Jake Ramsey
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Journalist striving for truth, justice and a better tomorrow. Evictions Reporter @OklahomaWatch
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Articles by Jake Ramsey
When the Middleman Disappears: Synapse and the Litigation Risk Hiding in Banking-as-a-Service | JD Supra
In May 2024, a Maryland teacher told a federal bankruptcy court in California that he could not reach his own savings. "I have nearly $38,000 tied up," he wrote. "This money took years to save up." His money sat with a crypto app called Juno. Juno ran on technology from Synapse Financial Technologies, a middleware company most customers had never heard of, which had filed for bankruptcy weeks earlier. 1 He was not alone. His problem was the predictable failure mode of Banking-as-a-Service, or BaaS.
OKLAHOMA WATCH: Voter Portal fails on deadline day, leaving Oklahomans unable to register for November election
Oklahomans who waited until the last day to register to vote in the Nov. 3 general election hit a brick wall at the state election board Friday, where the voter portal wasn’t working. That left would-be voters with few options, except downloading and printing a form and getting it to a post office before closing time to meet the deadline with an Oct. 9 postmark.
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The Trump administration is moving away from housing-first homeless policy, which has been federal doctrine since 2013, toward treatment-first models and short-term transitional housing. Oklahoma City and Tulsa providers say
Oklahoma’s voter registration portal failed on the last day to register
Politics and Government Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Xcaret Nuñez / OPMX Voters cast their ballots at St. Luke's Methodist Church in Oklahoma City. Oklahomans who waited until the last day to register to vote in the Nov. 3 general election hit a brick wall at the state election board Friday, where the voter portal wasn’t working. That left would-be voters with few options, except downloading and printing a form and getting it to a post office before closing time to meet the deadline with an Oct.
Voter portal fails on deadline day, leaving Oklahomans unable to register for November election
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Voter Portal Fails on Deadline Day, Leaving Oklahomans Unable to Register for November Election
OKLAHOMA - Oklahomans who waited until the last day to register to vote in the Nov. 3 general election hit a brick wall at the state election board Friday, where the voter portal wasn’t working. That left would-be voters with few options, except downloading and printing a form and getting it to a post office before closing time to meet the deadline with an Oct. 9 postmark. Oklahoma Watch tested the system after the Democratic Party office reported receiving about 20 calls from frustrated Oklahomans.
Jake Ramsey, Oklahoma Watch
Jake Ramsey, Oklahoma Watch
Voter Portal Fails on Deadline Day, Leaving Oklahomans Unable to Register for November Election
Oklahomans who waited until the last day to register to vote in the Nov. 3 general election hit a brick wall at the state election board Friday, where the voter portal wasn’t working. That left would-be voters with few options, except downloading and printing a form and getting it to a post office before closing time to meet the deadline with an Oct. 9 postmark. Oklahoma Watch tested the system after the Democratic Party office reported receiving about 20 calls from frustrated Oklahomans.
Oklahoma Department of Securities sues vesta realty for failing to hand over subpoenaed documents
Housing Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Illustration by Jake Ramsey / Oklahoma Watch The Oklahoma Department of Securities sued Vesta Realty, alleging the company failed to provide records the department subpoenaed. The Oklahoma Department of Securities is suing Vesta Realty for failing to produce documents it subpoenaed, the latest in at least 28 lawsuits filed in 2026 against CEO Marc Kulick, his company or properties he controls.
Oklahoma Housing Providers Say Housing-First Is Working. The Federal Government Is Done With It.
Housing-first, a model rooted in the belief that people need a stable place to live before addressing other problems, has been central to federal government housing policy for more than a decade. That approach is disappearing under President Donald Trump’s second administration. The upheaval, providers and advocates said, threatens the most vulnerable people in the nation.
Oklahoma Watch: Oklahoma Department of Securities sues Vesta Realty for failing to hand over subpoenaed documents
Another lawsuit has been filed against Vesta Realty and its CEO, Marc Kulick. The Oklahoma Department of Securities is suing Vesta, alleging the company failed to provide internal documents the department subpoenaed. At least 28 lawsuits have been filed in 2026 against Kulick, his company or a property he controlled. The allegations range from failing to pay contract workers for repairs to deliberately deceiving investors.
Oklahoma Watch: State's investor protection agency sues Vesta Realty
Another lawsuit has been filed against Vesta Realty and its CEO, Marc Kulick. kAm%96 ~<=29@>2 s6A2CE>6?E @7 $64FC:E:6D :D DF:?8 '6DE2[ 2==68:?8 E96 4@>A2?J 72:=65 E@ AC@G:56 :?E6C?2= 5@4F>6?ED E96 56A2CE>6?E DF3A@6?265]k^Am kAmpE =62DE ag =2HDF:ED 92G6 366? 7:=65 :? a_ae 282:?DE zF=:4<[ 9:D 4@>A2?J @C 2 AC@A6CEJ 96 4@?EC@==65] %96 2==682E:@?D C2?86 7C@> 72:=:?8 E@ A2J 4@?EC24E H@C<6CD 7@C C6A2:CD E@ 56=:36C2E6=J 5646:G:?8 :?G6DE@CD]k^Am kAm%96 D64FC:E:6D =2HDF:E[ 7:=65 @?
Oklahoma Department of Securities Sues Vesta Realty for Failing to Hand Over Subpoenaed Documents
Another lawsuit has been filed against Vesta Realty and its CEO, Marc Kulick. The Oklahoma Department of Securities is suing Vesta, alleging the company failed to provide internal documents the department subpoenaed. At least 28 lawsuits have been filed in 2026 against Kulick, his company or a property he controlled. The allegations range from failing to pay contract workers for repairs to deliberately deceiving investors.
Oklahoma Watch: Realtors, developers and lawmakers say land banks are a start toward housing fix
Land banks are back in the conversation at the state Capitol. After a bill Sen. Julia Kirt proposed on the subject failed to leave committee this past legislative session, the Senate minority leader held an interim study Sept. 15 to analyze how Oklahoma could use land banks to address vacant and abandoned properties across the state and increase the state’s affordable, available housing.
Realtors, developers and lawmakers say land banks are a start toward housing fix
Housing Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Jake Ramsey / Oklahoma Watch Oklahoma Sen. Julia Kirt speaks to the media at the Oklahoma Capitol on April 24, 2025. Sen. Julia Kirt held a September interim study on land banks, quasi-governmental entities that acquire vacant and blighted properties for development, after her land bank bill died in committee this spring. Land banks are back in the conversation at the state Capitol. After a bill Sen.
Realtors, Developers and Lawmakers Say Land Banks Are a Start Toward Housing Fix
Land banks are back in the conversation at the state Capitol. After a bill Sen. Julia Kirt proposed on the subject failed to leave committee this past legislative session, the Senate minority leader held an interim study on September 15 to analyze how Oklahoma could use land banks to address vacant and abandoned properties across the state and increase the state’s affordable, available housing.
Oklahoma Watch: Tulsa City Council unanimously backs new eviction prevention program that could be a state model
On Sept. 16, the Tulsa City Council unanimously passed a resolution to develop a program that would provide legal representation to low-income tenants and landlords who are navigating the eviction process without legal assistance. The resolution, proposed by Councilor Laura Bellis, would address Tulsa’s high eviction rates and growing homelessness problem and, with continued support, would help Tulsa join a growing coalition of right-to-counsel programs across the United States.
Realtors, Developers and Lawmakers Say Land Banks Are a Start Toward Housing Fix
Land banks are back in the conversation at the state Capitol. After a bill Sen. Julia Kirt proposed on the subject failed to leave committee this past legislative session, the Senate minority leader held an interim study on September 15 to analyze how Oklahoma could use land banks to address vacant and abandoned properties across the state and increase the state’s affordable, available housing.
When the Mammoth Gets Out: Is a Genetically Engineered Animal a Product, or Is It Livestock? | JD Supra
It is a little before dawn when the fence gives way. The animal that steps through it is not supposed to exist. It stands nearly 11 feet at the shoulder, wrapped in a coat of coarse, rust-colored hair, its breath rising in the cold. It weighs five tons. A quarter mile off, a rancher hears a low rumble he feels in the floorboards before he hears it in the air.
Oklahoma Watch: Congress passed the biggest housing bill in decades, but Oklahoma advocates say the state still has work to do
In early July, Congress passed the largest housing affordability bill in decades with broad bipartisan support. The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act includes 59 provisions aimed at increasing the nation’s housing supply and making homeownership more accessible amid an affordability crisis in which even low-income units are out of reach for some Americans.
Tulsa City Council unanimously backs new eviction prevention program that could be a state model
On Sept. 16, the Tulsa City Council unanimously passed a resolution to develop a program that would provide legal representation to low-income tenants and landlords who are navigating the eviction process without legal assistance. The resolution, proposed by Councilor Laura Bellis, would address Tulsa's high eviction rates and growing homelessness problem and, with continued support, would help Tulsa join a growing coalition of right-to-counsel programs across the United States.
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On Sept. 16, the Tulsa City Council unanimously passed a resolution to develop a program that would provide legal representation to low-income tenants and landlords who are navigating the eviction
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On Sept. 16, the Tulsa City Council unanimously passed a resolution to develop a program that would provide legal representation to low-income tenants and landlords who are navigating the eviction
OKLAHOMA WATCH: Tulsa City Council unanimously backs new eviction prevention program that could be a state model
On Sept. 16, the Tulsa City Council unanimously passed a resolution to develop a program that would provide legal representation to low-income tenants and landlords who are navigating the eviction process without legal assistance. The resolution, proposed by Councilor Laura Bellis, would address Tulsa’s high eviction rates and growing homelessness problem and, with continued support, would help Tulsa join a growing coalition of right-to-counsel programs across the United States.
Tulsa City Council unanimously backs new eviction prevention program that could be a state model
On Sept. 16, the Tulsa City Council unanimously passed a resolution to develop a program that would provide legal representation to low-income tenants and landlords who are navigating the eviction process without legal assistance. The resolution, proposed by Councilor Laura Bellis, would address Tulsa's high eviction rates and growing homelessness problem and, with continued support, would help Tulsa join a growing coalition of right-to-counsel programs across the United States.
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On Sept. 16, the Tulsa City Council unanimously passed a resolution to develop a program that would provide legal representation to low-income tenants and landlords who are navigating the eviction
OKLAHOMA WATCH: Tulsa City Council unanimously backs new eviction prevention program that could be a state model
On Sept. 16, the Tulsa City Council unanimously passed a resolution to develop a program that would provide legal representation to low-income tenants and landlords who are navigating the eviction process without legal assistance. The resolution, proposed by Councilor Laura Bellis, would address Tulsa’s high eviction rates and growing homelessness problem and, with continued support, would help Tulsa join a growing coalition of right-to-counsel programs across the United States.
Tulsa City Council unanimously backs new eviction prevention program that could be a state model
On September 16, the Tulsa City Council unanimously passed a resolution to develop a program that would provide legal representation to low-income tenants and landlords who are navigating the eviction process without legal assistance. The resolution, proposed by Councilor Laura Bellis, would address Tulsa’s high eviction rates and growing homelessness problem and, with continued support, would help Tulsa join a growing coalition of right-to-counsel programs across the United States.
Tulsa City Council unanimously backs new eviction prevention program that could be a state model
Housing Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Jake Ramsey / Oklahoma Watch Tulsa City Councilor Laura Bellis speaks to the media after a regular city council meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, where an eviction prevention program passed unanimously. The Tulsa City Council unanimously passed a resolution September 16 to develop a right-to-counsel eviction program providing legal representation to low-income tenants and landlords alike.
Tulsa City Council Unanimously Backs New Eviction Prevention Program That Could Be a State Model
On September 16, the Tulsa City Council unanimously passed a resolution to develop a program that would provide legal representation to low-income tenants and landlords who are navigating the eviction process without legal assistance. The resolution, proposed by Councilor Laura Bellis, would address Tulsa’s high eviction rates and growing homelessness problem and, with continued support, would help Tulsa join a growing coalition of right-to-counsel programs across the United States.
OKLAHOMA WATCH: Tulsa City Council unanimously backs new eviction prevention program that could be a state model
On Sept. 16, the Tulsa City Council unanimously passed a resolution to develop a program that would provide legal representation to low-income tenants and landlords who are navigating the eviction process without legal assistance. The resolution, proposed by Councilor Laura Bellis, would address Tulsa’s high eviction rates and growing homelessness problem and, with continued support, would help Tulsa join a growing coalition of right-to-counsel programs across the United States.
OKLAHOMA WATCH: Tulsa City Council unanimously backs new eviction prevention program that could be a state model
On Sept. 16, the Tulsa City Council unanimously passed a resolution to develop a program that would provide legal representation to low-income tenants and landlords who are navigating the eviction process without legal assistance. The resolution, proposed by Councilor Laura Bellis, would address Tulsa’s high eviction rates and growing homelessness problem and, with continued support, would help Tulsa join a growing coalition of right-to-counsel programs across the United States.
Housing shortage affects most of Oklahoma
Oklahoma Watch In early July, Congress passed the largest housing affordability bill in decades with broad bipartisan support. The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act includes 59 provisions aimed at increasing the nation’s housing supply and making homeownership more accessible amid an affordability crisis in which even low-income units are out of reach for some Americans. Two months after the comprehe… Subscribe to continue reading Read the full story Stay connected to your local news.
OKLAHOMA WATCH: Congress passed the biggest housing bill in decades, but Oklahoma advocates say the state still has work to do
In early July, Congress passed the largest housing affordability bill in decades with broad bipartisan support. The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act includes 59 provisions aimed at increasing the nation’s housing supply and making homeownership more accessible amid an affordability crisis in which even low-income units are out of reach for some Americans.
Oklahoma has a lot of work to do amid biggest housing bill in decades
Oklahoma has a lot of work to do amid biggest housing bill in decades Jake Ramsey | Oklahoma Watch Two months after the comprehensive bill passed, Oklahoma advocates and policymakers are looking to it as a tool to help solve the state’s affordable housing deficit. The ideas range from creating a statewide housing task force to ending single-family zoning, making it easier to build affordable housing developments.
Congress Passed the Biggest Housing Bill in Decades, but Oklahoma Advocates Say the State Still Has Work to Do
In early July, Congress passed the largest housing affordability bill in decades with broad bipartisan support. The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act includes 59 provisions aimed at increasing the nation’s housing supply and making homeownership more accessible amid an affordability crisis in which even low-income units are out of reach for some Americans.
Oklahoma Watch: Stillwater sues over Vesta property; bankruptcies freeze case
David Gaut and his wife, Tracy, have been living at Remington Ranch for more than a year. They have lacked heat and hot water, experienced rodent infestations, and had constant communication problems with the property managers. kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 v2FED 2C6 ?@E E96 @?=J C6D:56?ED :? #6>:?8E@? #2?49 E@ 6IA6C:6?46 E9@D6 AC@3=6>D] !F3=:4 @FE4CJ C624965 E96 $E:==H2E6C r:EJ r@F?4:= :?
Stillwater Sued to Fix Remington Ranch; Competing Bankruptcies Froze the Case
David Gaut and his wife, Tracy, have been living at Remington Ranch for more than a year. They have lacked heat and hot water, experienced rodent infestations and had constant communication problems with the property managers. The Gauts are not the only residents in Remington Ranch to experience those problems. Public outcry reached the Stillwater City Council in February, prompting the city to declare the property a public nuisance and sue the landlord, Vesta Realty.
DExit: How Texas is Building a Corporate Alternative to Delaware | JD Supra
Through business court reform, corporate governance legislation, and the creation of a national stock exchange, Texas is making a deliberate bid to compete with Delaware as America's preferred corporate domicile. Texas is a lot of things, but subtle is rarely one of them. And there is certainly nothing subtle about Texas's recent efforts to attract businesses and capital to the Lone Star State. The latest evidence can be found in a term that has increasingly entered corporate nomenclature: DExit.
Norman homeless support program loses funding, will shut down
The project is now being shut down at the end of August, further strangling Norman’s homeless support services as the crisis deepens. A Better Way was operated by Mental Health Association Oklahoma through a partnership with Norman, and was one of the few homeless support services offered in the city. The program offered people experiencing homelessness the opportunity to work cleaning up public spaces, and in return they would be paid, provided a meal and connected with service providers.
Norman’s homeless support service A Better Way to shut down after funding request is denied
The city of Norman sought new funding from the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office to continue A Better Way, a project intended as an alternative to panhandling. The request was ultimately denied. The project is now being shut down at the end of August, further strangling Norman’s homeless support services as the crisis deepens. A Better Way was operated by Mental Health Association Oklahoma through a partnership with Norman, and was one of the few homeless support services offered in the city.
“It literally saved my life”: Norman’s A Better Way program will be shut down
Housing Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Jake Ramsey / Oklahoma Watch Shelli Markcum, a recipient of Norman's A Better Way program, sits on her couch in her sober living home. Norman is shutting down A Better Way, a program that connected people experiencing homelessness with paid work and support services, after the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office denied a funding request to continue it.
“It Literally Saved My Life”: Norman’s A Better Way Program Will Be Shut Down
The city of Norman sought new funding from the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office to continue A Better Way, a project intended as an alternative to panhandling. The request was ultimately denied. The project is now being shut down at the end of August, further strangling Norman’s homeless support services as the crisis deepens. A Better Way was operated by Mental Health Association Oklahoma through a partnership with Norman, and was one of the few homeless support services offered in the city.
As voters back political newcomers, Mazzei secures GOP nomination for governor
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As Voters Back Political Newcomers, Mazzei Secures GOP Nomination for Governor
OKLAHOMA - Bolstered by an endorsement from President Donald Trump and more than $11 million in personal loans, financial planner and former state senator Mike Mazzei secured the Republican nomination for governor over Attorney General Gentner Drummond on Tuesday night. The race turned contentious in the weeks leading up to the runoff election, with Mazzei and Drummond sparring over issues ranging from a proposed aluminum smelter in Inola to their own physical fitness to serve as governor.
As Voters Back Political Newcomers, Mazzei Secures GOP Nomination for Governor
Bolstered by an endorsement from President Donald Trump and more than $11 million in personal loans, financial planner and former state senator Mike Mazzei secured the Republican nomination for governor over Attorney General Gentner Drummond on Tuesday night. The race turned contentious in the weeks leading up to the runoff election, with Mazzei and Drummond sparring over issues ranging from a proposed aluminum smelter in Inola to their own physical fitness to serve as governor.
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AI, Data Breaches, and an Old Lesson from the Law of Bailment
OpenAI recently disclosed that, during testing of one of its frontier artificial intelligence models, AI agents working to solve assigned tasks found ways to access the internet and ultimately infiltrate the systems of another AI company, Hugging Face. They did so through pathways OpenAI's developers never intended them to reach. The incident quickly dominated technology and cybersecurity headlines.
Oklahoma Watch: Vesta tenants have little recourse as they go without essential services
Dawn Deschler is on her second lease at the Villas at Midtown apartment complex in Tulsa, and despite consistently paying her rent, she has been without air conditioning since the beginning. kAm“x’G6 366? 96C6 2 =:EE=6 @G6C 2 J62C 2?5 2 92=7[ 2?5 E96 2:C 4@?5:E:@?6CD 92G6 ?6G6C H@C<65[” s6D49=6C D2:5]k^Am kAmp??2 {:EE=6 #2G6? r92?6J 925 E96 H2E6C E@ 96C |F?E286 2A2CE>6?E :? ~<=29@>2 r:EJ 4FE @77 :? yF=J] %96?
OKLAHOMA WATCH: Landlords are failing to provide essential services, but tenants have little recourse
Dawn Deschler is on her second lease at the Villas at Midtown apartment complex in Tulsa, and despite consistently paying her rent, she has been without air conditioning since the beginning. “I’ve been here a little over a year-and-a-half, and the air conditioners have never worked,” Deschler said. kAmp??2 {:EE=6 #2G6? r92?6J 925 E96 H2E6C E@ 96C |F?E286 2A2CE>6?E :? ~<=29@>2 r:EJ 4FE @77 :? yF=J] %96?
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