For Immediate Release

Media Contact:
Angela Allmond, Communications Director
Oklahoma Democratic Party
angela@okdemocrats.org

Oklahoma Ranks Top-10 in Autocratic Government

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK — APRIL 5, 2023 – It appears that Oklahoma has finally made it into the top-10. Sadly, it is not in a category that any state covets: Autocratic government.

“The Oklahoma Legislature has handed other Republican-led states a blueprint for silencing Democrats. After completely failing to address the pending prosecution of two Oklahoma legislators, the House stripped Representative Turner, who uses they/them pronouns, of their committee assignments. This happened with Rep. Turner facing absolutely no charges of any kind,” said Alicia Andrews, Chair of the Oklahoma Democratic Party.

“Now we are seeing something similar in Tennessee. The Republicans who control the legislature are stifling discussion from Democratic legislators and trying to remove them from office for exercising the right to free speech,” Andrews continued.

“We have witnessed the authoritarian bent of the governor and the superintendent of public instruction. Now that the legislature has taken this to new lows, they have empowered states in similar situations to follow suit.

“The worst part is that it is not just the legislators’ voices being silenced; they are stripping representation from the people of house district 88 because they voted for a Democrat. This is leaving thousands of people without representation and it is fully wrong. There is absolutely nothing democratic about this process,” continued Andrews.

“This type of ‘leadership’ must be stopped before it ignites the country in a wildfire that cannot be contained. Oklahomans deserve much more from their elected representatives. Other states would be well advised to consider how similar actions will negatively impact their states and our nation,” concluded Andrews.

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For more information about the Oklahoma Democratic Party, visit the party website at okdemocrats.org, or call party headquarters at 405-427-3366.