This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel and former House Speaker Kris Steele about Governor Stitt's restrictions on bars and restaurants and mask requirement for state employees nd in state buildings to curb the spread of COVID-19 as well as Stitt's firing the president of the Virtual Charter School Board as he was investigating Epic Virtual Charter School. The trio also discusses calls by Republican lawmakers for an investigative audit o...
Nov 19, 2020•27 min•Ep. 95
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel and sitting in for Neva Hill is former House Speaker Kris Steele. They discuss an end to an amendment on the Open Meetings Act allowing for public bodies to hold meetings virtually, the Oklahoma County Budget Board voting to take $15M returned by the Jail Trust for businesses and others impacted by the pandemic and former Oklahoma Congressman Jim Bridenstine stepping down as the head of NASA. The tr...
Nov 12, 2020•24 min•Ep. 94
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the race in Congressional District Five where Republican challenger Stephanie Bice beat Incumbent Democrat Kendra Horn, and both State Question 805 to end sentence enhancements and 814, to take money from the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust for Medicaid expansion failed to get enough votes to pass. The trio also discusses other election results ...
Nov 05, 2020•26 min•Ep. 93
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the outgoing Republican Oklahoma County Sheriff endorsing the Democratic candidate for the election to replace him, State Question 805 to remove sentence enhancements for nonviolent offenders and State Question 814 to take money from the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust to give to lawmakers to pay for Medicaid expansion. The trio also discusses G...
Oct 29, 2020•26 min•Ep. 92
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the upcoming General Election and races they are watching, the Oklahoma City Fraternal Order of Police endorses GOP State Senator Stephanie Bice for Congressional District Five and Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abby Broyles outraises her opponent Incumbent Republican Jim Inhofe. The trio also discusses the Oklahoma Health Care Authority moving f...
Oct 22, 2020•27 min•Ep. 91
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the fallout for Epic Virtual Charter School following a reports from the State Auditor and Inspector and Governor Stitt faces pushback from trying to move forward with the privatization of Medicaid. The trio also discusses more pushback against the governor's plan to move the State's Public Health Lab from Oklahoma City to Stillwater and Stitt is g...
Oct 15, 2020•26 min•Ep. 90
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about a fight between the Oklahoma County Commissioners and the Oklahoma County Jail Trust over immigrations officers in the jail, the State Auditor releases a "deeply concerning" investigation of EPIC Virtual Charter School and the EPA gives Governor Stitt authority over environmental issues on tribal lands. The trio also discusses health care groups co...
Oct 08, 2020•26 min•Ep. 89
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel about support from Oklahoma Senators James Lankford and Jim Inhofe to vote for President Trump's nominee to replace the late-Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg on the U.S. Supreme Court, the Oklahoma County Jail Trust falling one vote shy of removing Immigrations and Customs Enforcement out of the jail and the state's decision to start testing prison...
Sep 24, 2020•25 min•Ep. 88
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel about a criminal justice reform group calling on Governor Stitt and the Department of Corrections to take steps to stem the spread of COVID-19, Tulsa City Council unanimously approved a new Hate Crimes ordinance to include sexual orientation and gender identity and the state Supreme Court denies Stitt's request for a rehearing on its decision ...
Sep 17, 2020•23 min•Ep. 87
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel about a new White House Coronavirus report putting our state in the top ten for COVID positivity rate and daily cases per capita, a federal appeals court declares Oklahoma City's 2015 anti-panhandling ordinance unconstitutional and Attorney General Mike Hunter defends the state's absentee ballot law. The trio also discusses Oklahoma City passi...
Sep 10, 2020•29 min•Ep. 86
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill about State Senator Stephanie Bice defeating Terry Neese in the Republican Primary Runoff for Congressional District moving to the General Election against incumbent Democrat Kendra Horn, while Horn is getting an endorsement from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce despite opposition from the State Chamber. The trio also discusses losses in the Republican Primary Runoff by three state senators and ...
Sep 03, 2020•27 min•Ep. 85
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel about Oklahomans passing State Question 802 to expand Medicaid in the state, a runoff in the Republican primary between Stephanie Bice and Terry Neece to take on Congresswoman Kendra Horn and Abby Broyles wins the Democratic nomination to take on Senator Jim Inhofe. The trio also discusses other races of note especially where several incumbent...
Jul 01, 2020•25 min•Ep. 84
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel about the rally for President Trump in Tulsa, State Question 802 to expand Medicaid in Oklahoma which will be decided on Tuesday and the State Supreme Court shoots down an initiative petition to repeal the state's permitless carry law. The trio also discusses the high court's approval of a referendum to legalize recreational marijuana in the s...
Jun 25, 2020•25 min•Ep. 83
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel about the rally for President Trump coming up on Saturday at the BOK Center in Tulsa and the Norman City Council votes to redistribute $865,000 from the police department to other services. The trio also discusses news of a new Political Action Committee formed to oppose State Question 802 to expand Medicaid in Oklahoma and a dispute between O...
Jun 18, 2020•25 min•Ep. 82
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel about the U.S. Department allowing gaming compacts between Governor Stitt and two tribes to move forward through inaction, the governor and his wife, Sarah hold a panel on race relations and a new poll shows a majority of Oklahomans support the protesters. The trio also discusses another showing a partisan divide over a possible COVID-19 vacci...
Jun 11, 2020•25 min•Ep. 81
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel about the governor activating the National Guard in response to the protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, the State Health Department reverses its course on limiting certain data on COVID-19 and a petition to create an independent redistricting commission gets approval from the state supreme court, but its future remains unce...
Jun 04, 2020•23 min•Ep. 80
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel about the Oklahoma Supreme Court ordering the Secretary of State to start counting signatures on a ballot measure dealing with sentencing reform, lawmakers meeting to override gubernatorial vetoes while at the same time leaving some vetoes to stand. The trio also discusses the decision by the executive director of the Oklahoma Employment Secur...
May 28, 2020•27 min•Ep. 79
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel about the decision by lawmakers to end the legislative session two weeks early, Governor Stitt vetoes a bill on rural broadband and lawmakers pass a bill giving a Cost of Living Adjustment for State Retirees. The trio also discusses a constitutional challenge to the new law requiring notarization of absentee ballots and remembering Oklahoma Ci...
May 21, 2020•26 min•Ep. 78
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel about an override of the governor's veto of the state budget, Governor Stitt forms a bipartisan committee to deal with the federal funds to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and the Senate says sit won't confirm Interim Health Commissioner Gary Cox to the job leading the agency. Plus, the trio discusses the governor signing a bill requiring nota...
May 14, 2020•28 min•Ep. 77
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel about lawmakers attaching strings to a new round of executive powers to the governor, legislative leaders announce a budget deal and Republicans push through a bill requiring notarization of absentee ballots. The trio also discusses an opinion from the attorney general saying the governor overstepped his authority in authorizing gaming compact...
May 07, 2020•27 min•Ep. 76
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel about State Attorney General Mike Hunter calling for an audit of the Department of Health and cities follow quickly behind the state after Governor Stitt announced plans to reopen Oklahoma for business. The trio also discusses state leaders asking if its possible to cancel federal unemployment checks of $600 a week and lawmakers are scheduled ...
Apr 30, 2020•28 min•Ep. 75
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel about a call from Governor Stitt to start reopening businesses in the state starting this week and the State Board of Equalization declares a revenue failure to fund the government through the current fiscal year, but the state faces a shortfall in the next fiscal year of $1.3B. The trio also discusses new gaming compacts declared by Governor ...
Apr 23, 2020•27 min•Ep. 74
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel about the lawsuit by legislative leaders to get the governor to call a revenue emergency so they can fund the government through the month of June and number provided by the governor's office on how many inmates are getting released in the latest round of commutations were incorrect. The trio also a "Worst-Case Scenario" for the state tax coll...
Apr 16, 2020•29 min•Ep. 73
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel about the battle between the Governor and lawmakers over $500M in supplemental funding passed overwhelmingly by the legislature and the governor's health emergency gets approves allowing him to suspend any laws and regulations interfering with response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The trio also discusses an appeal by the state hoping to overturn ...
Apr 09, 2020•25 min•Ep. 72
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel about a revenue shortfall expected soon from the State of Oklahoma for the remainder of the current fiscal year, unofficial numbers show about 45,000 unemployment claims last week and Governor Stitt's emergency declaration over COVID-19 might have unintentionally killed signature gathering on initiative petitions set for the November ballot. T...
Apr 02, 2020•29 min•Ep. 71
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel about Governor Stitt's "Safer at Home" policy to curb the outbreak of COVID-19, a US Department of Labor email asking local employment agencies to limit the amount of information released to the public and the State Health Department is withholding much needed medical supplies pending an audit. The trio also discusses state schools closing the...
Mar 26, 2020•24 min•Ep. 70
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel about Senate Bill 661 to temporarily alter the state's Open Meetings laws allowing public bodies to teleconference into meetings during the COVID-19 crisis and state lawmakers worry about the budget with oil prices declining as well as businesses and casinos closing to stem the spread of the corona virus. The trio also discusses news of the st...
Mar 19, 2020•27 min•Ep. 69
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director about a ruling from State Attorney General Mike Hunter telling the governor he can't keep funds from tribal gaming compacts in an escrow while he waits on a federal lawsuit, a drop in oil prices and Oklahoma energy company stocks could have a major impact on the state's budget and Governor Stitt calls on the health department to move forward with paperwor...
Mar 12, 2020•28 min•Ep. 68
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel about the results of the Presidential Primary Super Tuesday vote in the Sooner State, seven counties pass new laws allowing liquor stores to stay open on Sundays & Oklahoma City voters say no to an eighth cent sales tax for municipal parks. The trio also discusses renewed effort by supporters of Medicaid expansion to get the governor to se...
Mar 05, 2020•28 min•Ep. 67
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel about Oklahoma's involvement in the upcoming Super Tuesday Presidential Primary, a call to the Attorney General on whether Governor Stitt can keep tribal gaming funds in an escrow without putting them in state coffers and Stitt signs his first bill of 2020 to increase transparency in private school money from public dollars. The trio also disc...
Feb 27, 2020•24 min•Ep. 66
