“This is a major victory for the State of Oklahoma,” said Attorney General John O’Connor today in a media release. 

The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals unanimously made that decision in Parish v. Oklahoma. Today, the United States Supreme Court refused to consider an appeal of that decision by Parish. 

Clifton Parish was convicted of second-degree murder in the 2010 beating and shooting death of Robert Strickland in Hugo, Oklahoma. Parish sought to have the United States Supreme Court throw out his conviction, arguing that McGirt is retroactive.

His conviction is one of many convictions that will now stand, with the Supreme Court’s decision announced today.

Thursday OK Sen. and candidate for US Senate, Nathan Dahm filed a trio of bills allowing Oklahoma Sheriffs to arrest FEDs and form posse in response to growing concerns over federal violations of Constitutionally protected rights, prohibiting federal officers from any gun confiscation measures, requiring federal agents to notify the sheriff before operating in their county, and allowing sheriffs to form a posse to defend their county in times of emergency or disaster or from federal overreach.  

Today Sen. Dahm filed Senate Bill 1226 to prohibit illegal alien anchor babies from receiving citizenship in Oklahoma.

It appears OK Sen. Dahm will use his final term to speak from the state to the Federal government as he campaigns for the US Senate seat currently held by Senator James Lankford and also challenged by Jackson Lahmeyer. Not to judge, but we don’t believe that has ever happened in Oklahoma and should provide a very entertaining election cycle.

Updated: The Oklahoma Corporation Commission has approved a settlement agreement which will initially result in an average increase of $1.27 in the average residential bill. However, the settlement includes a Commission order that requires ONG to apply a $10.6 million tax credit received under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 to the rates in question. That credit will be applied in February of 2022, lowering the overall increase to 34 cents a month for the average residential customer on an annualized basis.

Not including the application of the tax credit, ONG originally applied for an increase of $28.69 million. The amount approved was $15.25 million.

As announced today, the settlement was agreed to and offered to the Commissioners for approval by the Oklahoma Attorney General – who represents the ratepayer before the Commission, AARP, the Public Utility Division of the Corporation Commission, and the Oklahoma Industrial Energy Consumers (OIEC).