In about-face, Senate leader agrees to carry nomination of state Board of Education member
Paxton's decision to speak on behalf of Tinney became evident on Monday, May 19, when the agenda for the Tuesday, May 20, Senate Education Committee meeting was made public. Among others, the committee will hold confirmation hearings for three of the four recent state Board of Education nominees made by Gov. Kevin Stitt. Paxton is listed as the Senate sponsor for Tinney.
Paxton wasn't available for comment Monday about why he changed his mind.
No matter the reason for Paxton's decision, Stitt said he was pleased Tinney would receive a hearing.
'Mike Tinney is a great conservative and a great Oklahoman who is willing to serve his state in this capacity,' Stitt said. 'I'm glad that we're getting politics out of the way so board members can get to the business of serving our kids.'
What caused Paxton's change of heart? It remains uncertain. But during a confirmation hearing for board nominee Chris Van Denhende on Thursday, May 15, Paxton took an unusual step for a Senate president pro tempore. He spoke out against what he and others believed to be an orchestrated email campaign against Van Denhende from far-right sources. Some of those emails compared Van Denhende to Mikhail Gorbachev, the former leader of the Soviet Union, and others attacked Van Denhende's family members.
Paxton spoke about his disgust with the campaign and said the messages were written 'by people who feel empowered by a keyboard' who 'send emails at 2 or 3 in the morning' and called their content 'unfair, hateful opposition.'
'If you shared those things … then you are part of the problem,' he said.
Van Denhende's nomination was approved by the committee and sent to the full Senate for a final vote.
Stitt had named Tinney and Van Denhende to the board along with Ryan Deatherage on Feb. 11. He named a fourth new member, Becky Carson, on April 28. The governor said in February the board shakeup was due to 'ongoing controversy' at the state Education Department and disappointing standardized test scores.
The overhaul also came amid increasing tension between Stitt and state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters, who is the board's chair by nature of his elected position. Stitt is credited with bringing Walters into Oklahoma government, but the two Republicans ― once friends and political allies — now are at odds, as Walters has taken public political positions opposite those of Stitt.
During his first two years in office, Walters received no pushback from the board on multiple controversial decisions, such as issuing a statewide Bible-teaching mandate or seeking to create an administrative rule that would allow the Oklahoma State Department of Education not just to ask for the immigration status of students, but of their parents, as well.
That's changed since Stitt appointed Tinney, Deatherage and Van Denhende to the board. During two meetings, the three men have challenged Walters on multiple occasions. Carson's first meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 21, the day after her confirmation hearing.
Major executive appointments require confirmation by the Senate, which typically holds such hearings in May, near the end of the legislative session. Senate tradition requires the nomination be carried by the senator for the district in which the nominee resides, or by the Senate president pro tempore.
Sen. Lisa Standridge, R-Norman, declined to carry the nomination of Tinney, who lives in her district. Standridge has cited her friendship with Kendra Wesson, one of the three board members ousted by Stitt in February, as her reason.
"I denied that because Kendra is a friend," Standridge told The Oklahoman on May 1. "She's also a constituent. I felt like she was doing a great job, and she was fired unceremoniously. Had Mike been treated in that way, I would deny someone else's confirmation, if they were doing a great job.
"It's a horrible decision to have to make, but I felt that at the end of the day, doing what is right is standing up for my friend."
At that time, Paxton had also opted against carrying Tinney's nomination, despite considerable political pressure from Stitt's office to do so.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OSBE member Michael Tinney will get confirmation hearing after all
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
15 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Texas Democrats tear ‘permission slips' imposed by Republican house speaker
Texas Democrats are tearing up 'permission slips' they signed in order to leave the chamber, joining state representative Nicole Collier ahead of Wednesday's vote on the controversial Texas congressional redistricting maps. The slips are part of new surveillance protocols set by Texas Republicans in the house chamber, stating that Democrats would 'be granted written permission to leave only after agreeing to be released into the custody of a designated [Texas department of public safety] officer' who would ensure their return to the chamber. The move follows a two-week quorum break that had delayed Republicans' effort to redraw the state's congressional districts to align with Donald Trump's push to reshape the US House map in his favor before the 2026 midterm elections. On Tuesday, Collier chose to remain confined inside the Texas house chamber until lawmakers reconvene on Wednesday, refusing to comply with what she condemned as a 'demeaning' protocol. Related: Thousands join US 'Fight the Trump Takeover' protests against Republican redistricting plans Collier was among dozens of Democrats who left the state for the Democratic havens of California, Illinois, Massachusetts and New York to delay the Republican-controlled legislature's approval of redrawn congressional districts sought by Trump. When they returned Monday, Republicans insisted that Democrats have around-the-clock police escorts to ensure they wouldn't leave again and scuttle Wednesday's planned House vote on a new political map. But Collier wouldn't sign what Democrats called the 'permission slip' needed to leave the house chamber, a half-page form allowing Department of Public Safety troopers to follow them. She spent Monday night and Tuesday on the house floor, where she set up a livestream while her Democratic colleagues outside had plainclothes officers following them to their offices and homes. Linda Garcia, a Dallas-area representative, said she drove three hours home from Austin with an officer following her. When she went grocery shopping, he went down every aisle with her, pretending to shop, she said. As she spoke to the Associated Press by phone, two unmarked cars with officers inside were parked outside her home. 'It's a weird feeling,' she said. 'The only way to explain the entire process is: it's like I'm in a movie.' The trooper assignments, ordered by Dustin Burrows, the Republican house speaker, was another escalation of a redistricting battle that has widened across the country. Trump is pushing GOP state officials to tilt the map for the 2026 midterms more in his favor to preserve the GOP's slim house majority, and Democrats nationally have rallied around efforts to retaliate. Gene Wu, the house minority leader from Houston, and Vincel Perez, a state representative of El Paso, stayed overnight with Collier, who represents a minority-majority district in Fort Worth. On Tuesday, more Democrats returned to the Capitol to tear up the slips they had signed and stay on the house floor, which has a lounge and restrooms for members. Cassandra Garcia Hernandez, a Dallas-area representative, called their protest a 'slumber party for democracy' and said Democrats were holding strategy sessions on the floor. 'We are not criminals,' Penny Morales Shaw, a Houston representative, said. Collier said having officers shadow her was an attack on her dignity and an attempt to control her movements. Burrows brushed off Collier's protest, saying he was focused on important issues, such as providing property tax relief and responding to last month's deadly floods. His statement Tuesday morning did not mention redistricting and his office did not immediately respond to other Democrats joining Collier. 'Rep Collier's choice to stay and not sign the permission slip is well within her rights under the house rules,' Burrows said. Under those rules, until Wednesday's scheduled vote, the chamber's doors are locked, and no member can leave 'without the written permission of the speaker'. To do business Wednesday, 100 of 150 House members must be present. The GOP plan is designed to send five additional Republicans from Texas to the US House. Texas Democrats returned to Austin after Democrats in California launched an effort to redraw their state's districts to take five seats from Republicans. Democrats also said they were returning because they expect to challenge the new maps in court. Republicans issued civil arrest warrants to bring the Democrats back after they left the state 3 August, and Greg Abbott, the Republican governor, asked the state supreme court to oust Wu and several other Democrats from office. The lawmakers also face a fine of $500 for every day they were absent. Democrats reported different levels of monitoring. Armando Walle, a Houston representative, said he wasn't sure where his police escort was, but there was still a heightened police presence in the Capitol, so he felt he was being monitored closely. Some Democrats said the officers watching them were friendly. But Sheryl Cole, an Austin representative, said in a social media post that when she went on her morning walk Tuesday, the officer following her lost her on the trail, got angry and threatened to arrest her. Garcia said her nine-year-old son was with her as she drove home and each time she looked in the rearview mirror, she could see the officer close behind. He came inside a grocery store where she was shopping with her son. 'I would imagine that this is the way it feels when you're potentially shoplifting and someone is assessing whether you're going to steal,' she said. Associated Press contributed to this report Solve the daily Crossword
Boston Globe
16 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
Susan Collins to get Hollywood treatment at fundraiser with Democrats
The fundraiser will be held at the home of Sherry Lansing, a former Paramount Pictures chair and prominent liberal donor, according to three people with knowledge of the fundraiser. Lansing's home in the Bel Air neighborhood is a mainstay on the philanthropy and Democratic fundraising circuit, hosting the likes of Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis of California on her patio, which opens to sweeping views of Los Angeles. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Lansing is set to co-host the event with Casey Wasserman, the sports and entertainment mogul and chair of the Los Angeles Olympics organizing committee, which is handling logistics for the Summer Games in 2028. Wasserman is a longtime Democratic giver as well, but he has taken steps to ingratiate himself with the right as of late, giving Olympic medals to President Donald Trump at the White House this month and donating to some Republicans during this election cycle. Advertisement Casey Wasserman, chairman of LA28, presented medals from the 1984 Olympics to President Trump in Washington on Aug. 5. Alex Brandon/Associated Press The Bel Air event has attracted some attention in Hollywood because Democrats will need to topple Republicans such as Collins if they have a chance at retaking the Senate. It is unclear how strong a candidate Democrats will field in Maine. On Tuesday, a political novice, Graham Platner, announced his entry into the Democratic primary. Advertisement Wasserman and Lansing decided to participate in the Southern California fundraiser because it was set up as a bipartisan host committee, with two Democrats and two Republicans, according to a person close to them. One of the Republicans is Harry E. Sloan, a former chair of MGM and a current member of the Lionsgate board. Sloan was once a prominent backer of moderate Republicans such as John McCain, but in recent years he has also made six-figure contributions to Democrats, including to back the 2024 presidential campaigns of Joe Biden and then Kamala Harris. Sloan's wife, Florence, a filmmaker with similar giving patterns to her husband, is also listed on the invitation. The other Republican hosting the event is Michael Burns, vice chair of the Lionsgate film and television studio. 'I'm proud to have supported my dear friend Senator Collins for many years,' Burns said in a text message. 'She remains a clear-thinking, bipartisan moderate in a world that, at least for the moment, is something far different.' Lansing, Wasserman and Sloan did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Collins' campaign had no comment. Tickets for the reception run from $3,500 to $10,000. Collins is also expected to attend finance events in Northern California around the time of the Bel Air fundraiser, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. This article originally appeared in
Yahoo
39 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Explainer-Does Trump have the power to ban mail-in ballots in U.S. elections?
By Jack Queen (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump wants to ban mail-in ballots in federal elections, a form of voting popular with many Americans. About three in 10 ballots were cast through the mail in the 2024 general election, according to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. Trump, a Republican, does not have clear legal authority to do this, though his allies in Congress and state governments could enact policies barring the practice. Here is a look at Trump's authority and how the law could be changed. CAN TRUMP UNILATERALLY BAN MAIL-IN BALLOTS? Only states and the U.S. Congress can pass laws regulating elections. A unilateral ban by the president on mail-in ballots would likely exceed Trump's limited authority to enforce existing law. In a Monday social media post, Trump said mail-in ballots are susceptible to fraud and that he would lead a movement to ban them, beginning with an executive order bringing "honesty" to the November 2026 midterm elections. Republicans have filed scores of lawsuits seeking to end mail-in voting in recent years, citing possible fraud. Democrats generally support mail-in ballots as a way to expand access to voting. Voter fraud in the U.S. is extremely rare, multiple studies have shown. White House representatives provided a general statement about Trump's election policies but did not answer questions about his legal authority to ban mail-in ballots or what an executive order would say. COULD TRUMP'S ALLIES BAN MAIL-IN BALLOTS? States are responsible for administering their votes under the U.S. Constitution, and Republican-controlled legislatures could pass laws banning mail-in ballots so long as they do not conflict with federal law. Congress could ban the use of mail-in ballots in federal elections and override state laws protecting their use, but Trump's Republican Party has slim majorities in Congress and would face difficulty getting past opposition by Democrats. Republicans hold 53 Senate seats. To pass a mail-in ballot ban they would need to end the filibuster, a longstanding tradition requiring 60 of the chamber's 100 members to approve most legislation. State and federal laws banning mail-in voting could be challenged in court as unconstitutional impediments to voting. WHAT OTHER POWERS DO PRESIDENTS HAVE OVER ELECTIONS? Presidents in the U.S. have some discretion in enforcing election laws, and Trump could try to use those powers to end or restrict mail-in voting, though it is unclear how. In June, a federal judge blocked parts of an executive order by Trump requiring voters to prove they are U.S. citizens and attempting to prevent states from counting mail-in ballots received after Election Day. The Trump administration is appealing. "The Constitution does not grant the president any specific powers over elections," said U.S. District Judge Denise Casper, an appointee of Democratic President Barack Obama.
