Horrifying Hate in Oklahoma
McCurtain County, OK officials under fire for vile, wretched, hateful comments
You’ve undoubtedly heard the news about McCurtain County, Oklahoma officials talking about killing reporters and complaining they can no longer beat up or lynch Black people.
The McCurtain Gazette-News (which apparently does not have an online presence) broke the news a few days ago by releasing portions of the audio recording captured on March 6, 2023. They have since released the full audio.
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt immediately called for the resignations of the officials involved, including McCurtain County Sheriff Kevin Clardy, District 2 Commissioner Mark Jennings, Investigator Alicia Manning, and Jail Administrator Larry Hendrix.
Jennings has since resigned. But Sheriff Clardy is pushing back, claiming the recording was obtained illegally and questioning its authenticity. You can read his office’s statement here.
Concerns about Oklahoma’s recording laws notwithstanding, Sheriff Clardy’s office (as of this writing) hasn’t denied the racism evident in the recording. Instead, his office says it’s “a very complex situation and one we regret having to address.”
Complex? Really!?
