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

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


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.

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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.

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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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Dallas Mavericks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder FREE LIVE STREAM (5/13/24): Watch NBA Playoffs game online | Time, TV, channel

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Dallas Mavericks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder FREE LIVE STREAM (5/13/24): Watch NBA Playoffs game online | Time, TV, channel


The Dallas Mavericks (2-1) face the Oklahoma City Thunder (1-2) in Game 4 of the second round of the Western Conference Playoffs on Monday, May 13, 2024 (5/13/24) at American Airlines Arena in Dallas, Texas.

HOW TO WATCH: Fans can watch the games via a free trial to DirecTV Stream or via a subscription to SlingTV, which is offering 50% off for the first month.

Here is what you need to know:

What: Western Conference second round Game 4

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Who: Dallas Mavericks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

When: Monday, May 13, 2024 (5/13/24)

Where: American Airlines Arena

Time: 9:30 p.m. ET

TV: TNT

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Channel finder: Verizon Fios, DirectTV Stream, Comcast Xfinity, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice, Cox, DIRECTV, Dish, Hulu, fuboTV, Sling.

Live Stream: Sling (50% off the first month), DirecTV Stream (free trial)

Here’s a recent NBA story from the AP:

NBA teams were told Monday that Bronny James, the son of the Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James, has been medically cleared to play in the league and is expected to participate in the draft combine this week, a person with knowledge of the matter told The Associated Press.

Teams were told of the clearance in a memo sent Monday morning, according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the league did not publicly release any details. All players at the draft combine in Chicago undergo medical examinations.

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ESPN first reported the NBA’s decision.

The clearance determination was likely expected, given that Bronny James was able to play the final 25 games for Southern California this past season as a freshman. He suffered cardiac arrest during a practice session in July 2023 and needed a procedure to fix what was diagnosed as a congenital heart defect, then missed several months while recovering.

The NBA convened what is known as a fitness-to-play panel — three doctors who review medical records — to determine if James should be cleared. They determined that he is “medically able and fit to play basketball in the NBA,” which means he can take part in the combine.

James is on a roster to participate in on-court games Tuesday, though rosters and playing plans often change at the combine. All players at the combine are also expected to participate in a media session on Tuesday.

The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists at USC this past season. He has until later this month to decide if he is going to stay in the draft or return to college basketball for at least one more season.

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LeBron James — the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, and someone who just finished his 21st season in the league — said many times in recent years that he would like to play in the league alongside his son. But when this season ended, the Lakers star who could become a free agent this summer said he hasn’t “given much thought lately” about the notion of playing on a team with Bronny James.

“The kid has to do what he wants to do — and I don’t even want to say kid no more — the young man will decide what he wants to do and how he wants his career to go,” LeBron James said when the Lakers’ season ended with a playoff loss to Denver. “I just think the fact that we’re even having the conversation is pretty cool in the sense of that. Obviously, we’ll see what happens.”

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OU Baseball: Oklahoma OF John Spikerman Lands Big 12 Award

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OU Baseball: Oklahoma OF John Spikerman Lands Big 12 Award


JOHN E. HOOVER

John is an award-winning journalist whose work spans five decades in Oklahoma, with multiple state, regional and national awards as a sportswriter at various newspapers.

During his newspaper career, John covered the Dallas Cowboys, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma State Cowboys, the Arkansas Razorbacks and much more.

In 2016, John changed careers, migrating into radio and launching a YouTube channel, and has built a successful independent media company, DanCam Media. From there, John has written under the banners of Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Fan Nation and a handful of local and national magazines while hosting daily sports talk radio shows in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and statewide.

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John has also spoken on Capitol Hill in Oklahoma City in a successful effort to put more certified athletic trainers in Oklahoma public high schools.

Among the dozens of awards he has won, John most cherishes his national “Beat Writer of the Year” from the Associated Press Sports Editors, Oklahoma’s “Best Sports Column” from the Society of Professional Journalists, and Two “Excellence in Sports Medicine Reporting” Awards from the National Athletic Trainers Association.

John holds a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications from East Central University in Ada, OK.

Born and raised in North Pole, Alaska, John played football and wrote for the school paper at Ada High School in Ada, OK. He enjoys books, movies and travel, and lives in Broken Arrow, OK, with his wife and two kids.



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Texas, Oklahoma earn top spots in NCAA softball draw

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Texas, Oklahoma earn top spots in NCAA softball draw


Longtime rivals Texas and Oklahoma are primed to go out in style in their final Big 12 seasons before joining the Southeastern Conference.

Texas (47-7) claimed the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Division I Softball Tournament on Sunday, despite losing to Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship game 5-1 on Saturday. The Longhorns open regional play Friday at home against Siena.

Oklahoma (49-6), the three-time defending national champion, is the No. 2 overall seed. The Sooners will start their path toward what would be an unprecedented fourth straight national title when they open at home against Cleveland State on Friday.

Oklahoma defeated Texas in the best-of-three championship series in 2022 to claim the national title.

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All the regionals are double elimination, with the winners advancing to Super Regionals. The Super Regional winners will advance to the Women’s College World Series starting May 30 and ending June 6 or 7 in Oklahoma City.

The top 16 seeds are hosts in regional play. Tennessee is No. 3, followed by No 4 Florida, No. 5 Oklahoma State, No. 6 UCLA, No. 7 Missouri, No. 8 Stanford, No. 9 LSU and No. 10 Duke.

Oklahoma State’s No. 5 seed means the Big 12 as it stands gained three of the top five seeds. Oklahoma State might have been seeded higher had it not lost to BYU 7-2 in the Big 12 quarterfinals on Thursday.

With Texas, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Florida claiming the top four seeds, teams that will be in the SEC next year claimed the top four overall seeds.

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