Jake for the State Podcast

Full Presidential Pardon - Russell Fincher Jake speaks with Russell Fincher about the federal raid, the felony conviction that upended his life, and the full presidential pardon he says he received from Donald Trump. The conversation covers what happened to his career, his family, and his church community, plus what the pardon changes and what still remains unresolved. In this episode: Russell Fin...

One moment changed Russell Fincher's life forever. In this powerful interview, Russell recounts the day ATF agents raided his home, the fear he felt for his son's life, and how he suddenly found himself facing a felony charge. He shares what it was like to have his reputation, livelihood, and sense of security turned upside down—and the difficult process of picking up the pieces afterward. This is...

Jake Merrick's Second Amendment podcast episode (≈24–32 min) contrasts two cultures: Disarmed / "soft" approach – Canadian, Australian, and some U.S. police advice that tells citizens to leave keys out or avoid confronting criminals so they won't get hurt. Armed self-defense culture – Sheriffs in Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi who openly support homeowners shooting back at invaders. He then hig...

In this episode, we explore how global geopolitical tensions, especially in the Middle East, directly impact local Oklahoma politics and economic projects, including the proposed aluminum smelter in Inola. We connect international events with local decisions, highlighting the importance of understanding global influences on community and economic development. Key Topics Impact of Middle East tensi...

Congressman Josh Burkeen discusses his recent experiences, including running across Oklahoma and attending events in Poteau. He emphasizes the need for a cultural shift in the country to honor law enforcement and highlights the improvements in border security under the current administration. Burkeen stresses the importance of completing the border wall construction and codifying it into law to pr...

In this powerful episode, Jake sits down with Lisa Janloo , a candidate running for Oklahoma Labor Commissioner. Lisa opens up about her deeply personal Iranian heritage and shares a heartfelt perspective on the recent Iran War. She explains why so many Iranian people are openly celebrating the American strikes against the Iranian regime — describing it as a long-overdue moment of hope for freedom...

Representative Tom Gann - the highest ranked conservative in the Oklahoma House of Representatives - talks about his upcoming bills including banning NDA, restricting use of lisence plate readers, and mandating lobbyist impact statements to track the money and influence of lobbyists over legislators. If you like freedom and government transparency, you don't want to miss this one!  Here's the link...

Senator Warren Hamilton joins me to discuss the list of bills he has authored this legislative session in the state of Oklahoma. These include banning foreign ownership of land, banning sharia law, raising the age of marriage to 18, and age requirements for AI Chatbots. Enjoy!   And check out my amazing sponsors!    Motus Health - (405) 494-0165 https://motushealth.com From spinal and knee decompr...

Congressman Josh Brecheen discusses the progress of the 12 appropriations bills, highlighting the achievement of passing them through regular order, a rare occurrence since 1974. He emphasizes the importance of finding offsets to fund the Department of Defense's requested $1.2 trillion budget, noting the potential savings from tariffs and other sources. Brecheen also reiterates his stance on reduc...

Jacob Towe, father of Leonardo Towe, fights for DHS reform after little "Leo" died of fentanyl poinsoning due to the failure of DHS to test the mom even after the mom admitted to using fentanyl.  This was a tragic loss that could have been prevented. The hope is that through the passage of Leo's Law, senseless deaths like these can be avoided in the future. 

i. Constitution We Believe 1. We believe the First Amendment's Establishment Clause was intended to prevent a federal government-sponsored or preferred religion, not to separate God from our government or to remove religion from public life; therefore, we affirm our right under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution to exercise our freedom of speech including religious speech. 2. We...

The 2025 Oklahoma Republican Party Platform - Part 2 II. EDUCATION Preamble: We acknowledge our dependence upon Almighty God and ask His blessings upon our students and their parents, teachers, and nation. It is the right and responsibility of parents (hereafter to mean parents and/ or legal guardians) to direct their children's upbringing and education whether public, private, charter, or educati...

In this episode of the Jake for the State podcast, host Jake Merrick interviews Oklahoma State Representative Kevin West (R-Moore, House District 54, serving since 2017). Rep. West, a consistent conservative voice in the Oklahoma House, discusses his key legislative priorities for the upcoming session while also campaigning for Oklahoma Labor Commissioner in the 2026 election. Key Legislation Disc...

Former Oklahoma Representative Jason Murphy, who served from 2006 to 2018, advocates for an "abstinence pledge" for legislators to refuse lobbyist money. He argues that this pledge helps lawmakers remain independent and accountable to their constituents, rather than special interests. Murphy believes that abstaining from lobbyist money leads to more principled decision-making and aligns with grass...

As we enter a new year and a new season for this podcast, I would like to offer this 3 part series as a resource to all in Oklahoma.  Many republicans have never read the entire Republican Party Platform, so I wanted to make it easier for everyone who carreis the label "Republican" to know exactly what that means and what the GOP in Oklahoma has collectively decided to prioritize.  This is Part 1...

Are primaries unconstitutional? This is the point Adam Holley intends to make with his case filed against the Oklahoma Secretary of State and the Oklahoma State Election Board. This case is now heading to the U.S. Supreme Court.  In the meantime, he has filed a second case challenging State Question 836 which seeks to establish an open primary in Oklahoma.  Find out how and why Adam is going to su...

I sit down with former Oklahoma state senator and current Oklahoma director of the Freedom Caucus, Nathan Dahm. We discuss the rise of Islam in Oklahoma and the controversy surrounding the Broken Arrow planning commission voting to recommend the construction of a large mosque to the city council - in spite of hundreds of local residents protesting it. As usual, Dahm anchors his argument in the the...

In this conversation with Congressman Josh Brecheen we discuss a range of topics including what progress (if any) we might be seeing on healthcare reform. More government subsidies? Or a massive shift in the entire industry?  Of course, we drill down on SNAP benefits. Brecheen has been vocal about the need for work requirements for a while, and it looks like there is a real opportunity post-govern...

Trevor Moore, Executive Director of CASA in Oklahoma, discusses the important role of volunteer child advocates in the state. Personally, my wife and I experienced the value of a child advocate when adopting fostering and eventually adopting our oldest out of DHS. I disucss a bit of our story here too.  Find out more about CASA here: https://oklahomacasa.org/   Check out the incredible sponsors of...

A recent plan as been put forth by Representative Jim Shaw. As he has lobbied this plan as the pinnacle of conservativism and litmus test of true loyalty to the party, I must ask the question: Does this plan indeed save Oklahoma?  In this episode I walk through the 7 point plan, and explain why I have yet to sign on. 

Naturopathic care seems to be the new buzz word as more and more people are turning to "alternative therapies" to treat anything from structural alignment, the flu, or even cancer.  Dr. Jeremy Maas with Motus Health joins me to discuss the power of natural therapies and why you should consider it.  Be sure to check out all of our great sponsors!    Motus Health - An Oklahoma based functional healt...

I am looking at a lot of cases here in Oklahoma involving children, and there are way too many instances of tyrannical oppression of the state violating parental rights. Then there are those where the state steps in to protect violent offenders. It seems upside down!  Now, we have an elected lawmaker going on the local news to call out - not the agencies and governmental officials accused of viola...

Deborah Campbell, an advocate for parental rights in education, discusses the dangers of school-based healthcare centers. She argues that these centers, which provide medical services to all students, infringe on parental authority and violate the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Campbell emphasizes that while school-based services are protected under IDEA for special education...

Dana Mooney, a mother of a 17-year-old autistic son, Preston, who has leukemia, stopped his chemotherapy treatment after eight months due to his declining health. She sought alternative treatments, finding a doctor who offered a plan based on genetic testing, which revealed a mutation preventing chemo absorption. Despite Preston's improvement on the alternative treatment, a referral was made again...

Jed Green with ORCA (Oklahoman's for Responsible Cannabis Action) talks about Cannabis in Oklahoma. Should we have Recreational? Jed has authored State question 837 is actively seeking signatures across the state. If passed, how would this impact our state? Jed argues that the state could capture the tax revenue that is currently being lost to the black market.  He also argues that law enforcement...