AG Investigation Into McCurtain County Sheriff
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond has requested that the OSBI expand its investigation into McCurtain County Sheriff Kevin Clardy, following allegations of racist remarks and a murder plot on journalists.
In a letter from the AG, the investigation revealed evidence of wrongdoing, and includes eight potential grounds for removal.
Community members and Gov. Kevin Stitt have called for the Sheriff's resignation, but he has refused to step down, claiming that the audio recording was altered.
New Law Provides Safety Provisions For Election Workers
Oklahoma election workers will have new safety protections while working the polls.
Gov. Kevin Stitt signed Senate Bill 481, authored by Senator Dave Rader and Representative Jeff Boatman, into law last week.
The law makes it a crime to harass, intimidate, threaten or “dox” an election worker - and also makes it a crime to impersonate an election official with the intent to influence the election.
“As someone who has personally been doxed and threatened, I can tell you that I and election officials across the state are very, very grateful to the Legislature and the Governor for taking these threats against election officials seriously,” said Oklahoma State Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax.
The punishment for threatening and intimidating or impersonating an election official is now a misdemeanor charge.
Elections will held in 22 counties tomorrow.
Sen. Dahm To Lead Oklahoma GOP
The Oklahoma Republican Party has new leadership.
Oklahoma Senator Nathan Dahm will take over as the new GOP chairman for Oklahoma’s Republican Party. He is widely known for being one of the most conservative Republicans in the state legislature.
The Broken Arrow senator pushed anti-abortion legislation and pro-gun laws and has been a candidate for open Congressional seats in the past - losing in primaries.
As state party leader, Dahm will be responsible for things like fundraising efforts, voter registration and recruiting candidates - which he says will be a major focus.
Dahm takes over for former chairman A.J. Ferate - who filled a vacancy left by GOP Chairman John Bennett.
Dahm will hold the chairman position for the next two years. He also says he will retain his state senate seat.
Federal Relief Funding Available For Native American Farm, Food Workers
Farm and food workers of Native American tribes are eligible to receive federal relief money to help offset the costs related to the pandemic.
Under the Farm and Food Workers Relief Program, the Cherokee Nation is giving one-time $600 relief payments to farmworkers and meatpackers who performed their jobs during the pandemic.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture allocated $41 million to Cherokee Nation to distribute federal relief payments over the next two years.
Applicants must have worked at least an hour of work on a farm, ranch or meat processing facility between January 2020 to April of this year to be eligible for the relief money.
Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. says as many as six million Natives may be eligible for relief payments.
Farm and food workers living within the Cherokee Nation reservation can apply but priority will be given to applicants of federally recognized tribes across the country.
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