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Articles by Bennett Brinkman
Legal roundup: Epic case lingers, OTA sued to stop Will Rogers Turnpike tolls, Okmulgee jailer case stalled
Amid the release of new arena renderings for the Oklahoma City Thunder and the launch of new inquiries into whatever was on State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters’ TV screen, Oklahomans could be excused for missing out on other important statewide happenings. But big news doesn’t stop other news from unfolding, so the following legal roundup features write ups on important judicial developments from the past couple of weeks.
Shelley Zumwalt settlement: Former official to pay $20,000, not hold office for 2 years
As part of a finalized settlement agreement released Monday by the Oklahoma Ethics Commission, former Oklahoma Employment Security Commission executive director Shelley Zumwalt has agreed to pay $20,000 in fines and not hold a public position for two years owing to a violation of conflict of interest rules.
Ethics Commission votes on cases involving Gamefowl Commission, Rep. Ajay Pittman, Shelley Zumwalt
The Oklahoma Ethics Commission voted to open another formal investigation into Rep. Ajay Pittman (D-OKC) after a lengthy executive session during a meeting today. The commission also voted to make more information public on the first case against her, which was approved for litigation in Oklahoma County District Court last month.
Citizens successfully petition to impanel Kingfisher County grand jury on 2020 shooting
A Kingfisher County District Court judge ruled July 2 that a group of petitioners had gathered enough signatures to impanel a grand jury to investigate a 2020 shooting that left one person dead. District Judge Paul Woodward ordered that the grand jury be seated after 942 valid signatures were presented to him.
Legal roundup: While Walters declares court victory, Stitt v. Drummond heats up
Over the past two weeks, courts made a pair of rulings regarding two of Oklahoma’s most controversial education policies: HB 1775 and Oklahoma’s latest social studies standards. HB 1775, a 2021 law that proponents say limits discrimination and opponents say limits academic freedom regarding race and gender, has been litigated for years. On June 17, the Oklahoma Supreme Court issued answers to questions from a federal judge. Both proponents and opponents of the law declared it a victory.
St. Isidore decision: Split SCOTUS means Oklahoma Catholic charter school still blocked
Split 4-4 in a decision announced this morning, the U.S. Supreme Court left in place the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s decision to block the creation of a Catholic charter school. Justice Amy Coney Barrett, a devout Catholic with a history tied to religious freedom initiatives at Notre Dame Law School, recused from the case, leaving only eight justices to decide the case of St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School.
SD 8 election: Bryan Logan wins eastern Oklahoma seat
With almost all precincts reporting in Oklahoma’s State Senate District 8, Republican Bryan Logan handily won a special election tonight to represent the open seat in eastern Oklahoma through 2026. A pastor and general contractor from Paden, Logan carried each of the five eastern Oklahoma counties that span SD 8. He received 61.62 percent of the 5,003 votes cast, beating Democrat Nathan Brewer and independent Steve Sanford, who received 29.66 percent and 8.71 percent of the vote, respectively.
SD 8: Trio seeks eastern Oklahoma seat in tense Senate
Voters in eastern Oklahoma south of Tulsa will have the choice between Republican Bryan Logan, Democrat Nathan Brewer and independent Steve Sanford at the polls Tuesday to represent them in State Senate District 8. The SD 8 general election on May 13 will mark the third time Logan has appeared on a ballot this year, but just the first time for Brewer and Sanford.
Lawsuit claims OSDE social studies standards approved without due process
During a last-minute press conference this morning, former Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter announced a lawsuit against the State Board of Education and Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters regarding the board’s handling of controversial social studies standards, which seven plaintiffs argue were approved without following proper due process procedures. “Due process, this legal principle requires adequate notice and an opportunity to be heard,” Hunter said Wednesday.
Roundup: Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office criticized, OFS scrutinized, OK County land swap jeopardized
The state has had no shortage of rainy days over the past few weeks, but a new report from State Auditor and Inspector Cindy Byrd shows the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office has not saved up for one. On the contrary, Byrd’s audit highlights poor financial practices within the agency — no surprise after her office released Part One of the review in June 2024, the same month Cleveland County Sheriff Chris Amason was reelected with 53.4 percent of the vote in a three-way race.
Hearing St. Isidore case arguments, SCOTUS ponders whether charter schools are public schools
WASHINGTON — Hearing a case today that would have major ramifications across the country, U.S. Supreme Court justices spent two hours weighing arguments about whether a proposed Catholic charter school in Oklahoma would violate constitutional parameters regarding public funding and religion.
Walters accuses board members of lying to media as tensions run high in meeting
Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters clashed with members of the State Board of Education over new social studies standards during a marathon meeting Thursday that saw members question Walters on everything from routine approval of previous meetings’ minutes to legal matters relating to accreditation standards and mobile panic systems. The six-hour meeting began with a tense discussion over social studies standards approved by the board in February.
Stitt picks Rainey Williams for OU Board of Regents, Tracy Poole for OSU
Choosing a pair of leaders from financial investment firms, Gov. Kevin Stitt has announced his annual appointments for the boards of regents governing Oklahoma’s two largest university systems. On Wednesday, Stitt nominated Rainey Williams, an Oklahoma City businessman and attorney, to the University of Oklahoma Board of Regents. Earlier this month, he choose Tracy Poole, a Tulsa-based venture capitalist and attorney, for the Board of Regents for the Oklahoma Agricultural & Mechanical Colleges.
A decade after racist chant, SAE rebuffed from OU return
Just more than 10 years after the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity at the University of Oklahoma was kicked off campus owing to a video depicting members singing a racist chant on a bus, the fraternity was rejected this week in its second bid to return to campus. On Monday, the executive council of OU’s Interfraternity Council voted against SAE’s request to reestablish a chapter on the campus it was given days to vacate in 2015 after the video went viral.
Janet Grigg pleads no contest to Seeworth Academy embezzlement charges
In a short hearing Wednesday morning, former Seeworth Academy charter school Superintendent Janet Grigg pleaded no contest to three embezzlement charges that have been pending against her for more than two years. Grigg, 79, is set to be sentenced July 16. Her attorney, Scott Adams, said they hope she will receive a deferred sentence.
Logan tops Nelson in SD 8; HD 71, HD 74 to GOP runoffs
With all precincts reporting, pastor Bryan Logan clinched the Republican nomination for the open State Senate District 8 seat in eastern Oklahoma, earning 55.56 percent of the 5,205 votes cast to defeat tag agent David Nelson. Meanwhile, to the north, the House District 74 Republican primary in Owasso is headed to a May 13 runoff between Sheila Vancuren and Kevin Norwood.
SD 8 Republican runoff carries broader implications for Oklahoma Senate
As a fractured Senate Republican Caucus watches anxiously, GOP voters in eastern Oklahoma will head to the polls Tuesday to choose between a pastor from Paden and a veteran from Morris to represent State Senate District 8. Neither Bryan Logan nor David Nelson returned multiple phone calls and text messages seeking comment about their special election campaigns.
Roundup: Pinnacle Plan ends, but DA blasts DHS; Wes Hilliard charged; Epic drama continues
It has been a difficult March in the state after high winds and wildfires ravaged communities, leaving four dead and 400 homes destroyed, according to the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management. In trying times, it is easy — understandable, in fact — to fall behind on other items of news, whether you were personally affected by the fires or simply hold concern for those who were.
Legislators renew attempt to improve child care access
For the second time in two years, some Oklahoma lawmakers are attempting to address a critical shortage of child care options for parents. “We’ve lost 2,800 spots in the Oklahoma child care industry since last April, and it’s a very, very complicated industry,” said Rep. Suzanne Schreiber (D-Tulsa).
Ethics Commission to 'pursue prosecution' against Walters for alleged campaign finance violations
At the end of a nearly four-hour meeting — around three of which were spent in executive session — Oklahoma Ethics Commission members voted to pursue litigation against Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters over allegations of campaign finance law violations. Walters was subpoenaed by the commission in January after Walters apparently declined to provide campaign finance records from his 2022 campaign for state superintendent.
Revised OSDE social studies standards tell students to 'identify discrepancies in 2020 election results'
As Oklahoma legislators mull what action to take — if any — on revised academic standards for social studies approved by the State Board of Education in February, a quiet change from the initial version of the standards put forward for public comment now directs teachers and students toward widely debunked theories of voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election.
Round up: Keith Stitt to seek SCOTUS appeal, Fugate filing flung, Catholic case brews
Amid the legislative hustle and bustle at the State Capitol, multiple Oklahoma legal cases have seen developments with implications for state agencies, tribes and religious organizations. In this legal roundup, find updates on cases involving municipal jurisdiction over tribal citizens, St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School, the Corporation Commission, the Judicial Nominating Commission and more. More than four years after a Tulsa police officer pulled over Keith Stitt, Gov.
SD 8 GOP primary: Bryan Logan, David Nelson advance to runoff
With all precincts reporting Tuesday evening, Bryan Logan and David Nelson advanced to an April 1 runoff for the Republican primary to represent State Senate District 8 in eastern Oklahoma. The two men advanced from a field of six, although one of those candidates ceased campaigning in January and endorsed Logan. SD 8 lies south of the Tulsa metro area and encompasses all of Okfuskee, Okmulgee and McIntosh counties, as well as parts of Creek and Muskogee counties.
Cheat sheet: Oklahoma Senate District 8 GOP primary set March 4
Six candidates will appear on the March 4 Republican primary ballot for the open Oklahoma State Senate District 8 race, but only five are actively campaigning. The eastern Oklahoma seat is open because former Senate Appropriations and Budget Chairman Roger Thompson (R-Okemah) resigned last year after he was ousted as chairman of the powerful committee.
Legal roundup: Airsoft guns banned for felons, cockfighting arrests made, banker pleads to fraud
The Court of Criminal Appeals has upheld the death sentence of Daniel Raul Santiago Vasquez, convicted for murdering a woman in 2018 while she was seven months pregnant. The same day the court upheld Vasquez’s death penalty, it also held that refusing a breathalyzer test during a DUI traffic stop is admissible evidence and issued an order barring felons from owning airsoft guns.
Norman Ward 7: Kimberly Blodgett, Amanda Chaffin vie to succeed Holman
South Norman residents will face a Feb. 11 choice between educator Kimberly Blodgett and advocate Amanda Chaffin to represent them in the city council’s Ward 7 seat, but only one of the two candidates agreed to discuss her campaign in an interview. The Norman Ward 7 position is open because longtime incumbent Stephen Tyler Holman is running for mayor. Blodgett said Holman asked her to run for his seat in November, after he decided to challenge Mayor Larry Heikkila.
Cheat sheet: Kirby, Tuccillo challenge Nash in Norman Ward 5
Voters in Norman City Council Ward 5 will have a choice between incumbent Michael Nash, challenger Trey Kirby and challenger Cindi Tuccillo on Feb. 11. By far the largest ward in Norman — bigger than every other ward combined — Ward 5 encompasses the entirety of eastern Norman, stretching from the city’s eastern border west to 36th Avenue East.
U.S. Supreme Court taking up Oklahoma Catholic charter school case
A proposed Catholic charter school that the Oklahoma Supreme Court struck down in June could be revived after the U.S. Supreme Court decided to take up the issue Friday. The high court set a March briefing schedule and said an hour would be allotted for oral argument. The novel case could have vast implications for the level of religion allowed in public schools across the country.
Traffic stop escalates after Sen. Regina Goodwin refuses to provide driver's license
Sen. Regina Goodwin is challenging a traffic citation that turned into a half-hour ordeal captured by body camera footage showing the longtime legislator repeatedly arguing with a deputy sheriff, refusing to provide her driver’s license and being encouraged to conclude the discussion by an attorney and Tulsa’s new mayor. “The issue will be handled in court,” Goodwin said by text message Thursday.
Legal roundup: New federal judges vetoed, state judges chosen, Tulsa and Muscogee Nation negotiate
While a veto from President Joe Biden means Oklahomans will have to wait even longer for new federal judges, Gov. Kevin Stitt and the Judicial Nominating Commission are working to fill several judicial vacancies in Oklahoma. Judicial elections in the state will not arrive until next year, but early retirements can be common, and Stitt is on track to have appointed more than 40 judges to the bench by the end of 2025.
Roundup: FY 2026 budget projection down, Wellston substitute gets 4 years, Mashburn retiring
B.C. Clark’s anniversary jingle is back on airwaves for the 68th year, and people on Twitter are complaining about the Thunder’s absence from the NBA’s coveted Dec. 25 schedule, which can only mean one thing: Christmastime is here.
Roundup: Hulk Hogan talks tussles, attorney surrenders license, Lawton bank VP sentenced
With holidays approaching and the year winding down, this roundup can help you catch up on some Oklahoma news nuggets you may have missed. If you didn’t catch Hulk Hogan hocking his new beer in Tulsa, don’t worry, his comments on Oklahoma Athletics Commission issues can be found below. Meanwhile, the Pardon and Parole Board has denied clemency for a death row inmate, a former Lawton banker has been convicted of bank fraud, and a notorious attorney is surrendering her law license.
Legal roundup: Jeff Myers heads to trial, PPB drama causes delays, Drummond rebukes Russ
Despite a stay in the civil case against Swadley’s Foggy Bottom Kitchen that had been set to begin this week, several other high-profile legal happenings in the state deserve your attention. The Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department’s civil case against Swadley’s was stayed in October pending the outcome of the criminal fraud case against its officers, which alleges the restaurant overcharged the state for construction costs and other services. The civil trial was supposed to begin Monday.
After prior battery plea, OKCPS teacher Kiera Smith arrested after 'horseplay' injures student
An Oklahoma City Public Schools educator who previously pleaded to resolve a 2018 criminal charge for grabbing a co-worker’s crotch was arrested again Tuesday after a 13-year-old student was injured during some sort of wrestling activity in a classroom. John Marshall Enterprise Middle School teacher Kiera Smith, 41, was arrested on an allegation of aggravated assault and battery and booked into the Oklahoma County Jail.
Legal roundup: Teacher impersonator pleads, OKC settles Bennie Edwards lawsuit, recusal rules amended
Within this roundup of recent legal happenings in Oklahoma, you’ll find new details about the prosecution of a double homicide involving an anti-government organization and information on a settlement with the family of Bennie Edwards, a homeless man who was fatally shot by an Oklahoma City Police Department sergeant in 2020.
OSDE says deadlines met in critical federal report, legislators remain concerned
In a tweet congratulating Linda McMahon on her nomination as U.S. secretary of education by President-elect Donald Trump, Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters urged the former wrestling executive to “get to work dismantling the Department of Education” — the same department that recently identified 32 areas of concern with the way Oklahoma handles federal grants.
Roundup: Slap fighting, cockfighting, in-fighting over St. Isidore and religious education
If attorneys for St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtue School have their way, Oklahoma could become the birthplace of the U.S. Supreme Court’s latest , with proponents for and against the Catholic charter school all alleging infringements of the First Amendment right to exercise religion freely. Along with a laundry list of religious institutes and Republican attorneys general, Gov.
Amid bank failure fallout, City of Lindsay audit reveals 'gross mismanagement'
Already facing turmoil with the federal takeover of a failed local bank and the seemingly related suicide of a prominent community leader, the City of Lindsay was further rocked Wednesday with the release of a new audit that found “significant mismanagement” of municipal finances from July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2022.
Domino scenarios: Sen. Markwayne Mullin Cabinet rumor spurs speculation
As America’s eyes turn from the presidential election to the presidential transition, questions about whom Donald Trump will choose for positions in his administration abound, with several scenarios carrying possible implications for Oklahoma’s 2026 election cycle. In Oklahoma, the growing belief that Trump may appoint Sen.
Oklahoma legislative races see little change for makeup of Senate, House
In the Oklahoma legislative races held Tuesday, all three State Senate incumbents on ballots across the state held onto their seats. In the House of Representatives, all 27 incumbents retained their seats. While Democrats had hoped to flip at least one or two House and Senate seats in the Oklahoma City and Tulsa metro areas, no single legislative seat changed party hands when the final precincts trickled in from Tulsa County shortly before midnight.
Hern, Brecheen, Cole and Bice face challengers in Oklahoma congressional races
Incumbents from four of Oklahoma’s five congressional districts are attempting to defend their offices on Nov. 5, with only U.S. Rep Frank Lucas (R-OK3) being unopposed in the 2024 general election. In the race to represent Oklahoma in the U.S. House of Representatives, four Democrats and three independent candidates across the four races hope to unseat U.S. Reps. Kevin Hern (R-OK1), Josh Brecheen (R-OK2), Tom Cole (R-OK4) and Stephanie Bice (R-OK5).
Former Wellston substitute teacher convicted for sexting student
Emma Delaney Hancock, right, walks through the Lincoln County Courthouse with her defense team and family behind her Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024. (Bennett Brinkman) (Update: On Wednesday, Dec. 18, Lincoln County District Court Judge Sheila Kirk sentenced Emma Delaney Hancock to four years in prison. On Thursday, March 12, 2026, the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals rejected Hancock’s request for relief unanimously affirmed her conviction.
Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals retention election: 6 judges on Nov. 5 ballot
Oklahomans have 12 judicial retention elections on their ballots Tuesday, Nov. 5. Of those 12 decisions awaiting the electorate, three state Supreme Court justices are up for retention votes, and three appellate judges on the Court of Criminal Appeals also face retention or rejection by voters. The other six jurists up for consideration serve as judges on the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals, an intermediate appellate court whose decisions can be appealed to the Oklahoma Supreme Court.
Legal roundup: Bible mandate lawsuit filed, Norman anti-TIF petition submitted and more
Amid escalating 2024 general election coverage and a heated Senate District 47 debate Wednesday night, the world of Oklahoma politics remains hectic. The world outside of politics, however, remains busy as well, so read this roundup to catch up on important legal developments.
Grand jury finds 'grossly negligent' actions but 'insufficient evidence' for charges
Oklahoma’s multi-county grand jury released a report today examining the extent to which Gov. Kevin Stitt, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters and other public officials’ handling of pandemic-era federal funding bordered upon criminal actions or negligence, but jurors ultimately found “insufficient evidence” of criminal activity.
Grellner, Fuxa to debate in Stillwater-area SD 21 race
The two candidates running for the open Oklahoma State Senate District 21 seat have agreed to participate in a debate Wednesday, Oct. 23, ahead of the Nov. 5 general election. Former Oklahoma State University professor Robin Fuxa and Dr. Randy Grellner are campaigning to succeed state Sen. Tom Dugger (R-Stillwater), who chose not to seek a third term in office.
School accreditation, budget request, teacher certification define State Board of Education meeting
In a marathon meeting that lasted more than four hours, members of the Oklahoma State Board of Education accredited school districts for the 2024-2025 school year, revoked two teacher certificates and suspended two others, and approved a budget request to the Legislature that seeks $3 million for Bibles and $500,000 for a teacher open-carry pilot program.
Judge grants temporary injunction requiring Ryan Walters to let KFOR cover meetings
After an hour-long hearing this morning, U.S. District Court Judge Bernard Jones granted local news station KFOR’s request for a temporary injunction against State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters and State Department of Education director of communications Dan Isett. The ruling means Walters and Isett will be forced to allow KFOR reporters to attend Thursday’s State Board of Education meeting and subsequent press availability in person.
Trebor Worthen departure means new chief of staff for AG Gentner Drummond
Attorney General Gentner Drummond has a new chief of staff after his longtime political adviser, Trebor Worthen, departed the AG’s Office near the end of August. Worthen has been replaced by one of his closest political friends, former Kingfisher Sen. Rob Johnson, who had been Drummond’s general counsel since he was sworn into office in January 2023. Worthen and Johnson served together in the Oklahoma House of Representatives 20 years ago.
COVID-19’s lockdown effects
Subhead on elementary students engages calls for support Although educators and parents have been working for years to help students recover from drops in test scores as a result of COVID-19 lockdowns, another emerging effect is straining an already beleaguered educational system as students begin the new school year.Students born just before the COVID-19 lockdowns of 2020 are beginning to enter elementary school and could display sharp differences…
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