The Oklahoma Eagle Endorses Mark Myles For Attorney General
Without hesitation it is The Oklahoma Eagle’s honor to endorse Mark Myles for Attorney General. Myles is facing Mike Hunter who was appointed by Governor Mary Fallin after Scott Pruitt went to Washington D.C. to head the Environment Protection Agency. Few Democrats have challenged the Republicans for attorney general since Drew Edmondson held the job over 20 years ago. However, history proves that the political pendulum always swings the other way at some point.
Myles like other Democrats is running because his need to serve his state and it appeared the seat was open essentially because of Pruitt’s departure. Like other Democrats Myles was not happy with the type of politics expressed by President Donald Trump. With other Democrats having success throughout the state, perhaps the pendulum was starting to swing the other way. Myles is also a great attorney and has a reformist vision of what the state needs in the highest-ranking law enforcement official in the state.
Myles says he wants to protect, advocate and enforce the laws of the state. However, in his advocacy Myles wants to make some common-sense changes to the way the state prosecutes cases in Oklahoma. He also wants to work with legislators in reducing the lengths of sentences for non-violent offenses and allow the courts to see each case individually and not have their hand forced because of mandatory sentences. He is not soft on violent crime or those carrying weapons in commission of a crime. However, Oklahoma sends so many men and women to prison who don’t need to be there. Too many need substance abuse treatment not prison. They suffer from a disease and they need help not harsh punishment. Not only is this approach humane it also will save millions of dollars that can be redirected into schools. Myles saves punishment for dealers and those who profit off the misery of those suffering from addiction. Myles has identified opioids as the most significant drug problem and he plans to address it immediately.
Myles is prepared for the job by his experience as both a defense attorney and prosecutor. His experience at IBM before going to law school and his stellar leadership skills throughout his education and work-life have well prepared him for this post. The Oklahoma Eagle without hesitation endorses Mark Myles for Attorney General for the state of Oklahoma. Vote for him November 6th, 2018.
Holmes for District Judge
Perhaps no judge in recent history has tried the same case four times. District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler had hung juries in all the previous cases before the forth case brought a guilty verdict against Tulsa Police Officer Shannon Kepler who shot and killed a black teenager Jeremy Lake who was dating Kepler’s daughter. Tensions were high among police officers, the courts, the DA’s off and the public. Tulsa does not have a good track record for trying policemen involved in shootings. The constant in this case was the steady hand of District judge Sharon Holmes.
Despite withering attacks from the defense attorney team over race and calls for Holmes to recuse herself from the case. She did not budge or allowed herself to be bullied. In the end, a guilty verdict ended the marathon murder trial. There was no celebration or awards for going through what Holmes went though in presiding over justice. Perhaps the reward for a job well done is to send Judge Holmes back to work and continue her good steady hand on the wheels of justice. The Oklahoma Eagle endorses the candidacy of Sharon K. Holmes for District 14 Office 2 on November 6th. You will be glad you did.
You Can’t Stop The Rain! Vote Despite Suppression Efforts
Voter suppression is old as Jim Crow laws, and this year it has been taken to a whole new level. The kid gloves are off as both parties battle over control of government and possible impeachments. What is at stake, the elimination or rolling back tax cuts for the mega wealthy which are so costly Republican congressional leaders are opening talking about cutting entitlements, like social security benefits and Medicare. Presently, the only budget item the United States will bother is the military budget under republican rule. If you don’t like the direction the country is going in, you would do well to stay awake and see what’s going on around you. All across the country in hotly contested races, the republicans have decided if they could not win the debate over issues, they would just keep as many people of color from voting.
Oklahoma like other states now require an approved Identification to show precinct leaders before they even give you a ballot. Because studies show this clearly discriminates against the poor and people of color, Oklahoma has lived with this draconian requirement so long and democrats are badly outnumbered in the legislature, nothing is being done about it.
Texas has a long history of voter suppression. This year is no different. Texas just announced that some voters who registered online. With many close races in the nation, every vote is precious. People of color use online voting because many simply do not have cars. Some wards in Tulsa North have rates as high as 40 percent of the households not owning a car. Of course, Texas also has a voter ID law. Which we all know by now is discriminatory.
In Georgia, 40 elders were reported to police for voting while black. Actually, they were stopped because it because it a bus purchased and operated with public funds. The black elders were made to get off the bus. One rider shouted out “you can’t stop the rain. Georgia has a woman who may become the first African American female to be governor in the United States. She is running against the secretary of state who decides how the state runs their elections. The republican has decided to hold up 53,000 votes because information on the voting form was not an exact match.
However, all is not lost. Billionaire Tom Steyer just donated $2 million to Andrew Gillum who is an African American running for governor of Florida. Steyer is head of the effort to impeach President Donald Trump.
This is get out the vote time, do your part and help fix America, it’s all up to you.
