McCurtain County, Oklahoma, taping: Governor calls for officials to resign over recordings of racist and threatening remarks

CNN
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The governor of Oklahoma is calling for four McCurtain County officials to resign after they allegedly engaged in a secret taped conversation that included racist remarks about the execution of black people. black and talk about killing journalists.

The McCurtain Gazette-News over the weekend released audio that it claims was recorded after the Board of Trustees meeting on March 6.

The newspaper said the tape recording of the meeting was obtained legally, but the McCurtain County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. declare that it was illegally recorded and under investigation. The sheriff’s office also said it believes the recording was altered.

“I am both appalled and disappointed to hear the appalling comments made by officials in McCurtain County,” Governor Kevin Stitt said in a statement Sunday. “There is simply no place for such hate speech in the state of Oklahoma, especially by those who represent the community through their respective offices. I will not stand idly by while this happens,” the statement said.

The Governor called for the immediate resignation of McCurtain County Sheriff Kevin Clardy, District 2 Commissioner Mark Jennings, Sheriff’s investigator Alicia Manning and prison teacher Larry Hendrix. He also said he would ask the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to look into the case.

McCurtain County is located in southeastern Oklahoma, about 200 miles from Oklahoma City.

The recording was made hours after Gazette-News reporter Chris Willingham filed a lawsuit against the sheriff’s office, Manning and the Council of County Commissioners, accusing them of defaming him and violating civil rights. his, the newspaper reported.

In the recording, Manning talks about the need to get close to the newspaper’s offices and expresses concern about what would happen if she ran into Willingham, the newspaper’s owner. Oklahomans reported, citing additional reporting from Gazette-News.

As the Oklahoman reports, Jennings said, “Oh, you’re talking about not being able to control yourself?” and Manning replied, “Yes, I’m not worried about what he’s going to do to me. I worry about what I might do to him. My dad would spank his ass, wipe his body and use toilet paper for him… if my dad hadn’t been run over by a car, he would have been down there.

Jennings replied that his father was upset about something the newspaper had published and “started going down there and killing him,” according to the Gazette-News.

Jennings is said to have said: “I know where there are two big and deep holes here if you need them. Clardy, the sheriff, is said to have said he had the device.

“I have an excavator,” Clardy allegedly said during the discussion. Jennings is said to have said: “Well, these are pre-dug.

In other parts of the recording, officials expressed disappointment that Blacks could no longer be executed, according to the newspaper.

CNN has not been able to verify the authenticity of the recording or confirm who said what. CNN has reached out to all four county officials for comment.

The Oklahoma Sheriff’s Association voted Tuesday to suspend the membership of Clardy, Manning and Hendrix, the group’s executive director told CNN.

Willingham and his father, Bruce Willingham, the newspaper’s publisher, were advised to temporarily leave town, CNN Branch KJRH report.

Kilpatrick Townsend, the law firm representing the Willingham family, told CNN in a statement: “For nearly a year, they have suffered intimidation, ridicule and harassment simply because of their efforts to report news to the County. McCurtain.

The McCurtain County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement declare Monday that there is an “ongoing investigation into multiple serious violations” of the Oklahoma Communications Privacy Act, making it possible to secretly record a conversation you did not participate in and without your consent. the intention of at least one of the people involved is illegal. parties.” It also said the recording had not yet been “authenticated or properly authenticated”.

“Our preliminary information indicates that the audio recordings released to the media were in fact altered. The motive for doing so remains unclear at this point. That matter is being actively investigated,” the statement said.

Director of Communications Phil Bacharach said the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office has received an audio recording and is investigating the incident.

The FBI will not confirm or deny whether it is involved in the investigation, with spokeswoman Kayla McCleery saying it is the agency’s policy not to comment.