This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and former Democratic House Speaker Steve Lewis about an upcoming subpoena from the Ethics Commission to State Superintendent Ryan Walters concerning his run for office in 2022, Governor Stitt's call to create an Oklahoma State Guard and bills to watch as we get ready to kick off the 60th legislative session on February 3rd. The trio also discusses Attorney General Gentner Drummond's decisio...
Jan 23, 2025•34 min•Ep. 267
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and former Democratic House Speaker Steve Lewis sitting in for Ryan Kiesel about Governor Stitt signing an executive order allowing colleges and foundations to pay for student athletes name, image or likeness and Superintendent Ryan Walters announcing a lawsuit against federal officials for costs associate with educating immigrant children. The trio also discusses Attorney General Gentner Dr...
Jan 16, 2025•34 min•Ep. 266
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and former House Speaker Steve Lewis about a video from State Superintendent Ryan Walters attacking teachers and teachers' unions, Oklahoma County ending its lawsuit against OKC over the location of a new jail and supporters of an open primary ballot measure refiling their initiative petition with the Secretary of State. The trio also discusses Organizational Day at the State Capitol for law...
Jan 09, 2025•32 min•Ep. 265
This Week in Oklahoma Politics is taking a break during the holidays, but never fear, Neva, Ryan and Michael are returning to discuss all the things going on at the State Capitol and beyond starting on January 9th, 2025.
Dec 19, 2024•2 min
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the State Supreme Court refusing to issue a prohibition against Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Todd Hiett, resignations at the Pardon and Parole Board cause delays in a clemency hearing for a death row inmate and the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority increases tolls across the state effective January First. The trio also discusses the creation of an o...
Dec 12, 2024•33 min•Ep. 264
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the State Department of Education buying 532 Trump-endorsed Bibles for nearly $25K, Superintendent Ryan Walters mandating schools show a video of him announcing his Office of Religious Liberty and Patriotism along with him praying for President-elect Trump and a new initiative petition to open the primary election process to everyone. The trio also...
Nov 21, 2024•33 min•Ep. 263
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about a busy week for State Superintendent Ryan Walters preparing for President-elect Trump to take office and possibly dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, Governor Stitt creating an Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives and Senate Republican and Democrats electing new leadership. The trio also discusses the State Supreme Court taking u...
Nov 14, 2024•44 min•Ep. 262
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the 2024 General Elections in our state including the Presidential race where for the third time in a row, all 77 counties voted in favor of now President-Elect Donald Trump, two of the three state Supreme Court justices up for retention votes will stay in their seats while another was ousted by just 7,000 votes and it was a split for State Questio...
Nov 07, 2024•33 min•Ep. 261
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about a new report following an investigation against the State Department of Education and Superintendent Ryan Walters, an update on campaign expenditures showing how much has been spent so far this election cycle and Oklahoma's Chief Information Officer resigns after entering a settlement agreement with the Ethics Commission. The trio also discusses a ...
Oct 31, 2024•32 min•Ep. 260
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about a lawsuit against State Superintendent Ryan Walters mandate to put Bibles in every classroom, a new report on Oklahoma's private school tax credit showing barriers for families and the U.S. Supreme Court agreeing to hear Oklahoma's challenge to a E.P.A. decision to move lawsuits to a Washington, D.C. court. The trio also discusses the General Elect...
Oct 24, 2024•31 min•Ep. 259
This Week in Oklahoma is taking a short hiatus during the fall break and will return next week.
Oct 17, 2024•2 min•Ep. 258
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about a Request for Proposal on bids for 55,000 Bibles for Oklahoma classrooms, Attorney General Gentner Drummond sends a scathing letter to Superintendent Ryan Walters over a delay in getting inhalers to schools and a statewide charter board want the U.S. Supreme Court to take up the case of a Catholic charter school. The trio also discusses a board led...
Oct 10, 2024•38 min•Ep. 257
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the State Supreme Court giving the go ahead for an investigation of Corporation Commissioner Todd Hiett, State Superintendent Ryan Walters requesting $6 million to put Bibles in every public school classroom as well as $500,000 for school personnel firearm training and Gov. Kevin Stitt undergoing heart surgery without notifying his next in successi...
Oct 03, 2024•32 min•Ep. 256
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about a federal judge ruling against State Superintendent Ryan Walters in his legal battle with Oklahoma City television station KFOR, Attorney General Gentner Drummond asking an appellate court to overturn the injunction against Oklahoma's new anti-illegal immigration law and a consent decree to bring more mental health treatment with inmates in county ...
Sep 26, 2024•33 min•Ep. 255
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about three Republican lawmakers calling on the state Supreme Court to disqualify Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Todd Hiett from utility rate hike cases, investigation against State Superintendent Ryan Walters and the Department of Education and ethics questions regarding a southeast Oklahoma representative over green-energy projects on his land. The ...
Sep 19, 2024•42 min•Ep. 254
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about State Question 832 to increase the minimum wage getting pushed for a vote in June of 2026, the recount for Tulsa mayor ends with no significant changes and State Superintendent Ryan Walters along with the Board of Education face a couple of legal issues in the past week. The trio also discusses the U.S. Department of Education giving $59M to Oklaho...
Sep 12, 2024•32 min•Ep. 253
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the expected changes in the state legislature after summer primary and runoff elections, a group of far right Republicans announce the creation of the Oklahoma Freedom Caucus and State Superintendent Ryan Walters' Bible mandate. The trio also discusses a judge rejecting the consent decree announced by Attorney General Gentner Drummond to improve me...
Sep 05, 2024•38 min•Ep. 252
This week in Oklahoma Politics is taking a break for the summer months. Ryan, Neva and Michael will be returning on September 6th. In the meantime, stay up to date with the latest Oklahoma news by subscribing to the KOSU Daily podcast and keep up today at KOSU.org.
Jul 16, 2024•2 min
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the State Supreme Court ruling against a Catholic charter school finding it unconstitutional, Governor Stitt creating advisors rather than cabinet members to avoid state law banning people from holding two separate offices. The trio also discusses Stitt's approval of controversial State Department of Education rules championed by Superintendent Rya...
Jun 27, 2024•31 min•Ep. 251
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the primary elections, spending by State Superintendent Ryan Walters on public relations and the State Supreme Court ruling in favor of Edmond Public Schools to choose which books to keep in its library. The trio also discusses the decision by a federal judge to block portions of a law to ban school classes on certain racial and gender topics and G...
Jun 20, 2024•40 min•Ep. 250
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 primary elections, Governor Stitt's call for a special session to consider his nomination of Mike Holder to the Board of Regents for A&M Colleges and Oklahoma County Commissioners moving forward with the purchase of land near Del City for a new jail. The Trio also discusses a decision by an Oklahoma County judge saying gubernatoria...
Jun 13, 2024•35 min•Ep. 249
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the nearly $12.5B budget passed by lawmakers in the waning days of the 2024 legislative session as well as an overview of the session itself. The trio also discusses lawmakers wanting an inquiry by the attorney general of the top adviser for State Superintendent Ryan Walters and the governor's announcement of a partnership between the state and Goo...
Jun 06, 2024•34 min•Ep. 248
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the State of Oklahoma facing a lawsuit from the U.S. Department of Justice over its new immigration law, OKC Council denying a special permit for a new Oklahoma County Jail near Del City and a budget agreement from state lawmakers. The trio also discusses the passage of a revised version of the Oklahoma Survivors' Act to protect victims of domestic...
May 23, 2024•33 min•Ep. 247
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about budget talks ongoing with a week left in the regular session, a district judge halting Oklahoma's law creating a blacklist of banks deemed critical of the oil and gas industry and Congressman Tom Cole facing a challenge from a well-financed Texas businessman. The trio also talks about Robert Kennedy, Jr. getting added to the Presidential ballot in ...
May 16, 2024•35 min•Ep. 246
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Pollical Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about Governor Stitt and legislative leaders coming together to hold budget negotiations in public, State Superintendent Ryan Walters and AG Gentner Drummond filing separate legal challenges to the new rules from the Biden Administration over Title IX rules and state leaders raising concerns about a drop in Oklahoma high school rankings in a national publ...
May 09, 2024•31 min•Ep. 245
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the governor signing a controversial Texas-style illegal immigration bill and more trouble for Tourism Director Shelley Zumwalt. The trio also talks about the leader of the State Senate abruptly replacing his Appropriations Chairman with less than a month left in the state legislature and State Superintendent Ryan Walters threatening a lawsuit agai...
May 02, 2024•34 min•Ep. 244
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about an audit showing questionable contracts by the Office of Management and Enterprise Services and then-Director Shelley Zumwalt during the pandemic, Governor Stitt vetoing a bill to protect victims of domestic abuse and lawmakers sending Governor Stitt a controversial immigration bill. The trio also talks about Oklahoma City Democratic Senator Carrie...
Apr 25, 2024•44 min•Ep. 243
This week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about a new immigration bill unveiled by legislative leadership earlier this week, the State House releasing a budget proposal to include a tax cut already rejected by the Senate and lawmakers in the House rejecting a measure to eliminate the Judicial Nominating Commission. The trio also discusses a new report showing more than 130 people have left the S...
Apr 18, 2024•38 min•Ep. 242
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about a low turnout in the number of candidates filing for the 2024 election, a governor's task force calling for a lifting of the cap on individual donations to political campaigns and Congressman Tom Cole's elevation to chairman of the powerful U.S. House Appropriations Committee. The trio also discusses the stalemate at the State Capitol over the budg...
Apr 11, 2024•36 min•Ep. 241
This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about arguments before the State Supreme Court regarding a Catholic virtual charter school, approval for an initiative petition to raise the state's minimum wage to move forward and a preliminary hearing over Epic Charter Schools' cofounders. The trio also discuses State Superintendent Ryan Walters' plan to create an Office of School Choice and House Edu...
Apr 04, 2024•32 min•Ep. 240
