2 weeks Ago
The tab for the dark money war over the Oklahoma Supreme Court topped $3.6 million this week and undoubtedly will rise over the days remaining until the 2024 election closes on Tuesday. Interests trying to oust three justices who have been branded "liberal" reported spending an additional $1.
4 million on their campaign in addition to $640,000 reported earlier. Supporters of the justices — and, they say, the independence of the judiciary — reported spending $1.6 million.
The entire $3.64 million has been spent by four organizations — two on each side — none of which has reported its donors and likely won't. At issue is the attempt by People for Opportunity, a nonprofit associated with the conservative Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, and 46 Action, a political action committee with ties to Gov.
Kevin Stitt, to remove Justices Yvonne Kauger, James Edmondson and Noma Gurich because they have so often ruled against Stitt and issues of interest to the OCPA. People are also reading..
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' TPS board member E’Lena Ashley defends promotion of anti-immigrant rhetoric Kevin Wilson’s social media account spars with fans, media, former TU AD after historic comeback Tulsa stuns UTSA with miraculous second-half comeback on homecoming Gov. Stitt-linked dark-money operation spends $240,000 to oust Supreme Court justices Oklahoma lawmakers discuss road user fees: You would be tracked and pay per mile Rush of voters line up for early voting at Tulsa County Election Board locations All three are on this year's retention ballot, along with nine other appellate judges. The three would be replaced by Stitt if voters choose not to retain them on Tuesday.
There may also be a certain intimidation factor in the campaign. The three justices constitute three of the four Democratic appointees on the nine-member court, which means Republican appointees have also ruled contrary to the wishes of Stitt and the OCPA. The council for years has argued that state judges should be more in line with Oklahoma's political leadership.
No justice has ever lost a retention election in the state. Justices generally cannot campaign on their own behalf or be involved in political activity, but they may have some well-situated friends who are willing to do it for them. Although it is unclear who is supplying the money for each side of the campaigns, Oklahoma's largest Indian tribes have publicly supported the justices, as have former Attorneys General Mike Hunter and Drew Edmondson, who is James Edmondson's brother.
At least two cases involving the tribes are currently before the state Supreme Court. Elsewhere, supporters of State Question 833 reported another $451,560 in expenditures on top of more than $300,00 reported earlier. SQ 833 is a constitutional amendment allowing the creation of public infrastructure districts — special tax districts that could be used to shift some up-front construction costs from developers to lower interest municipal bonds paid off by special property tax assessments of up to 10 mills on homebuyers.
Also, the Blue Horizon PAC reported sinking another $291,000 into the Oklahoma County sheriff's race on the side of Democrat Wayland Cubit. The PAC previously reported spending $342,000 on the race. Find complete coverage about what is on the ballot in the Tulsa metro and information about races across the country.
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