Weekly Wrap for Nov. 13-17
State leaders responded this week to the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s ruling on Tuesday that keeps a temporary hold on three abortion laws in place. Oklahoma Democrats applauded the ruling, while the usual Republican suspects (plus Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell?) spoke out against it.
Speaking of speaking out, Gov. Kevin Stitt for some reason waded into the cockfighting issue, seemingly showing support for the barbaric practice and prompting former Gov. Frank Keating to issue a response admonishing Stitt’s supportive statement this week to the Oklahoma Gamefowl Commission. Legislators in recent sessions have tried to roll back the ban that was enacted in the early 2000s. Statewide opinion overwhelmingly favors the ban. Honestly not sure why Stitt would weigh in on this issue.
The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled against Wreckin’ Ball Ryan Walters’ State Department of Education this week, which had filed a motion for the court to intervene after Attorney General Gentner Drummond filed a writ of mandamus Oct. 20 asking the Oklahoma Supreme Court to compel the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board to cancel its contract with St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School.
And now, for the weekly rundown of Republican tomfoolery, shenanigans, and hijinks:
In case you missed it, U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin challenged Sean O’Brien, head of the Teamsters, to a fight in the middle of a Senate committee hearing. Mullin is the guy former Sen. Jim Inhofe said needed to cool it and get serious, played G.I. Joe in Afghanistan, and cowered in House chambers after trying to play hero during the Jan. 6 insurrection.
My money’s on the Teamsters.
And now, New York Rep. George Santos may finally be expelled from Congress after an ethics report found he used campaign money for Botox and an OnlyFans account. So…that’s what it takes.
Don’t forget to check out the latest in original Observer Substack content, and join us this Sunday at 11 am at BIG Brew Co. in Norman for this month’s Brews and Views. Oklahoma PFLAG founder Kay Holladay and Rep. Andy Fugate will be our guests as we discuss the extreme irony of Gov. Stitt declaring November “Oklahoma Family Month.”