Oklahoma

Guest to Oklahoma treasurer: Keep politics out of state’s pension promises

Published

1 year ago

December 14, 2023

Guest to Oklahoma treasurer: Keep politics out of state’s pension promises

Don Keenan
| Guest columnist

Last month, I filed a lawsuit on behalf of thousands of other retired public employees against state Treasurer Todd Russ with one simple goal: to keep politics out of our state’s pension promises.

My entire career has been one based on service. I proudly served my country in the military for nearly two decades until I was honorably discharged due to injuries sustained on duty. I then returned to Oklahoma where I began supporting veterans as a disabled veterans employment representative for the Oklahoma Employment Securities Commission (OESC).

After my time with the state, I worked in the private sector at the Sinclair Tulsa Refinery as a human resources director, where I witnessed the benefits the oil and gas industry offers, and subsequently served as a retiree representative for OPEA for the eastern half of Oklahoma.

Thousands of Oklahomans choose to work in the public sector, in part, because of the state’s promise to them to retire knowing their retirement contributions will be professionally managed and grow to support their families into their golden years. That promise is now at risk because special interests and politicians are politicizing the pension funds thousands of Oklahomans depend on.

Politicians and their policies are supposed to help the people, their constituents. These political battles led by Treasurer Russ do the opposite and harm too many retirees. The Energy Discrimination Elimination Act of 2022 empowered Treasurer Russ to develop a list of financial institutions he alone believes are boycotting the fossil fuel industry in our state, regardless as to whether those financial institutions provide the best service at the lowest cost to Oklahoma’s retirees. That is why I’ve filed this petition to stand up on behalf of other retired veterans, pensioners, and public servants affected by Russ’ boycott list.

Treasurer Russ’ boycott list includes companies like Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, BlackRock, and State Street. While Russ is eager to arbitrarily ban these companies from Oklahoma, he is unwilling to apply the same standards to his own office. He has refused to end the state’s financial relationship with JP Morgan, who currently has $16 billion invested in money market accounts. When questioned, Russ claimed that despite JP Morgan holding billions of Oklahoma’s dollars “it’s not really an investment with them,” which seems laughable at best and deceitful at worst.

This legislation is already leading to higher uncertainty in the bond markets, less competition and higher borrowing costs for Oklahoma. In May, Stillwater was forced to freeze a series of infrastructure projects after Bank of America’s inclusion on the boycott list meant an additional $1.2 million more in fees. As of today, Russ continues to allow Bank of America to provide credit card services because they “are not otherwise reasonably available.” Giving one politician unchecked power to determine who can and cannot do business with our state sets a dangerous precedent our retirees cannot afford.

Recently, the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System chose to exercise a fiduciary exemption allowing them to continue using State Street and BlackRock to manage their retirement assets. The retirement system did so after learning that divesting would result in increased costs of at least $10 million. Treasurer Russ has strenuously objected and has aggressively pushed to reverse the near unanimous vote of the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System Board of Trustees.

This effort to subject me and my fellow retirees to increased costs and potentially lower returns, in the name of this arbitrary boycott list, is why I filed the temporary injunction against the state of Oklahoma and Treasurer Todd Russ. These politically driven approach treats our retirement accounts like pawns on a chessboard to be moved at the whim of politicians.

There is no excuse for putting politics above the retirement security of state public servants and we must stop the politicization of pension dollars immediately.

Don Keenan is a retired Oklahoma public servant and has filed a legal action against state Treasurer Todd Russ.

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Oklahoma

Oklahoma Picks Up Offensive Lineman Commit in Transfer Portal

Published

1 hour ago

December 16, 2024

Press Room

Oklahoma Picks Up Offensive Lineman Commit in Transfer Portal

NORMAN — Oklahoma gained its first offensive commitment from the 2024-25 transfer portal on Monday.

Stanford offensive lineman Luke Baklenko announced on Instagram that we will be joining the Sooners in the fall.

“Thank God for this amazing opportunity and thank you to everyone who helped me along the way,” Baklenko said in his post. “Back to work!”

Shortly after announcing his pledge with the Sooners, Baklenko confirmed his commitment on X (formerly Twitter).

Boomer Sooner!
Thank you God.
Thank you @CoachVenables @OU_CoachB
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Thank you for the incredible partnership @vaynersports @Gdub_22 and @MikeMcCartney7 @OU_Football @vaynersports #Oklahoma #boomersooner @PeteThamel @PeteNakos_ @BruceFeldmanCFB pic.twitter.com/EJRioNjUzD
— Luke Baklenko 🇺🇸 (@LukeBaklenko) December 16, 2024

A sophomore in 2024, Baklenko played a key role for the Cardinal. He participated on 646 offensive snaps at right tackle after logging 370 snaps there as a true freshman in 2023.

He struggled to adjust to college football as a freshman, posting a 39.5 PFF (Pro Football Focus) pass blocking grade. But Baklenko’s numbers significantly improved in 2024, as the tackle posted a pass blocking grade of 56.3 and a run blocking grade of 52.3.

Baklenko started nine games in 2024 and played in 11. He started in all five of his game appearances in 2023 as well.

Out of high school, Baklenko was rated a 3-star prospect by 247 Sports. He chose Stanford over offers from UCLA, Boston College, Arizona, Arizona State and others.

As a transfer, Baklenko is the No. 21 offensive tackle and No. 290 overall player, per 247 Sports.

Stanford is coming off its first season as a team in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Cardinal finished 3-9 (2-6 ACC) and tied for 15th out of 17 teams in the conference.

Baklenko is only the second commitment Oklahoma has picked up from the 2024-25 transfer portal. The Sooners landed a commitment from Kennesaw State punter Jacob Ulrich on Friday.

So far, Oklahoma has lost 23 players to the transfer portal.

OU’s coaching staff is in full rebuild mode as roster deletions will likely continue while new additions begin to commit. The Sooners began hosting transfer hopefuls last week, and had several visitors over the weekend.

Oklahoma (6-6, 2-6) will play against Navy in the Armed Forces Bowl on Dec. 27 in Fort Worth.

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Oklahoma

Oklahoma Ford Sports Blitz: December 15

Published

9 hours ago

December 16, 2024

Press Room

Join News 9 Sports Director Dean Blevins, News On 6 Sports Director John Holcomb, and Toby Rowland for this week’s edition of the Oklahoma Ford Sports Blitz.

Sunday, December 15th 2024, 11:57 pm

By:

News On 6,

News 9

OKLAHOMA CITY –

This week on the Oklahoma Ford Sports Blitz, Dean Blevins, John Holcomb, and Toby Rowland begin the show with their opening takes.

Toby’s Top 3

OU, OSU, TU Update

Thunder Report: Thunder At The NBA Cup Championship

Viewer Question

OU, OSU, TU, ORU Basketball Recap

High School Football Championships

Play The Percentages

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Oklahoma

Former Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield

Published

16 hours ago

December 15, 2024

Press Room

Facing the NFL’s No. 1-ranked scoring defense was no big deal for Baker Mayfield.

The former Oklahoma star roasted the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday at LA’s SoFi Stadium, leading Tampa Bay to a massive 40-17 victory.

Mayfield completed 22-of-27 passes and threw for 288 yards and four touchdowns as the Buccaneers won their fourth game in a row, improved to 8-6 overall and seized control of the NFC South standings.

Mayfield hooked up with Mike Evans nine times for 159 yards and third-quarter touchdowns of 57 yards and 35 yards as the Bucs overcame a three-point halftime deficit with a 17-0 outburst in the third quarter.

It was a big day for Evans — who missed three games earlier this season with a hamstring injury — as the future Hall of Famer now has 103 career receiving TDs.

For Mayfield, his four passing TDs give him a career-high 32 on the season. That total ranks third in the NFL.

The Chargers (8-6) got two touchdown throws from Justin Herbert — one in the first quarter and one in the second — as LA took a 17-10 lead. But in the third quarter, the Bucs defense came down with Herbert’s second interception of the season, ending a streak of 357 consecutive passes without a pick, and Mayfield and the Bucs offense poured it on.

Rookie Jalen McMillan began things with a 26-yard touchdown grab from Mayfield on the game’s opening drive. It was the Bucs’ seventh touchdown on an opening drive this season — tied with Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals for the most in the NFL.

After Mayfield found Evans twice for scores in the third quarter — the first one a long catch and run down the left sideline, the second a deep ball over the top to Evans in the end zone — Mayfield then dropped a check down throw to Rachaad White, who sliced through traffic for an 11-yard touchdown that put the Bucs up 37-17.

While the Tampa defense was holding the Chargers to just 207 total yards, Mayfield and the Bucs offense was compiling 505 yards and coasting to a comfortable victory.

With Atlanta’s four consecutive losses, Tampa has surged to a two-game lead in the NFC South with just three games to play — at Dallas, home versus Carolina and home versus New Orleans — and all three currently have a losing record. The Bucs have won three straight NFC South titles.

Mayfield also came into the week ranked seventh in the NFL with 3,329 passing yards. His performance Sunday gives him 3,617 this season, which stands as the fourth-best total of his career with three games still to play.

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