Lobbyists seeking to influence elected officials in Oklahoma continue to spend some of the highest amounts ever in spite of rules intended to curb their practices.
As State Government Goes More Digital, Tag Agencies Endure
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Gov. Kevin Stitt has made government modernization a centerpiece of his first year in office. But that vision could falter when applied to one of the state’s long-time service providers: local tag agencies.
In Latest Purge, Nearly 90,000 Inactive Voters Removed From Rolls
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State election officials removed nearly 90,000 inactive voters from Oklahoma’s voter rolls earlier this month during its biennial purging of the list.
Working in Background, Lawyer Reaps Fees in Opioid Case
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Attorneys in Oklahoma’s opioid lawsuit have bragged that they slept on cots in their offices and went through millions of pages of evidence. But one private attorney in the case, a former legislative leader, stands to make $5.6 million in the recent settlement against a drugmaker despite having no obvious role documented in court filings.
Pursuit of Curbs and Transparency in Contingency Cases
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For more than a decade, state lawmakers have sought various ways to curb contingency fees for private attorneys who contract with the state, as well as make the costs more transparent. But none have passed.
Records Show Stitt’s Plan: Expand Agency Control, Launch ‘Community Turnaround’
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A strategic plan laying out one-year and four-year goals for Gov. Kevin Stitt’s administration, obtained by Oklahoma Watch, includes securing gubernatorial control of all state agencies and boards, changing the educational system and launching an initiative aimed at social issues.
Tribes Shut Out of ‘Opportunity Zone’ Deals
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Native American tribes across the country were left out of a major part of a new federal tax incentive for opportunity zones, with their governments unable to pool investments to support projects in some of the nation’s poorest areas.
With Lawsuit Pending, Stitt Nominee for Veterans Secretary Withdraws
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Gov. Kevin Stitt’s nominee for secretary of veterans affairs and the military has withdrawn his name from consideration. His consulting company, Check-6, faces lawsuits alleging he underpaid veterans who work for him by misclassifying them as contractors.
Stitt Financial Disclosure Shows Wide-Ranging Investments
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Gov. Kevin Stitt’s financial disclosure form shows varied holdings in real estate, banking and energy across multiple states. Stitt is the first governor since Robert S. Kerr to come directly to the office from a private company without having held public office first.
Stitt’s Pick for Veterans Secretary Accused of Underpaying Veterans
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Gov. Kevin Stitt’s choice for secretary of veterans affairs and the military has been accused of shortchanging veterans who work for his consulting company, according to a federal lawsuit in Louisiana.
Bucking Ethics Proposal, Legislators Become Lobbyists
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Three former legislators who left office in November are now lobbyists, embodying a practice that state ethics officials have unsuccessfully tried to ban in the face of opposition from the Legislature.