This Week in Oklahoma Politics

This Week in Oklahoma Politics KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civic Leader Andy Moore about the State Board of Education meeting canceled over concerns of violating the Open Meetings Act, Democrats at the State Capitol filing resolutions to reject social studies standards from the SBE and Superintendent Ryan Walters suing a national watchdog group ove...

This Week in Oklahoma Politics KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and former Democratic House Leader Emily Virgin about President Trump's executive order calling for the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education, State Superintendent Ryan Walters legal victory in a case regarding anti-bullying enforcement and a legal fight between the City of Tulsa and...

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and former House Democratic Leader Emily Virgin about a settlement between State Superintendent Ryan Walters and the Ethics Commission over his use of social media to support President Trump, Governor Stitt's support of cuts by Elon Musk and DOGE and the Trump Administration announces it is in...

Join us for a celebration of the life of KOSU friend and colleague, and host of This Week in Oklahoma Politics, Ryan Kiesel. It's come-and-go on Thursday, March 20 from 6 to 10 p.m. at Tower Theatre in Oklahoma City. It'll be a night of laughter, music and making new friends -- all passions of Ryan's. All fundraising will go to benefit the Oliver and Claire Kiesel Education Fund and KOSU.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and former House Democratic Leader Emily Virgin about Governor Stitt joining other states in asking to have a seat at the table in federal cuts and layoffs, the State Supreme Court puts a pause on plans by Superintendent Ryan Walters for Bibles and Bible curriculum in classrooms and Superinten...

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and former House Democratic Leader Emily Virgin about Attorney General Gentner Drummond criticizing State Superintendent Ryan Walters over an opinion request, the State Board of Education voting in favor of new controversial social studies standards and a scathing audit against Tulsa Public Sc...

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and former House Democratic Leader Emily Virgin about an announcement from Governor Stitt concerning a partnership with Oklahoma and the federal government over immigration enforcement, a lawsuit against Stitt over his order for state employees to return to in-office work and State Superintend...

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and former Democratic State House Speaker Steve Lewis about Governor Stitt firing three members of the State Board of Education and nominating three replacements and an audit of the Tulsa Public School District. The trio also discusses legislative leaders pulling back on Governor Stitt's tax c...

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and former Democratic State House Speaker Steve Lewis about the untimely passing of our colleague Ryan Kiesel who died last week after a long battle with cancer as well as Governor Stitt's State of the State Address and executive budget to kick off the 60th Legislative Session. The trio also d...

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt kicked off the legislative session with his seventh annual State of the State address on Monday. The Governor laid out his policy priorities for the session: which include cutting state income taxes, keeping state agency budgets flat, and ending fines, fees and court costs to reform the criminal justice system. He also called for the elimination of virtual days in K-1...

Ryan Kiesel, a civil rights lawyer, former Oklahoma state lawmaker, political consultant and KOSU commentator, died Friday at the age of 45 following a long battle with cancer. Kiesel was a political commentator on KOSU’s weekly radio program and podcast This Week in Oklahoma Politics , hosted by Michael Cross. For 13 years, Kiesel sat opposite Republican political consultant Neva Hill, as they pr...

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and former Democratic House Speaker Steve Lewis sitting in for Ryan Kiesel about President Trump's executive order to freeze federal funding grants, the State Board of Education advancing a new rule requiring parents to give citizenship status upon enrollment of their children and State Superi...

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and former Democratic House Speaker Steve Lewis about an upcoming subpoena from the Ethics Commission to State Superintendent Ryan Walters concerning his run for office in 2022, Governor Stitt's call to create an Oklahoma State Guard and bills to watch as we get ready to kick off the 60th legi...

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and former Democratic House Speaker Steve Lewis sitting in for Ryan Kiesel about Governor Stitt signing an executive order allowing colleges and foundations to pay for student athletes name, image or likeness and Superintendent Ryan Walters announcing a lawsuit against federal officials for co...

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and former House Speaker Steve Lewis about a video from State Superintendent Ryan Walters attacking teachers and teachers' unions, Oklahoma County ending its lawsuit against OKC over the location of a new jail and supporters of an open primary ballot measure refiling their initiative petition...

This Week in Oklahoma Politics is taking a break during the holidays, but never fear, Neva, Ryan and Michael are returning to discuss all the things going on at the State Capitol and beyond starting on January 9th, 2025.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the State Supreme Court refusing to issue a prohibition against Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Todd Hiett, resignations at the Pardon and Parole Board cause delays in a clemency hearing for a death row inmate and the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority in...

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the State Department of Education buying 532 Trump-endorsed Bibles for nearly $25K, Superintendent Ryan Walters mandating schools show a video of him announcing his Office of Religious Liberty and Patriotism along with him praying for President-elect...

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about a busy week for State Superintendent Ryan Walters preparing for President-elect Trump to take office and possibly dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, Governor Stitt creating an Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives and Senate Republ...

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the 2024 General Elections in our state including the Presidential race where for the third time in a row, all 77 counties voted in favor of now President-Elect Donald Trump, two of the three state Supreme Court justices up for retention votes will s...

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about a new report following an investigation against the State Department of Education and Superintendent Ryan Walters, an update on campaign expenditures showing how much has been spent so far this election cycle and Oklahoma's Chief Information Officer...

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about a lawsuit against State Superintendent Ryan Walters mandate to put Bibles in every classroom, a new report on Oklahoma's private school tax credit showing barriers for families and the U.S. Supreme Court agreeing to hear Oklahoma's challenge to a E.P...

This Week in Oklahoma is taking a short hiatus during the fall break and will return next week.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about a Request for Proposal on bids for 55,000 Bibles for Oklahoma classrooms, Attorney General Gentner Drummond sends a scathing letter to Superintendent Ryan Walters over a delay in getting inhalers to schools and a statewide charter board want the U.S....

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the State Supreme Court giving the go ahead for an investigation of Corporation Commissioner Todd Hiett, State Superintendent Ryan Walters requesting $6 million to put Bibles in every public school classroom as well as $500,000 for school personnel f...