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D.C. Digest: Oklahoma Republicans praise border bill

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D.C. Digest: Oklahoma Republicans praise border bill


Border battles: Unsurprisingly, Oklahoma’s all-Republican House of Representatives delegation cheered passage of the Republican border security bill last week. The bill is not expected to become law as written, but Senate Republicans and Democrats said they think it might lead to bipartisan agreement on some issues.

Oklahoma’s House members used Thursday’s vote to attack what they described as a failure by the Biden administration to stem the tidal wave immigrants — up to 10,000 a day — arriving at the U.S. border with Mexico.

“Today,” said 1st District Congressman Kevin Hern, “we passed the strongest border security measure the House of Representatives has ever seen. It couldn’t be more timely with the expiration of Title 42 tonight. This bill is a promise fulfilled to the American people.”

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“Congress has a duty to put an end to this crisis. Article IV, Section 4 of the Constitution guarantees states protection against invasion. And make no mistake — we have an invasion on our Southern border,” said 2nd District Congressman Josh Brecheen.

“I will be the first to admit, this bill is not perfect,” said 3rd District Congressman Frank Lucas. “I share the concerns of many about stabilizing our agricultural workforce and ensuring those who come to our country legally have the opportunity to build their own ‘American Dream.’ But given the importance of ending this crisis, I cannot let the perfect be the enemy of the good.”

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This bill is a complete rejection of President Biden’s border policies and purposeful inaction,” said 4th District Congressman Tom Cole, “and I was certainly proud to support its passage to uphold our constitutional obligation to keep Americans safe.”

Fifth District Congresswoman Stephanie Bice said the bill would “deploy advanced technology, provide increased resources for CBP officers, and strengthen current law to combat human trafficking.”

Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. James Lankford, who has spent a large share of his time on the issue, told Roll Call: “Our hope is to try to move on something as quickly as we possibly can … . I think the Senate will pull together multiple good ideas from different bills and to be able to combine a bill. It can’t be so big that it doesn’t get done.”

Pills by mail: Lankford was among the Republican senators threatening the country’s largest pharmacy chains with legal action if they begin selling abortion drugs through the mail.

The senators maintain that such distribution violates federal law, while the Biden administration’s Justice Department says it does not.

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“As United States Senators with the constitutional power of advice and consent, we will insist that the next President appoints an Attorney General and U.S. Attorneys who will enforce Federal law … and prosecut(e) the criminal mailing and interstate shipment of abortion drugs and abortion-related paraphernalia … the abortion industry and pharmaceutical companies,” the Republican senators wrote.

Voter access: Lankford was also among Republicans who questioned the administration’s use of federal agencies to promote “access to voting.”

“While we all agree that increased voter participation is a good thing, the job of federal agencies is to perform their defined missions in a nonpartisan way, not use their taxpayer funds for clandestine voter mobilization and election-turnout operations,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter to President Joe Biden.

It should be said that no evidence of “clandestine” activities has been presented and that the use of federal agencies to promote voter registration has been publicized by the administration and voting rights organizations, but there is some question as to whether voter registration is a best or even correct use of federal resources, since it is generally a function of state governments.

The initiatives include making sure veterans and social services clients understand voter registration laws and explaining the often complex state laws regarding registration for felons released from prison.

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No Nazis: Two Nazi sympathizers were dropped from Tulsan Clay Clark’s ReAwaken America tour stop at former President Donald Trump’s Doral Resort in Miami, Florida, according to liberal watchdog Media Matters.

The two were anti-Semitic Rumble commentators Scott McKay, who blames Jews for the assassinations of Presidents Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy and William McKinley, not to mention the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001; and Charlie Ward, who has praised Adolf Hitler and claimed viruses are made by Jews.

Eric Trump was also on the schedule but dropped out.

Dots and dashes: First District Congressman Kevin Hern used Twitter to call for the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. … Mullin said every recent committee meeting in the Democrat-controlled Senate begins with a tirade against the House Republicans’ debt limit and spending cut bill. … With neither Hern nor 2nd District Congressman Josh Brecheen requesting appropriations, it fell to Bice to put in one for $32 million to maintain the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System, which is completely outside her district, The Oklahoman reported. … Lankford, during an appearance on ABC’s “This Week,” refused to endorse former President Donald Trump or anyone else for president in 2024. … Mullin and Arizona independent Krysten Sinema urged better security for the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which was shut down by hackers for a day in December. … Bice resumed efforts to get domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking added to the list of qualifying conditions for unpaid leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993. … Third District Congressman Frank Lucas, chairman of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, and other Republicans including Bice complained to the administration that the Department of Energy is spending too much on renewable energy and not enough on basic science. … Brecheen and Lankford were among Republicans demanding more information about a National Institutes of Health transgender study during which two minors reportedly died from suicide. … Fourth District Congressman Tom Cole introduced legislation to provide economic support to allies subjected to Chinese “economic coercion.” … Lankford and Mullin helped pass resolutions to repeal two administration environmental rules, including the listing of the northern long-eared bat as endangered.

— Randy Krehbiel, Tulsa World

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Video: Biden’s debt ceiling meeting with McCarthy is delayed

President Joe Biden’s debt ceiling meeting scheduled for Friday with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and other congressional leaders has been postponed as staff continue to negotiate, according White House and congressional officials. Bloomberg’s Kailey Leinz reports. Follow Bloomberg for business news & analysis, up-to-the-minute market data, features, profiles and more: http://www.bloomberg.com Connect with us on… Twitter: https://twitter.com/business Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bloombergbusiness/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quicktake/?hl=en


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Oklahoma

Thunder Unveil 2024 Draft Class

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Thunder Unveil 2024 Draft Class


Oklahoma City, OK – A new era of Thunder basketball was officially introduced Saturday. Nikola Topić, Dillon Jones, and Ajay Mitchell all met the media to discuss making it to the next level and being members of the Thunder.

Topić will miss the upcoming season with a knee injury. Many draft boards had him listed as a top four talent in the draft, but the knee injury did scare some teams off.

As for Jones, he said his time at Weber State as “the guy” prepared him for what he needs to do to help OKC win with their current talent.

Ajay Mitchell joins the fold as a second round choice and knows his role could be impromptu and less consistent than usual, but that’s something he says he’s prepared for.

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Hear from all three Thunder rookies in the video above.



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Report: Oklahoma Baseball Coach Skip Johnson to Leave for Texas A&M

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Report: Oklahoma Baseball Coach Skip Johnson to Leave for Texas A&M


Oklahoma baseball fans can breathe a sigh of relief. 

OU head coach Skip Johnson is set to stay in Norman despite interest from Texas A&M, D1Baseball managing editor Kendall Rogers reported on Saturday. 

Johnson had a pair of high-level meetings yesterday with Oklahoma’s administration, a source close to the situation confirmed with Sooners on SI, helping both sides reach the conclusion that Johnson will continue to lead the program into the Southeastern Conference. 

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Rogers also reported Johnson is expected to ink a new contract with the Sooners. 

Keeping Johnson in place is crucial as Oklahoma takes on the rigor of the SEC, as his last season in the Big 12 went as well as anyone could have hoped for. 

The Sooners won the Big 12 Regular Season Title for the first time in program history, and hosted an NCAA Regional at L. Dale Mitchell Park for the first time in over a decade. 

Though the Sooners were ousted by UConn in the regional final, OU finished the year 40-21 overall. 

In seven seasons at Oklahoma, Johnson is now 229-153 overall including four trips to the NCAA Tournament which is headlined by the Sooners’ magical run to the College World Series Championship Series in 2022.

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Johnson also had his team 14-4 in 2020 before the season was canceled due to the pandemic, which would have likely resulted in another trip to the postseason. 





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Oklahoma County Jail fails another health inspection

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Oklahoma County Jail fails another health inspection


OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — The Oklahoma County Jail has failed another health inspection, now totaling eight straight inspections the jail has failed dating back to 2019.

During the latest inspection, the jail staff wouldn’t even let inspectors through the doors and told them it is unsafe, due to not having enough staff to accommodate them around the jail, which has many in the community worried.

“They said, we don’t have enough people, that’s what it said there on the official report,” Christopher Johnston, Member of People’s Council for Justice Reform said. “That is terrifying.”

It has been five years since the Oklahoma County Jail has passed a state health inspection.

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The listed issues range from bed bugs, unsanitary areas, staffing issues, and mold amongst many other things.

“Hygiene; a building doesn’t clean itself,” Johnston said. “It doesn’t grab a bar of soap and start scrubbing itself. A building doesn’t not conduct site checks. A building doesn’t keep people from coming into it. That is management, that is the staff running it.”

Johnston says the district attorney and attorney general need to step in.

“He’s got to step in,” Johnston said. “He knows what’s going on. It’s happening near his office. So, the attorney general needs to to really evaluate.”

The Oklahoma State Department of Health agrees, telling us in a statement that when a jail fails an inspection:

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We are actively communicating with the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s office.

For enforcement following an inspection or follow-up inspection of a facility determined to be not in compliance with the applicable statutory and regulatory standards, OSDH will evaluate and assess appropriate next steps based on all available tools and statutory authority. Such next steps may include a complaint filed with the Attorney General, a complaint filed with the local District Attorney, the assessment of administrative penalties, or any combination thereof.

Oklahoma State Department of Health

We reached out to both offices; the AG’s office said because it is not a state facility, they are not involved unless brought in by the State Department of Health.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma County District Attorney Vicki Zemp Behenna sent News 4 this letter, written by Assistant District Attorney Aaron Etherington.

In the letter, Etherington tells the Department of Health it “exceeded its lawful authority” in attempting to inspect the jail this week, and called the notice of non-compliance “void.”

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News 4 asked how the DA’s office came to that conclusion, but never heard back.

Johnston says if action isn’t taken soon, things will only get worse.

“It’s a ticking time bomb,” Johnston said. “There is a high probability that something horrible will happen.”

Of course, all of this comes as Oklahoma County tries to build a new jail.

Those efforts are still up in the air after the City of Oklahoma City voted no on the proposed jail location.

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The Board of County Commissioners for Oklahoma County has since filed a lawsuit against the City of Oklahoma city over sovereignty of the land.



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