Score another win for the holy culture warfighters determined to smash down and destroy that pesky, hallowed separation between church and state!
Yesterday afternoon, Kevin Stitt announced he selected Travis Jett—the baby-faced conservative lawyer we warned you about a few weeks ago—to serve as Oklahoma’s next Supreme Court Justice.
Jett will replace longtime Justice Yvonne Kauger, who was narrowly voted off the bench back in November for the apparent crime of being too pragmatic, unbiased, and respected... and following a high-dollar, partisan opposition campaign backed by one of Jett’s biggest and most lucrative legal clients – The Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs.
Imagine That™, huh?
As we noted a few weeks ago, Jett checks all the boxes you’d expect from a Stitt appointee – a rigid ideology, lack of meaningful experience, and enough red flags to make any normal Governor impose a state wide burn ban.
In a functional democracy, those traits would disqualify someone from an almost lifetime judicial appointment. But here in the Land of Looney? They hand you a robe, gavel and a seat on the Oklahoma Supreme Court.
Here’s what Ole Stitter had to say about the news:
"Ryan Walters is a committed educator who has dedicated his life to moving the needle in educational outcomes for all Oklahoma students and to supporting his fellow teachers," said Gov. Stitt. "His perspective as a public school teacher, and his leadership experience as the CEO of Every Kid Counts Oklahoma, will be invaluable as we continue to work toward Top Ten results in education."
Oops. My bad. Those are the kind and loving words Stitt said about Ryan Walters when he helped launch the guy’s political career and tapped him as Secretary of Education. They were pretty spot on, right?
Here’s Stitt’s real quote:
“Travis Jett is a man of integrity, wisdom, and deep respect for the rule of law,” said Governor Stitt. “He brings an impressive legal mind, a servant’s heart, and a wealth of legal experience to our Supreme Court. I am confident he will uphold our Constitution and apply the law fairly and faithfully for Oklahomans.”
Yep, that’s right. Travis Jett—a guy who worked in lockstep with ultra-conservative groups to block citizen-led ballot initiatives—is apparently a “man of integrity, wisdom, and deep respect for the rule of law.” He’s also here to “apply the law fairly and faithfully.”
Well, at least that’s the official propaganda line.
I’m pretty sure that you, me, Stitt, and even Jett know the real reason why he was appointed – to craft twisted legal arguments, justify the rollback of settled precedent, and help Stitt impose state-sanctioned religion while handing Oklahoma over to God in a nice ceremonial ribbon-cutting.
That is, assuming the U.S. Supreme Court doesn’t beat him to the punch.
Then again, maybe I’m just being a worrywart.
Maybe once Jett takes the bench, he’ll have a change of heart, rise above his ideological leanings, and—as Stitt says—apply the law fairly and faithfully for all Oklahomans… only to be voted out or impeached four years later by OCPA and the same conservatives who put him there for being a “traitor.”
You have to admit, that would be a fitting end for this Land of Looney we call Oklahoma.
Stay with The Lost Ogle. We’ll keep you advised.
