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Monday, October 19, 2026 • Partly cloudy and near perfect. 70. ⛅
🎙️ Oklahoma Memo Podcast
OKLAHOMA MEMO
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OKLAHOMA MEMO
Oklahoma State falls at Houston, but the Big 12 dream lives on
Poll results:
We received 509 votes on the Friday poll, “Should Oklahoma require candidates to disclose more details about personal loans to their campaigns?”
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Yes, voters deserve full transparency. (470)
⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ No, current disclosure rules are sufficient. (14)
⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Only for loans above a certain amount. (18)
⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Not sure (7)
New poll question at the bottom of today’s newsletter. (You can also suggest a poll question by emailing me at [email protected].)
Tulsa DA just won reelection. Now a citizens’ group wants a grand jury to investigate him.
Colleen McCarty (right) and Shar Agosto attend an interim study at the state Capitol in Oklahoma City on Oct. 7, 2026. (Brent Fuchs/Oklahoma Watch)
By Andrea Eger, Oklahoma Watch
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A citizens’ petition effort to remove longtime Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler from office revisits many of the same concerns his challenger raised in this year’s Republican primary, setting up questions about whether the effort is driven by accountability concerns or political grievances.
But leaders insist their effort isn’t political revenge or an attempt to use the judicial system to undermine the will of voters, who reelected Kunzweiler to a fourth term with nearly 60 percent of the vote in June’s GOP primary.
“The petitioners are concerned citizens that have compiled these stories over time,” said Shar Agosto, attorney for the petitioners, Grand Jury Justice. “I think bringing up 11 categories will make people take it more serious – we could have put more. There are more stories. This isn’t just one group of people who are mad at him because they didn’t get their way in an election.”
In its petition, Grand Jury Justice seeks an investigation into 11 areas of concern involving both Kunzweiler and the Tulsa County DA’s office as a whole, including the handling of a few specific criminal cases, legal guidance to Tulsa County commissioners in two instances, potential conflicts of interest, public-records access and whether taxpayer-funded resources were used during his 2026 reelection campaign.
Their target said the timing smacks of political grievance.
“The overwhelming majority of the issues raised in the grand jury petition were raised and debated during the campaign,” Kunzweiler said. “It seems to me that the proponents may have political motivations. With that being said, the constitution guarantees citizens the right to seek and impanel a grand jury, and I’m supportive of that process.”
Every headline satisfies an opinion. Except ours.
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Here’s what’s happening in Oklahoma today:
PHOTO GALLERY: Oklahoma City demonstrators promote early voting in latest No Kings effort (Oklahoma Voice)
Photos: Tulsa Pride brings color, community and LGBTQ+ celebration to downtown (Tulsa Flyer)
How Independents could impact Oklahoma, Let’s Fix This CEO explains | The Hot Seat (News 9)
University of Tulsa cuts staff positions in 9% reduction in force (Tulsa Flyer)
Lankford backs Trump's Russia diesel deal, breaking with Armstrong (The Oklahoman)*
Drummond drops lawsuit over Jewish charter school vote (Oklahoma Voice)
OKC Public Safety Partnership to fund mental health coordinator using human services grant (KOSU)
Gold Dome future uncertain after former owner passes away (The Oklahoman)*
One dead after officer involved shooting in Goldsby (KFOR)
Osage Nation families protest leadership as concerns regarding sovereignty rise (KJRH)
American hay growers face triple whammy of drought, pests and high fuel costs (Harvest Public Media)
Cason Wallace contract extension: OKC Thunder guard agrees to five-year deal (The Oklahoman)*
Monday Poll
Should Oklahoma make it easier for independent voters to participate in primary elections?
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