TULSA — After using line-item vetoes to kill legislation that would prevent state officials from hiring outside public relations firms with taxpayer money to promote their political agendas, Governor Kevin Stitt then issued an executive order which seemed to have the same essential goal.
Lawmakers wanted to ensure that the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE), along with any state agency, would have to have legislators’ approval before deciding not to apply for federal grants which the state had previously received.
Stitt vetoed that line in the bill, writing that it improperly required OSDE to have joint approval by the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate in order to withdraw from such federal grant programs, and that “I am not aware of another state agency with such restrictions.”
He also vetoed the section which would prevents OSDE from using funds to secure media interviews, public relations, or other promotions - language the governor says was “unclear,’ and essentially he felt it was overly broad.
He apparently addressed that with a subsequent executive order which spelled out specific prohibitions on state agencies hiring public relations firms, for example, to promote individuals’ political aims.
Both the original language in the Senate Bill 1122, and the governor’s subsequent executive order; are aimed directly at State Superintendent Ryan Walters.
He issued a response when he learned of the line-item vetoes, sounding jubilant over a perceived victory:
“The efforts of the teachers unions, radical RINO leftist Mark McBride and Speaker McCall failed,” Walters wrote. “This is an unprecedented attack on me and my office and resulted in a disgraceful attempt to silence millions of Oklahoma parents. Oklahomans are not fooled by the political gamesmanship and reached out in huge numbers to remind everyone that the parents are in charge and want schools free of woke indoctrination, radical gender games and critical race theory, and are demanding common sense outcomes for their kids.”
But within minutes, a subsequent email from Stitt’s office announced a new executive order.
In the preamble to the order, Stitt wrote:
“Whereas, the taxpayers should never foot the bill for the political ambition of an individual, regardless of his or her position in state government; and whereas the use of taxpayer funds for campaign purposes is already a violation of state law; and whereas any communications distributed by state agencies, state agency directors and/or state employees should be in service to the people of Oklahoma and the state’s interest; and whereas any contract with a public relations firm should keep the Oklahoma taxpayer as the top priority; and whereas public relations contracts should not be used as fronts for lobbying or advocacy campaigns against state efforts.”
The order’s provisions include a ban on any sole-source contracts with PR firms, and a mandatory end to any which currently exist.
However, Walters’ staff has indicated that the contract with Vought, which gets $200 an hour to book interviews for Walters with various media outlets, was let out for bid but only one company actually responded to the request for proposal.
So, it remains unclear if the governor’s order will change anything that’s already in place.