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McGirt v. Oklahoma: SCOTUS turns Tulsa, OK, into Tulsa, MCN

Hello from Tulsa, M.C.N. We're not in Oklahoma any more. This morning, in a 5-4 decision, America's permanent super-legislature voted, in the case of McGirt v. Oklahoma, to liberate convicted child molester Jimcy McGirt by ruling that all the lands within the 1866 boundaries of the Muscogee Creek Nation...

Posted by Michael Bates on July 9, 2020 11:18 PM

SQ 780 & 781: Kunzweiler vs. Steele

Recently on Talk Radio 1170 KFAQ, Pat Campbell hosted a discussion on Oklahoma State Questions 780 and 781 with former State House Speaker Kris Steele, a proponent of the propositions, and Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler, who opposes them. The more I listened to Steele's arguments in favor, the...

Posted by Michael Bates on November 6, 2016 10:13 AM

Personhood: Those few who stood for the sanctity of human life

Last week, on April 26, when State Rep. Mike Reynolds tried in vain to appeal the ruling of the speaker pro tempore, so that the Personhood bill (SB 1433) would be heard, only 15 other state representatives were willing to stand with him. This in spite of the fact that...

Posted by Michael Bates on May 4, 2012 2:50 AM

Oklahoma House Republicans abort pro-life bill in secret caucus vote

Oklahoma Speaker of the House Kris Steele has pulled a pro-life bill from the House calendar, effectively killing it for the year. SB 1433, which establishes the principle that personhood begins at conception, was, figuratively speaking, poisoned and dismembered by Steele, who claimed the support of a secret vote in...

Posted by Michael Bates on April 24, 2012 1:31 AM

Capitol follies: Simonson and sales tax; Wright and Reynolds rap

Peter Rudy of Oklahoma Watchdog has a couple of intriguing items: Whatever happened to former mayoral chief of staff Terry Simonson? House Speaker Kris Steele appointed him to a municipal sales tax collection task force, and an interesting question came up at today's meeting of the task force: The former...

Posted by Michael Bates on February 16, 2012 6:11 PM

Oklahoma Republican House caucus in tumult; will we see a repeat of the '89 ouster of a Speaker?

Mike McCarville has two stories from the State Capitol about dissatisfaction among rank-and-file Republican members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives with the way Speaker Kris Steele is using (or abusing) his power. Steele has one year remaining as speaker. Republicans have already picked T. W. Shannon to succeed Steele...

Posted by Michael Bates on December 9, 2011 11:37 PM