Speaker McCall, Pro Tem Treat Respond After Gov. Stitt Files Lawsuit Against Them

The State House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to override a veto on a tribal compact. Governor Kevin Stitt announced his office has filed a lawsuit against the leaders of the House and Senate over these tribal compacts.

Related: Gov Stitt Files Lawsuit Against Speaker McCall, Pro Tem Treat

“Pretty disappointed in the votes today,” said Governor Kevin Stitt. 

The lawsuit questions if the legislature has authority to negotiate these tribal compacts. Stitt has argued the governor holds the power, and many lawmakers say it is held between the governor and legislature.

“Basically we need the supreme court to let us know who has the authority, we think that it clearly is with the governor,” said Stitt.

“The governor does have that power statutorily, but it is not in absence of the legislature,” said House Speaker Charles McCall.

The lawsuit was filed in the supreme court against Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat and House Speaker Charles McCall.

“Those are the ones that are pushing this compact,” said Stitt.

In a statement, Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat said:

“Today, history is repeating itself with the announcement of this lawsuit. I’m confident his intentions will meet the same fate as we have unfortunately witnessed, and paid for, in the past."

Stitt criticized two tribal compact bills passed by the legislature this year- saying the compacts would be available for all of “Indian country,” which is over 40% of the state. 

“This is turning eastern Oklahoma into a reservation,” said Stitt. 

The veto override will extend the tribal compact until 2024. Lawmakers are urging the governor to use that time to negotiate a new deal with the tribes.

“We do have to find an agreement, there has to be certainty,” said McCall. “I hope he will be able to get a compact before he finishes his 6th year as governor of Oklahoma.”

House Speaker Charles McCall said the House is ready to step in if needed.  

“The legislature will ultimately be the failsafe and the backstop, if the governor cannot or will not, the legislature will intervene,” said McCall.

Speaker McCall is also starting an interim study to take a fresh look at the compacts.

“None of us were here when the compacts were established on these topics,” said McCall.

McCall is hoping the study will bring to light what changes need to be made to the compacts since they were originally written.

“So that if the legislature has to come alongside the governor of the state and work on new compacts, they'll have the historical understanding,” said McCall.

In a statement, the Cherokee nation called this a vote for “collaboration over conflict,” and the Choctaw nation says they’re looking forward to “finding long-term, win-win solutions.”

“We're going to move forward and find the best deal,” the best agreement for the state of Oklahoma, for the tribes, and for the citizens of the state,” said McCall.

Speaker McCall's full statement can be read below:

"Today, Gov. Stitt filed the latest in a series of lawsuits that waste taxpayer dollars and attempt to undermine legitimate compact negotiations with our state's federally recognized tribes. A plain reading of the decisions in Treat I and II shows that his legal questions have already been answered by the court and the governor simply fails or refuses to accept the answer and recognize the law. This is further evidenced by the litigation currently filed in the District of Columbia. Rather than accept the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s decision, and work with the Legislature and our state's tribal partners on a way forward, Gov. Stitt has spent tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars on D.C. attorneys in an attempt to give up Oklahoma sovereignty to the Biden Administration in hopes that they will agree with him and undermine Oklahoma law.

In his comments to the media, the governor called into question the legitimacy of the special session that was held to override his vetoes regarding legislation extending compacts with our tribal partners. The Legislature's ability to call a special session, and the particular special session call itself, are well within the Legislature's constitutional authority.

Both the House and Senate followed the law and the Governor simply does not agree with the result. But the legislators, those closest to all 4 million Oklahomans, know that the citizens are counting on them to find solutions rather than to simply fear monger and cost the state tens of millions of tax dollars that go to important core services like education. Rather than simply allowing compacts to lapse and wasting time, and more importantly taxpayer dollars, on frivolous lawsuits, the governor should focus on ways to work with all parties, including our tribal partners, to find solutions that make sense for our entire state.

I look forward to continuing negotiations on tribal compacts with all interested parties, and await the court's decision on the most recently filed lawsuit."