Let's Pod This

This is the second episode in our "Gerrymandering Oklahoma" mini series. Now that we know how legislative redistricting is done and how that process often leads to gerrymandering, we want to talk broadly about how states can prevent politicians from picking their own voters. For that, we speak with Dan Vicuña from Common Cause, to gain some insight on what's worked in other states and how their or...

This is the first episode of our "Gerrymandering Oklahoma" mini series. We're joined by OU political science professor Keith Gaddie to discuss the ins and outs of gerrymandering and the legislative redistricting process. (Hint: It's super important and most people have no idea.)

The judge has ruled: Oklahoma has won their lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson, and for that the state will receive $572 million...or will they? 

Quick updates on the two ballot initiatives (SQ802 & 803) that are collecting signatures right now, plus we're joined by Sara Jane Rose and Alyssa Fisher from Sally's List to talk about recruiting and training women to run for public office. (Psst - you can do it!)

This is the third episode in our three-part series about criminal justice reform in Oklahoma. In this episode, we speak with state Representative Garry Mize about the legacy of state questions 780, 781, and 788, and what the legislative path to meaningful criminal justice reform might look like. 

This is the second episode in our three-part series about criminal justice reform in Oklahoma. In this episode, local defense attorney Brian Jones walks us through each of the steps involved in the typical criminal legal process, including details about the many, MANY fines and fees, as well as some of the big fallacies most people people believe about how the legal system operates.

This is the first episode in our three part series on the criminal justice system in Oklahoma. We're joined by policy experts Damion Shade & Ryan Gentzler to lay a foundation of data about the Oklahoma criminal justice system, how we got here, and why things are so bad. --------- SERIES DESCRIPTION Criminal justice is always an important, hot button issue in our state. In fact, Oklahoma incarcerat...

Audio from the panel discussion following our "The West Wing" Watch Party, recorded live on May 15, 2019, featuring Donelle Harder (Gov. Stitt's spokesperson), Phil Bacharach (Chief of Staff to State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister), and Steve Hill (Chief of Staff to OKC Mayor David Holt). 

We're joined by two members of OKC's LGBTQ community - one a Republican and the other a Democrat - to talk about how they got involved in politics, what Pride means to them, and how they navigate the waters that contain those two things.

We review the results of our 2019 #okleg Predict-o-Rama game and visit with one of the winners, Rep. Zack Taylor from Seminole.

We discuss the pros & cons of Governor Stitt replacing the veteran director of DHS with a young venture capitalist, Justin Brown. Special guest: attorney Brian Ted Jones.

We're joined by Oklahoma state Senator Carri Hicks and local actress/producer/activist Cacky Poarch to get their perspective on the 2019 legislative session and learn about "Faces of the 47th: The Art of Activism," a documentary feature film debuting at the deadCenter Film Festival next week.

Both chambers of #okleg have effectively adjourned, but did they complete all their work? We talk about what was left on the table and also visit with Representatives Josh West and Marcus McEntire about their experience in the legislature.

The #okleg reaches a budget agreement, the Governor sold his airplane, Andy's bill was vetoed, and we have not one but TWO Pruitt Watches. The end of session must be near!

As #okleg nears a budget agreement (or ARE they??), we turn to the municipal level and discuss designing safer, "complete" streets with guest Jonathan Dodson.

With less than a month 'til the end of session, we discuss rumors about the budget, the status of criminal justice reform, and Governor Stitt's use of the veto. We also curse more than usual. Earmuffs, kids. #SSGOTV.

From map data to prison data, from county government feuds to former legislators back in the news, from Medicaid expansion plans to a ban on bans, we've got a little something for everyone this week! 

Sabine Brown (Together Oklahoma) and Carly Putnam (Oklahoma Policy Institute) join us to review the current state of healthcare in Oklahoma and their upcoming "Rally for Coverage."

Special guests Effie Craven and Rep. Jason Dunnington join the show to discuss where the legislature is with various bills and what it's like to text their moms.

Oklahoma has sued more than a dozen pharmaceutical companies over their creation & marketing of addictive opioid medications. Last week we learned that one company, Purdue Pharma, was settling out of court for $270 million. We sat down with the state's Attorney General, Mike Hunter, to discuss the case and the settlement. 

Recorded live at Missy's Donuts in Guthrie, OK, we sit down with Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell to discuss his approach to the Lt. Gov position and his other position as Secretary of Tourism & Branding.

This week we discuss a bill to keep pollution audits private, cleaning up the voter rolls, and the high cost of transporting people with mental illness. Just a typical week in Oklahoma, right? 

Should deceased candidates be allowed to remain on the ballot? We discuss the implications of that situation along with independent redistricting and the structure & finances of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES).

As bills move from one chamber to the other, we take a look at what legislation has been signed, what's [mostly] dead, and what are still alive. Special guest: Bo Broadwater from The Journal Record Legislative Report.

Tres Savage from NonDoc explains the finer points of why Oklahoma counties should be allowed to tax the production of aggregates (i.e. rocks and gravel) and we visit with Joe Hight, chairman of Freedom of Information Oklahoma, to discuss Sunshine Week, government transparency, and whether the legislature should be subject to the Open Records Act.