers, some might argue that he is now the most powerful Governor in state history.

But there's a lot more to it than that. Friend of the pod, Brian Ted Jones, is a Oklahoma attorney who has been doing some research into this. Listeners might remember Brian as a former guest during our criminal justice series last year, and we wanted to have him come back on to share what he’s learned about CHEPA thus far. Back to what the legislature is doing next: Special session And also maybe regular session? Budget scenarios: Rep. Wallace says no budget cuts But also, a revenue failure has already been declared!

Most of country is now working from home, and that includes the state legislature. We're joined by Oklahoma House minority leader, Representative Emily Virgin, and House majority floor leader, Representative Jon Echols, to talk about how #okleg is working remotely, the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic will have on the state budget, and what bills we might see squeak though this session.

America is officially shut down, and that includes Oklahoma. Except for, you know, a poor response to the global pandemic, the state legislature amending the Open Meeting Act, elections being delayed, Senator Infofe suspiciously selling some stock, and people from Maine knitting llama wool. Special guest Effie Rorke joins us as we cover all of that and more in this week's episode! Show notes are below. Coronavirus update OU & OSU, many others online-only for remainder of semester, graduations postponed OSDE expected to do same for public schools - school meals will still be served and Supt Hofmeister waived all state testing for this school year https://oklahomawatch.org/2020/03/19/state-epidemiologist-is-replaced/?fbclid=IwAR1BaKQpmQEeJMDKPOUf5IB4pzDaLNyrh0lG3cx0DY30zf1Csz46T7jEcog (State epidemiologist replaced) (presumably because he’s better at epidemiology than at press conferences) State has a critical shortage of coronavirus testing supplies, so only the most sick or at-risk are being tested As testing expands, the number of cases diagnoses WILL increase dramatically over the next several weeks. Officials expecting a surge. [https://www.readfrontier.org/stories/as-coronavirus-spreads-across-oklahoma-hospitals-and-state-leaders-prepare-for-a-patient-surge/?fbclid=IwAR01UX77tGkl1y6XJvup4cPf1sI3-8Yuzfn74Qfz9EzPl5l3ihGobAiPdGQ (The Frontier)] ⅔ of current positive cases are in the OKC metro Just to reiterate: it at all possible, STAY HOME A word about death and severity rates: US 1.3% SK 1.0% Worldwide 4.1% A word about exponential growth We had our first COVID-19 death; a Tulsan

Oklahoma Government Stuff Legislature passed two bills on Tuesday: one to allow money to be transferred out of the Lengthy Trial Fund (that most of us probably didn’t know existed) State Senate is recessing until March 27th Legislature made changes to the state’s Open Meeting Act to allow public entities to meet via teleconference or video conference. https://www.foioklahoma.org/blog/2020/3/17/oklahoma-legislature-proposes-major-changes-to-open-meeting-act (FOI Oklahoma weighed in), https://www.foioklahoma.org/blog/2020/3/19/attorney-general-clarifies-changes-to-open-meeting-act (AG is helping clarify rules) Governor Stitt continues to pursue https://oklahomawatch.org/2020/03/17/new-details-on-stitts-health-plan-spell-out-work-rules-premiums-projections/ (his plan for Medicaid) Terrible time for a public comment period, and yet, they’re still doing it Campaign against it: https://coverok.org/ (https://coverok.org/) Future elections: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/OKELECTIONS/bulletins/281e643 (Election Board declared an “election emergency,”) clearing the way for April elections to be rescheduled Will this impact candidate filings and June primaries?

Run down on federal legislation that has been passed / what is being worked on Initial appropriation Families First Coronavirus Response Act Stimulus bill

Senator James Inhofe Voted against coronavirus package (as did Lankford) https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/19/us/politics/richard-burr-stocks-sold-coronavirus.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage (NYT reporting) Inhofe was among a group of US senators who dumped stocks ahead of pandemic really taking off

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, a State of Emergency has been declared at the city, state, and federal level. These declarations have far-reaching impact and consequences and, frankly, we are in uncharted waters. Here to help us walk through everything that has happened in the past 48 to 72 hours for my cohosts, Bailey Perkins and Scott Melson. Last Friday President Trump declared a national state of emergency, which was followed by a similar declaration on Sunday from the mayors of Oklahoma City and Stillwater, as well as Governor Stitt. We are recording this on Monday evening, and so far today I have seen that the mayors of Yukon and Tulsa have also declared state of emergency in those jurisdictions. Additionally, the Oklahoma state Department of Education has canceled school throughout the state until April 6, the Cherokee in Chickasaw tribes are clothes in their casinos, (Most of the casinos in Las Vegas are also closed, for what it's worth), and the Oklahoma legislature announced they are making significant changes to their operations to expedite passage of the budget and other constitutionally required duties. Yesterday the CDC said that all public events with 50 or more people for the next 8 weeks should be canceled, and today they updated that to be all public events with more than 10 people should be canceled. How about we start by talking about what a state of emergency declaration is, and why there are different ones, walk through what a state of emergency means at each level. So, why do we have different ones? [discussion] So, a when the president declares https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/13/us/politics/coronavirus-national-emergency.html (a national state of emergency) for a public health emergency, it basically enacts three laws: the Public Health Service Act, Stafford Act, Social Security Act, as well as some other laws. The Stafford Act is the government’s main mechanism for responding to major disasters and emergencies. It permits tapping into an account that currently has more than $40 billion, which it could use to do things like buy medical supplies and equipment. Often used with natural disasters, previously also used by President Clinton to respond to the West Nile outbreak It frees up federal funds and other resources to help when “federal assistance is needed to supplement state and local efforts and capabilities to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety.” also empowers the president to direct any federal agency to use its personnel, facilities and equipment to support state and local emergency efforts, disseminate public health and safety information, provide public health and safety measures, and distribute supplies like medicine and food. unlocks extra powers under Section 1135 of the Social Security Act aimed at making it easier to get medical supplies and doctors and nurses where they are needed most. (Prev used by by Obama to address H1N1 aka Swine Flu.

Okay, let’s move down to the http://www.sos.ok.gov/documents/executive/1913.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3b9a5RrTJ4vkDbMTnroOe6pPur5Ge4FVxw2muKJW3nYdL57SC2eq5CShY (state level). [discussion]

And finally, down to the https://www.okc.gov/Home/Components/News/News/3287/5296 (city level.) [discussion]

Resources http://cdc.gov (cdc.gov) http://coronavirus.health.ok.gov (Coronavirus.health.ok.gov) http://regionalfoodbank.org/covid19 (Regionalfoodbank.org/covid19 ) http://okfoodbank.org (Okfoodbank.org)

Good news coverage: https://www.readfrontier.org/ (The Frontier) http://nondoc.com (NonDoc)

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We discuss the coronavirus outbreak that is sweeping the country (and how it's being handled here in Oklahoma), a bill to outlaw child marriages that both failed and passed in the same week, a cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for state employees, and an update on HJR 1027, which would affect ballot initiatives.

Super Tuesday has come & gone...but just how 'super' was it this year? We also talk about the Oklahoma response to COVID-19 (aka coronavirus), especially in the face of the Governor's plan to consolidate health agencies AND his just-announced plan to...expand Medicaid? Oh, and the legislature basically wants to end the initiative petition process. What a week!

We discuss the process of lawmaking (both from inside and outside the legislature), what happens when that process is circumvented, what the Super Tuesday primary looks like for Oklahoma.

Announcements State brand online store: https://www.shoptravelok.com/ (https://www.shoptravelok.com/) Anti Hunger Day - Tuesday Feb 25th Presidential primary: March 3rd LFT Capitol Day: April 1st Census starts: April 1st Child Advocacy Day: May 6th

This week at the Capitol: Tribal gaming update OMES says $85.5m less to appropriate this year from last year Senate approved SJR to call a constitutional convention School suicide awareness passes senate committee Snow cones soon to be available in the winter Chamber of origin committee deadline next Friday 2/28

State questions update 802 (Medicaid expansion) waiting for governor to place on a ballot 805 (CJR) collecting signatures 807 (rec weed) legal challenge to be heard on 2/26 808 (rec weed) can collect sigs, but Tay is incarcerated 809 (gun repeal) received legal challenge from 810 (independent redistricting) waiting for legal challenge on 2/28

Let’s talk elections Caucus vs Primary Briefly discuss/ debate their merits (wacky vs normal) Super Tuesday! State races primary: June 30 Online Voter Registration [probably] coming in 2021 State race candidate filing: Apr 8-10 Odd fact: elections are prohibited, by law, in the months of May, July, Sept, Oct, & December of even-numbered years.

We're two weeks into the legislative session, an d bills are starting to move. Some are alive, a few are dead (or at least mostly dead), and others...well, it's still a bit too early to tell. This week Representative Jason Dunnington (HD88) joins the crew to talk about two of his bills and a whole lot else. Topics include: Conversion therapy ban advances Roberts vaccine bill killed in committee Needle exchange advances Ford seatbelt law advances Rose day stuff Death penalty Resignation of Steve Buck New state brand Movement on bills that made Bailey happy!

Oklegvalentines

Scott is joined by our newest co-host, Bailey Perkins, to discuss the finer points of Governor Stitt's second State of the State address.

The Oklahoma legislative session starts in less than two weeks, so we're giving listeners an update-in-brief so that you are ready and prepared. Updates: Stone & Smalley have resigned: Tribal gaming Tribes sued Gov Stitt asks for injunction and for proceeds to be placed in trust Healthcare reform Marijuana Redistricting How will this year be different What does this session look like for the Governor? Tribes are pissed Agency director budgets The BUDGET Continued consolidation of executive authority? It’s an Election Year! How does this impact bills/votes/posturing? What the f*ck is Inhofe gonna do? Highlight a few bills HJR 1027 - changes to HB2876 Death Penalty bill - Dunnington

Next week: Predict-o-Rama!

Think you know what bills will pass and what bills will fail? Great, because it's time for our annual Predict-O-Rama game! Scott and I run thru the slate of options, and now it's your turn to vote! Link to the game: https://forms.gle/peFv2FMSWpZPjqpQ6

Did Governor Stitt deliver on the plans and promises he listed during his 2019 State of the State address? We break it down and then look ahead at what to expect from the 2020 legislative session.

BIG NEWS! A rag-tag group of Oklahomans have banded together to form "People Not Politicians," a nonpartisan organization that has filed a ballot initiative to amend the state constitution to create an independent redistricting commission and end gerrymandering in our state! We hear all about it from their Campaign Manager, whom you might already know...

Much to the chagrin of the NCAA, the state of California recently passed the Fair Pay to Play Act, which law permits collegiate athletes to hire agents and make money from endorsements. A similar bill will likely be filed in Oklahoma next year, so we sat down with OU gymnast (and burgeoning entrepreneur) Peter Daggett to hear his perspective as a student athlete.

This is the fourth and final episode in our "Gerrymandering Oklahoma" series. By now we know what gerrymandering is, how and why it happens, and a few ways to prevent it. But how, exactly, do you get it to stop when the political system is rigged against you? You let the voters take the lead. For this, we spoke with Katie Fahey who started a people-first movement in Michigan in 2018 that led to the formation an independent redistricting commission and virtually eliminated gerrymandering from her state.

This is the third episode in our "Gerrymandering Oklahoma" series. We wanted to learn more about gerrymandering around the country, so we wanted to talk to a man who literally wrote the book on the topic, David Daley. He is the author of "Ratf**cked: Why Your Vote Doesn't Count" and has probably looked at more maps and driven more legislative district boundaries than anyone else in the country.

This is the second episode in our "Gerrymandering Oklahoma" mini series. Now that we know how legislative redistricting is done and how that process often leads to gerrymandering, we want to talk broadly about how states can prevent politicians from picking their own voters. For that, we speak with Dan Vicuña from Common Cause, to gain some insight on what's worked in other states and how their organization is involved.

This is the first episode of our "Gerrymandering Oklahoma" mini series. We're joined by OU political science professor Keith Gaddie to discuss the ins and outs of gerrymandering and the legislative redistricting process. (Hint: It's super important and most people have no idea.)

The judge has ruled: Oklahoma has won their lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson, and for that the state will receive $572 million...or will they?

Quick updates on the two ballot initiatives (SQ802 & 803) that are collecting signatures right now, plus we're joined by Sara Jane Rose and Alyssa Fisher from Sally's List to talk about recruiting and training women to run for public office. (Psst - you can do it!)

This is the third episode in our three-part series about criminal justice reform in Oklahoma. In this episode, we speak with state Representative Garry Mize about the legacy of state questions 780, 781, and 788, and what the legislative path to meaningful criminal justice reform might look like.

This is the second episode in our three-part series about criminal justice reform in Oklahoma. In this episode, local defense attorney Brian Jones walks us through each of the steps involved in the typical criminal legal process, including details about the many, MANY fines and fees, as well as some of the big fallacies most people people believe about how the legal system operates.

This is the first episode in our three part series on the criminal justice system in Oklahoma. We're joined by policy experts Damion Shade & Ryan Gentzler to lay a foundation of data about the Oklahoma criminal justice system, how we got here, and why things are so bad.

SERIES DESCRIPTION Criminal justice is always an important, hot button issue in our state. In fact, Oklahoma incarcerates more people per capita than anywhere else in the entire world. During this series we talk with subject matter experts, policy analysts, a criminal defense attorney, and a state legislator to find out how we got here, what our criminal justice system looks like, and how we can make it better. A good part of our discussion centers around two key ballot initatives - state question 780 that passed in 2016 and state question 788 that passed in 2018. These measures were enacted into law not by the legislature, but by the people of Oklahoma, illustrating that voters understand this is important and they want to see this issue improve.

Audio from the panel discussion following our "The West Wing" Watch Party, recorded live on May 15, 2019, featuring Donelle Harder (Gov. Stitt's spokesperson), Phil Bacharach (Chief of Staff to State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister), and Steve Hill (Chief of Staff to OKC Mayor David Holt).

We're joined by two members of OKC's LGBTQ community - one a Republican and the other a Democrat - to talk about how they got involved in politics, what Pride means to them, and how they navigate the waters that contain those two things.

We review the results of our 2019 #okleg Predict-o-Rama game and visit with one of the winners, Rep. Zack Taylor from Seminole.

We discuss the pros & cons of Governor Stitt replacing the veteran director of DHS with a young venture capitalist, Justin Brown. Special guest: attorney Brian Ted Jones.

We're joined by Oklahoma state Senator Carri Hicks and local actress/producer/activist Cacky Poarch to get their perspective on the 2019 legislative session and learn about "Faces of the 47th: The Art of Activism," a documentary feature film debuting at the deadCenter Film Festival next week.

Both chambers of #okleg have effectively adjourned, but did they complete all their work? We talk about what was left on the table and also visit with Representatives Josh West and Marcus McEntire about their experience in the legislature.

The #okleg reaches a budget agreement, the Governor sold his airplane, Andy's bill was vetoed, and we have not one but TWO Pruitt Watches. The end of session must be near!

As #okleg nears a budget agreement (or ARE they??), we turn to the municipal level and discuss designing safer, "complete" streets with guest Jonathan Dodson.

With less than a month 'til the end of session, we discuss rumors about the budget, the status of criminal justice reform, and Governor Stitt's use of the veto. We also curse more than usual. Earmuffs, kids. #SSGOTV.

From map data to prison data, from county government feuds to former legislators back in the news, from Medicaid expansion plans to a ban on bans, we've got a little something for everyone this week!

Sabine Brown (Together Oklahoma) and Carly Putnam (Oklahoma Policy Institute) join us to review the current state of healthcare in Oklahoma and their upcoming "Rally for Coverage."

Special guests Effie Craven and Rep. Jason Dunnington join the show to discuss where the legislature is with various bills and what it's like to text their moms.

Oklahoma has sued more than a dozen pharmaceutical companies over their creation & marketing of addictive opioid medications. Last week we learned that one company, Purdue Pharma, was settling out of court for $270 million. We sat down with the state's Attorney General, Mike Hunter, to discuss the case and the settlement.

Recorded live at Missy's Donuts in Guthrie, OK, we sit down with Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell to discuss his approach to the Lt. Gov position and his other position as Secretary of Tourism & Branding.

This week we discuss a bill to keep pollution audits private, cleaning up the voter rolls, and the high cost of transporting people with mental illness. Just a typical week in Oklahoma, right?

Should deceased candidates be allowed to remain on the ballot? We discuss the implications of that situation along with independent redistricting and the structure & finances of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES).

As bills move from one chamber to the other, we take a look at what legislation has been signed, what's [mostly] dead, and what are still alive. Special guest: Bo Broadwater from The Journal Record Legislative Report.

Tres Savage from NonDoc explains the finer points of why Oklahoma counties should be allowed to tax the production of aggregates (i.e. rocks and gravel) and we visit with Joe Hight, chairman of Freedom of Information Oklahoma, to discuss Sunshine Week, government transparency, and whether the legislature should be subject to the Open Records Act.

Most of us were taught that it's impolite to discuss religion & politics, but in Oklahoma, those topics are often intertwined. In the eyes of Jon Middendorf, pastor at @okcfirst, the gospel "has to have skin on it," and by that measure, it is inherently a political conversation. Join us as we discuss the intersection of these two issues and how they define our state.

Are multiple, concurrent audits of Oklahoma's Medicaid program really necessary? Plus we're joined by Senator Julia Kirt to discuss if allowing the Governor to appoint agency directors more or less transparent than the current system of boards.

The first month of the 57th legislature has been dominated by guns and abortion, and this week has been no exception. We're joined by the Liz Charles of the Oklahoma Women's Coalition and Bo Broadwater of The Journal Record to discuss permitless carry, "trigger laws," and what issues OWC is following most closely. Along the way we also discuss zoos, horoscopes, and a very awkward phrase that was used by a lawmaker this week.

The State of Oklahoma has some extra money this year...or does it? We discuss how much, where it's going, and status updates on bills about guns, HIV education, and Medicaid expansion.

We discuss the loosening of gun laws, find out who actually writes bills, and chat with Senator Greg McCortney about the details of "Unity Bill" that will tweak Oklahoma's new medical marijuana law. Plus a few tidbits about influenza among animals.

County commissioners who are also lobbyists, Stitt's first State of the State, and a surprisingly detailed recounting of a Lifetime movie. (with Krystal Yoseph & Grant Hermes)

This week it seemed like every party and organization released their legislative agenda - including Let's Fix this. So we decided to compare & contrast the big ones to parse out what policies we think will actually get passed this session.

We're joined by Krystal Yoseph to discuss Governor Stitt's first Executive Orders and cast our predictions for the 2019 Oklahoma legislative session.

Andy & Scott play a game of "OK, Stop!" with Governor Stitt's inauguration address, breaking it down phrase by phrase.

Quick recap of the election, what we think happened, and where this leaves us to start the 2019 legislative session.

We give a quick run-down of the state races we're watching this Election Day and which counties our forecast model says might be the most competitive.

Big news! We reveal our election projection data model and who may (or may not) win the Governor's race. We also talk you through how to make a voting plan, which is more helpful & imporant than you might think!

A very brief recap of the debate between candidates for US Congress, incumbent Steve Russell (R) and challenger Kendra Horn (D), followed by an interview with Republican candidate for Labor Commissioner, Leslie Osborn.

We catch up with candidates who have been travelling the state together during their campaigns - Democratic candidate for Labor Commissioner Fred Dorrell and Democratic candidate for Insurance Commissioner Kimberly Fobbs.

We discuss the pros and cons of each of the five state questions that are on your ballots this year.

A brief update on Oklahoma's medical marijuana situation, a discussion of partisan symbolism, and a visit with Democratic candidate for Attorney General, Mark Myles.

We sit down with two candidates running for statewide office - Kimberly Fobbs, who is running for Insurance Commissioner, and Fred Dorrell, who is running for Labor Commissioner. #Votelahoma

We recap the the Oklahoman's gubernatorial debate that aired tonight. Pretty self explanatory. You saw that coming, though, right?

We visit with our Washington correspondent Effie Craven and local restauranteur & Democratic candidate for OK County Treasurer, Daniel Chae.

We visit with two of Oklahoma's intrepid journalists to get an inside look into what it's like to cover the State Capitol and politics in general in today's political climate.

Andy & Scott are joined by Commander Scott Downey, USN, Retired, for what starts out as a discussion of current events and the run-off election but what ends up being a rather vulnerable conversation between a liberal and a conservative.

Did you know Oklahoma has a Solicitor General? (We didn't.) Do you have any idea what they do? (We definitely didn't.) Join us for an insightful conversation with Oklahoma's Solicitor General, Mithun Mansinghani.

We sit down with GOP candidate for Labor Commissioner and Oklahoma Representative Leslie Osborn to find out what, exactly, the position does in our state.

We're joined by academic linguist and political consultant Daniela Busciglio to discuss why words matter and how advocates can use science to help us get our point across more effectively.

Outgoing state senator AJ Griffin shares about her experience in the state legislature - the victories, the disappointments, why she's leaving, and what comes next. There's a short Pruitt Watch, and also - our mics didn't work properly, so part of the audio is meh.

As the primary run-off nears, we're joined by Republican candidates for Lt. Governor, Dana Murphy and Matt Pinnell, to discuss their perspectives on what that position actually does and their plan for it, should they be elected.

We manage to give you a recap this week's Oklahoma political news while also being distracted by Ghostbusters, Star Trek, and easily accessible barrier protection.

We discuss the bizarre things that happened this week in Oklahoma's medical marijuana saga, and then we speak with State Auditor Gary Jones to learn about the role of that position in our state government.

Ep 43: "A doctor, a lawyer, and a therapist walk into a bar." Scott (a doctor) and Andy (a therapist) have an unusually candid discussion about SQ788 (medical marijuana), ridiculous voter outrage, and how the issue is playing out in Oklahoma. The lawyer couldn't make it. Also a very brief "Pruitt Watch."

We recap the primary election and discuss the crazy high number of run-off elections, plus the final DC edition of "Pruitt Watch" and phone calls with Democratic nominee for Governor, Drew Edmondson, and Election Board PIO, Bryan Dean.

Recorded live at Oak & Ore, we visit voters & candidates to get their experience and response to the elections. Featuring Kayla & Anna from Localities OKC, Amy Curran & crew from Generation Citizen, Brett Dickerson from OKC Free Press, JoBeth Hamon, Bo Broadwater from The Journal Record, Sheri Guyse from Big Bravely, recovering politico Thomas Larson, and candidates Carrie Blumert and Daniel Chae.

We test out some new audio gear and help explain some of the nuances of SQ788 with a quick fact-check of some of the most notable claims about the proposed law and medical marijuana itself.

Andy & Scott are joined by attorney (and LFT board president) Nichole Moisant Gillett and wine guru Clayton Bahr to help explain the judicial positions that are up for election this month and what wines pair best with politics. (Bonus: all of our spouses / significant others are also present and occasionally chime in.)

Andy and Scott are joined by Tres Savage from NonDoc to recap the debate we held this week between Republican candidates for Labor Commissioner.

Andy and Scott are back from vacation! We take a quick look back at the 56th Oklahoma Legislature, discuss Governor Fallin's surprising vetoes of several bills, and give an update on the OSDH debacle. Then we lay out the plan ahead as we move into election season and head toward the 57th Legislature.

The second of two special episodes from our "From Walkout to What's Next?" events. This one was recorded live on April 23, 2018 at The Patriarch in Edmond, OK.

The first of two special episodes from our "From Walkout to What's Next?" events. This one was recorded live on April 22, 2018 and features guests Sabine Brown (Oklahoma Policy Institute) and Liz Waggoner (Oklahoma Women's Coalition).

Good news, Fixers - we have a winner to our 2018 Oklahoma Legislature Predict-o-Rama! And so, we take a quick look at what happened to the proposed legislation that was a part of the game and discuss what to expect from #LetsPodThis during the legislative offseason.

We finally - FINALLY - have an end to the 56th legislature...or do we? Regardless, we recap what happened during the last week of session, including three of the most contentious bills heard all session.

Intrepid local reporter Grant Hermes joins as special co-host to discuss the 2019 state budget. Grant also shares what he discovered when he called all state agencies to ask how much money they need to truly be "fully funded" and what that would actually look like.

We discuss the record number of people filing to run for office, what may happen regarding a tax on wind energy production, and give our best guesses about what will happen over the last few weeks of session.

As the walkout winds down, we wonder "What's Next?" for education advocates and the legislature. We discuss those questions and the record number of people who have filed to run for office.

The Oklahoma legislature raised taxes for the first time since 1990, but has already repealed some of the increases. We discuss how that all went down and what it means for the future, as well as the remaining potential for a teacher walk out.

For the first time since 1990, the OK House of Representatives passed a revenue package by achieving the required 75% majority of votes. The package funds a pay raise for teachers and public employees, but not everyone is happy, and the future of the bill is not certain.

We discuss the HIV education bill and compare the various plans to increase education funding. We also chat with Oklahoma state Senator Greg McCortney about social media usage, education funding, partisanship, and his advice on how voters can engage with the legislature.

With a teacher walk-out looming on the horizon, we visited with several teachers to get their thoughts and feelings on the subject. Scott and guest co-host John Rorke also discuss the weekly run-down of OK Capitol news, including the announcement that Oklahoma will resume executions, this time using...nitrogen gas?

Special sends draws to an end, giving way to the 2018 regular session bills, which include some good ones, bad ones, and downright odd ones. We also begin a discussion on post-partisanship in this highly partisan era.

The debate (and fate) of the Step Up plan, more Health Department shenanigans, unlikely partisan team-ups, and some deliciously nerdy #oklegvalentines tweets.

Following Governor Fallin's unusually brief State of State address, we visit with two voters (Nickolai & Courtney), a policy wonk (David Blatt), and a state representative (Marcus McEntire) to get a variety of responses to what the Governor had to say. [Apologies for sound quality - the Capitol is loud and we were trying out some new sound equipment!]

We look for our shadows and cast our predictions for the upcoming State of the State address and legislative session. There's also a discussion of "Friends" and Andy impersonates a woodland creature. Remember: on February 5th we'll be recording at the State Capitol following the State of the State address. We'd love to get your thoughts as well!

From education to alcohol and from sunscreen to feral hogs, we discuss some of the most interesting bills filed for the 2018 legislative session. Special guests Hayley Jones of CCOSA and LFT board member Effie Craven join in on the fun.

We discuss developments and implications of the proposed "Step Up Oklahoma" plan and take a look at the recently-released voter registration numbers. Oklahoma is losing voters!

Scott is back from holiday and getting caught up on the fact that the legislature is still in their second special session. We review the Step Up Oklahoma Coalition's suggested plan for fixing the state and begin discussing two of the State Questions that will be voted on in 2018.

While Scott is on holiday, Andy sits down with co-director of theOklahoma chapter of the New Leaders Council (NLC), Ashten Hughes, as well as an NLC Fellow (and friend of the pod), Anna Facci. We also announce the dates of our Capitol Days for this spring!

The Oklahoma State Dept of Health needed $30 million in order to make payroll last month. What the heck is going on over there? We analyze two weeks of testimony and break down a timeline presented this week by a former health department official.

Part 2 of our series about the relationship of politics in community. We're joined by biblical scholar and pastor Marty Michelson, to discuss another divisive topic - how Christianity fits in with politics and community.

In this catch-all episode, Scott and Andy discuss Governor Fallin's Executive Orders, the plans announced by two gubernatorial candidates, Thanksgiving travel, and a few other things.

We discuss the implications of (and responses to) Governor Fallin's veto of the Plan B budget bill.

We're joined by US Army Specialist (and LFT board member) John Rorke and discuss the "cash & cuts" bills passed by the OK House this week.

We break down the failed "Grand Bargain" revenue bill, why it failed, and what might happen next.

Seven weeks into Special Session, the legislature has finally passed one, small revenue measure. And we try to not talk about a representative calling public employees terrorists.

We discuss the Republican budget plan announced this week and hear from people attending the rally supporting mental health & substance abuse treatment.

We discuss the potentially devastating cuts to ODMHSAS and play the first round of "Will the Governor Veto?"

We discuss the budget deal the wasn't, Grover Norquist's anti-tax pledge, and an interview with Rep. Forrest Bennett.

Medicaid cuts, health department furloughs, and then an insightful discussion about taxation in the oil & gas industry and their role in fixing Oklahoma's budget with Joe Warren of OEPA.

We discuss what happened the first week of the special session, visit with some advocates at the Capitol, and talk with President of the LFT Board, Nichole Moisant Gillett.

Recap of what's happened in #okleg since last episode, plus interviews with Let's Fix This board member Scott Melson and state Senator David Holt.

We chat with former state representative Joe Dorman regarding the state Supreme Court striking down the cigarette "fee" and discuss the massive State Capitol restoration with project manager Trait Thompson.

Our first episode! We discuss the origins of Let's Fix This and the Oklahoma Supreme Court cases surrounding the constitutionality of three revenue measures. Token: 4EFHkdYBHSWzNK7jdxA4