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PM NewsBrief: Jan. 29, 2024

This is the KGOU PM NewsBrief for Monday, January 29, 2024.

Oklahoma Republican Party Condemns U.S. Senator James Lankford

A faction of Oklahoma’s Republican Party is condemning Senator James Lankford’s efforts to work with Democrats on a bipartisan immigration deal.

But, not all state GOP leaders are on board with the move.

Republican Party state vice-chairman Wayne Hill called a meeting over the weekend to pass a resolution rebuking Senator Lankford for working with Democrats on a border security and immigration deal.

State Sen. Nathan Dahm leads the state party as its chairman. He condemned the move in a letter to members.

He writes it’s illegitimate because Hill did not have the authority to call a meeting on the party’s behalf without his permission.

The nonprofit news outlet Oklahoma Voice reports Hill’s rebuke is mostly symbolic.

Lankford has been working on a bipartisan group of senators for months on an immigration deal related to the nation’s southern border.

Town Hall Tonight On New Oklahoma County Jail

Oklahoma City and state elected leaders are holding a town hall this evening to discuss the potential sites for the new county jail.

Oklahoma County commissioners are still considering a highly-contested location at SE 15th and Grand Blvd.

Last week, commissioners dropped the location near the Stockyards.

Public comments are encouraged.

The town hall begins at 6 p.m. at the MetroTech Springlake Campus Auditorium.

Exonerated Former Death Row Inmate Files Lawsuit

An Oklahoma man who is the longest serving exonerated person has filed a lawsuit over his wrongful conviction.

Gylnn Simmons was released from prison last year after serving time for the murder of Carolyn Sue Rogers.

The lawsuit alleges former detectives Anthony David Garrett and Claude L. Shobert suppressed reports that showed different individuals were selected in a police lineup during the investigation of the murder.

It also alleges they manipulated the witness into identifying Simmons in a lineup - and since there was no physical evidence connecting Simmons to the crime, his arrest was based on suppressed evidence and fabricated reports.

Simmons, now 71 years old, spent nearly 50 years in prison before his case was thrown out last summer after it was decided he did not receive a fair trial.

In September, Oklahoma County District Attorney Vicki Behenna dismissed his case because her office could not prove his guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

State Board Of Education Approves Final Rule On Student Pronoun Changes

The State Board of Education approved a rule last week prohibiting school districts from changing students’ gender designations on prior school records without its approval.

This comes despite a lawsuit over the issue that’s garnered national attention.

Even if a student gets a court order to legally change their gender, the rule says they must get approval from the State Board of Education.

It applies only to prior student records, not current or future ones. The permanent rule was approved by the board unanimously.

"We do not want these transgender games going on in our school. (...) It’s something that, unfortunately, is necessary because of what the left has pushed into our schools," said State Superintendent Ryan Walters.

The rule has already been in effect as an emergency since October.

It was made in response to a court order authorizing a student from Moore Public Schools to legally change their gender.

That student and another from Cushing Public Schools petitioned the board for the changes, and both were denied.

The Moore student filed suit in December against the board, which is now in federal court.

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