Gov. Stitt Criticizes Oklahoma’s Supreme Court Appointment Process
Gov. Kevin Stitt says he prefers the federal government’s top court justice selection process over Oklahoma’s tiered and so-called independent appointment system.
Stitt just made his fourth appointment to the Oklahoma Supreme Court. He says the 15-member Judicial Nominating Commission, which vets candidates and provides him a short list of potential appointees, has mostly worked. But he still has his qualms with it.
"I know how the sausage is made on that and in one day, they had to interview all 14 of them. So they're literally 20 minute, you know, interviews," said Stitt.
The interviews are not open to the public and commissioner votes for candidates are kept secret – in the name of remaining apolitical. But Republican lawmakers don’t buy the secrecy, and are carrying bills this year to reform the process, either in part or completely.
If it were up to Stitt, he says he’d rather have the sole power to pick nominees and hold public Senate confirmation hearings, just like at the federal level.
It could happen if lawmakers – and the general public – want it to, as any change to the judicial selection process would mean a change to the State Constitution and trigger a vote of the people.
Oklahoma City Marks 30 Years Since Murrah Bombing With Ceremony and Reflections
Thirty years ago on April 19, 1995, Oklahoma City became the site of the nation’s deadliest act of domestic terrorism.
The milestone will be marked with a speech from former President Bill Clinton, remarks from community members and 168 moments of silence — one for each person killed in the bombing.
Mayor David Holt says after three decades, the way we remember the bombing is evolving.
"You kind of think of every one of these anniversaries on two levels," Holt said in an interview with News9. "One is to honor those who were killed, those who survived and those changed forever. But also to share lessons of the event forward with people who maybe weren't even alive, and that's a growing number of people every day, right?"
For those who want to learn more about the bombing and the city’s response to it, the Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum will offer no-cost admission on Saturday.
Due to weather conditions and forecasts for Saturday morning, the event is moving indoors.
The ceremony is now set to take place at the First Church at the corner of NW 5th and Robinson.
It begins at 8:30 Saturday morning.
KGOU will air an audio simulcast courtesy of KFOR-TV.
Lawmakers Probe Mental Health Department Over Budget Gaps, Funding Request
A special Oklahoma House committee Thursday spent hours exploring budget shortfalls, contract cancellations and the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services’ request for additional funding.
House Speaker Kyle Hilbert called the hearing after the state mental health agency requested a supplemental appropriation of more than $6 million. Lawmakers say they’re concerned about the gap.
Much of their time was spent questioning mental health commissioner Allie Friesen (free-sen), who says she welcomes the scrutiny during her testimony.
"What this administration will not tolerate is, ‘make it look good and don’t show anybody the bad,'" Friesen said.
This investigation and others are ongoing. But critics say a major overhaul of the department and its practices is warranted.
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