Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, today released the following statement after Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond filed an entry of appearance in the litigation between the state and tribal nations over gaming compacts that have been ongoing since 2020.
“I appreciate Attorney General Drummond’s dedication to the rule of law and his willingness to intervene in this case,” Pro Tem Treat said. “His involvement is our best and most expeditious path forward. The governor has wasted untold amounts of taxpayer money on these lawsuits that have been an abject failure. Continuing them does nothing but alienate our tribal partners and undermine the very goals that the governor says he’s trying to achieve. The McGirt and Hooper cases are deeply troubling but our actions to mitigate their potential negative impact need to be lawful, strategic, effective, and respectful of the tribal leaders that are also fellow Oklahomans. Heretofore, his actions fail on all four metrics. I am hopeful that with the attorney general warranted intervention and recent legislative action that Oklahoma can start to move down a more effective pathway.
“The Oklahoma Supreme Court has already ruled twice in favor of lawsuits filed by the legislature, determining the governor acted illegally. He then doubled down and has been trying to get a federal court to invalidate state sovereignty and the rule of law to get his way. It cannot continue, which is why the attorney general’s entry of appearance is a welcome development.”
The news of the attorney general’s involvement comes a week after the pro tem responded to a different letter encouraging his involvement.
The letter outlines past issues surrounding Governor Stitt’s conflicts with the tribes, including the lawsuits he previously lost that were brought by the legislature when he tried to usurp his power by going around the legislature to negotiate gaming compacts.
“Nobody – not even the Governor – is above the law,” Pro Tem Treat wrote regarding the legislative intervention and subsequent lawsuits.
The letter continues by providing examples of where the governor chose to hire out of state attorneys from coastal cities, seeking federal intrusion on state matters.
“In short, the Governor has used the Federal Lawsuit to argue that Oklahoma law can be ignored because he believes federal law endows him with the singular authority to unilaterally bind the state to illegal gaming compacts— an argument that is in clear violation of the separation of powers and deeply at odds with the very notion of federalism,” the letter states. “He clearly is in no position to represent the state’s interest in this matter.
“As a proud supporter and advocate of federalism, I can no longer stand by and watch Oklahoma taxpayer dollars be spent on high-dollar east coast law firms in pursuit of Governor Stitt’s personal agenda at the expense of the state’s interests.”
To read Pro Tem Treat’s letter to Attorney General Drummond in its entirety, click here.
