Last week, we acquired via the Ogle Mole Network an internal memo that Governor Stitt's office sends to all "New Appointees."
Issued by Charlie "The Chazmaniac" Hannema – the former weekend sports anchor who now serves as Stitt's Communications Director – the stated objective of the document is to ensure "the new appointee and Governor Stitt are positioned for success."
The whole thing is funny to read in a "Hey, let's laugh at authoritarian conservative paranoia and hypocrisy" type of way.
It provides detailed instructions on how to lock down social media accounts, delete old tweets, and most importantly, dodge and avoid the evil media. It also reminds lucky appointees that they "represent Governor Stitt at all times," which is apparently a news flash to the Oklahoma people.
If you're a Lost Ogle subscriber, you can check it out below:
That's great, huh? It's nice to know our governor is such a big fan of transparency in government!
I think my favorite part is where Charlie – drawing on his experiences in the online dating world – gives new appointees the same canned responses women have used on him over the years to help them avoid pesky and bothersome journalists.
“I’d love to talk with you” or “I’m sure that wouldn’t be a problem” or “it’s good with me if it’s good with the Governor’s Office.”
NOTE: Reporters love to divide and conquer by trying to ask the Governor’s Office and appointees the same questions and hope for different responses. Don’t take the bait!
Uhm, I don't think reporters hope for different responses. I think they just want honest responses – something that's apparently very hard to come by in the Stitt Administration.
According to the document's metadata, the memo was created in January 2021. Probably not coincidentally, that's just one month after the Melissa Crabtree fiasco.
In December of 2020, we learned from Melissa's Facebook account that Governor Stitt had appointed her to the State Board of Education. We also learned from her Facebook account that she was a right-wing, anti-masker homeschooling advocate who sold essential oils as a side-hustle, and had absolutely no business being appointed to a board that oversaw public education. Stitt quickly rescinded the appointment and then, one month or so later, this document was created.
In addition to censorship and paranoia, the memo also shines a light on two hallmark themes of the Stitt Administration – hypocrisy and double standards.
For example, in one section of the memo, Charlie asks appointees to "Remove anything controversial from your platforms." Even though Stitt railed against "Cancel Culture" at the OKC Bombing Memorial, I guess that means he's all for it when it benefits him.
Remove anything controversial from your platforms. As an appointee, you represent Governor Stitt at all times. While your post may be perfectly justified, public criticism draws resources away from the governor’s priorities and distracts from the important work the administration is doing to become a Top Ten state.
Uhm, if they don't want an appointee's controversial statements to "draw resources away from the governor’s priorities," shouldn't someone have a talk in a parked car with Ryan Walters – the guy Stitt appointed to be his Secretary of Education? Ryan specializes in issuing stupid, moronic statements that fuel the flames of culture wars (perhaps as a way to get people to forget about his possible corruption), so you'd think they'd want him to stop.
Then again, sabotaging public education from the inside does appear to be one of the Governors priorities, so I guess Stitt's fine with that one.
Anyway, we'd like to thank the Ogle Mole who passed along this document for giving us an inside look at the strange and bizarre mundane stuff that goes on behind the scenes at the Capitol. If you work for the state and stumble across stuff like this we should know about, hit us up on the Ogle Mole Hotline.
Stay with The Lost Ogle. We'll keep you advised.
