TULSA, Okla. — The Muscogee (Creek) Nation announced its refusal to participate in Governor Kevin Stitt's One Oklahoma Task Force on Jan 8.
The task force announced by Stitt in late December was created to clarify jurisdictional confusion after the McGirt ruling in 2020.
Stitt's announcement of the task force fell on the heels of a jurisdictional dispute between Muscogee Lighthorse police and Okmulgee County Jail officials.
The task force was given three main objectives to further answer and clear up confusion among law enforcement members and Oklahoma officials.
The One Oklahoma Task Force's objectives are to recommend legislation to clarify McGirt confusion, build cross-deputization and jail agreements and provide fast recommendations to increase public safety.
- Previous story>>> Gov. Stitt creates One Oklahoma Task Force to clarify jurisdiction confusion after McGirt
However, the Muscogee Nation said Stitt's task force was made to divide the Nations and the state rather than unify them.
As a matter of principle, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation welcomes any opportunity for collaboration to improve the public safety for all Oklahomans.
Unfortunately, the Governor’s taskforce on McGirt is based on a false premise and seeks misguided political objectives through a structure intended to divide rather than unify. This task force cannot adequately serve the public good unless these flaws are corrected.
We cannot participate in any endeavor aimed at weakening tribal nations and, by extension, harming public safety.
At its core, the McGirt decision is a pro-public safety ruling. By restoring tribal jurisdiction that the State had illegally usurped for decades, the decision has meant more police, prosecutors, and courts to enforce the law and deliver justice to victims.
Adding more public safety resources through tribal jurisdiction did not create “uncertainty” or a patchwork solution.
The laws on how tribal jurisdiction can work collaboratively with Oklahoma’s other agencies are crystal clear. Unfortunately, rather than focus on how to incorporate tribal authority to benefit the public, the State has wasted far too much time and energy finding ways to evade, reject, or minimize the positive impact of tribal jurisdiction. This taskforce is just the latest example of that.
Out of the 13 positions on the task force two were designated to the Tribal nations. One representing the Oklahoma Five Tribes and one for the other 38 tribes.
Here is a list of groups that are supposed to make up the One Oklahoma Task Force:
- The Governor or designee, serving as chair;
- The Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives or designee;
- The President Pro Tempore of the Oklahoma Senate or designee;
- The Attorney General or designee;
- An appointee by the District Attorneys Council;
- An appointee by a county jail trust;
- An appointee by the Office of Juvenile Affairs;
- An appointee by the Oklahoma Sheriff’s Association;
- An appointee by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol;
- An appointee by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation;
- An appointee by the Council on Law Enforcement Training (CLEET);
- One member representing Oklahoma’s Five Tribes; and
- One member representing Oklahoma’s other thirty-eight tribes.
Previously Stitt said this is a way to give Oklahoma citizens clarity and protect public safety.
Representatives at Stitt's office said they are disappointed but will continue to work with the other Tribes.
"We’re certainly disappointed. The Governor’s office will continue to engage with the members of the five largest tribes and trust that others will opt to collaborate and work toward solutions, not division."
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