Update on the prison closure, Congressional redistricting, and the one year anniversary of the McGirt ruling.

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Last week we discussed the closure of the prison in Ft. Supply, and this week Senator Casey Murdock has asked Governor Stitt to delay closing the prison. Senator Murdock has raised concerns that closing the prison would cost the state money...which seems to be at odds with what DOC has indicated, since keeping open a half-empty prison is not exactly without cost.

On Thursday this week the legislature held their first town hall meeting about congressional redistricting, it went about like you’d expect. Twenty-ish people, roughly 10 or 12 of whom gave public comment or asked questions. Video is available on the Senate website so you could go watch it, but also People Not Politicians was there and live-tweeted it, you can go back and read 

Today is the one-year anniversary of the famous McGirt ruling, so naturally, yesterday a court overturned a murder conviction due to the ruling. Despite the fear-mongering headlines, the guy isn’t getting out of prison, as he was also convicted of arson, desecrating a corpse and possessing a firearm during the commission of a felony, all of which are not affected by the McGirt ruling. ALSO the murder will be re-tried in federal court and a grand jury was already empaneled for that reason back in March. 

Also, next week the Governor is holding a “community impact forum” in Tulsa about the McGirt ruling and its implications. His guests will be the Tulsa County sheriff, several district attorneys (districts attorney?), and...none of the tribes. Tribal leaders say they weren’t invited; Tulsa County DA says they were. Three tribal AGs acknowledged they got an email about it that said “you and your chiefs” are invited and that a “formal invitation will follow,” but that was never received. The tribes, of course, feel this forum is political theater.