Top 25 TLO Articles of 2025… so far (Part 2)

7:45 AM EDT on July 3, 2025

Yesterday, we unveiled Part 1 of TLO's top articles of 2025... so far.

Today we wrap up the countdown of the stunning exposés, half-baked listicles and rants that kept you thoroughly entertained and moderately informed through the first six months of this very dumb year.

If you’re not yet a member, you can unlock it all now for just 69¢.

13. Marcuswayne Mullin Shares Drunk History Lesson to Inspire, Uplift… and Threaten Journalists

Date: 4/7/2025

What We Wrote: On Friday night, while most Oklahomans were enjoying a cold beer cruising a dirt road in a pickup truck, Senator Markwayne Mullin was bitterly wandering the halls of the U.S. Capitol.

Apparently called into work late and forced to miss Twin Peaks happy hour with his Bad Boy Mowers buddies, he pulled out his phone and — like a grumpy teenager stuck at a museum with his parents — started filming moody videos for his conservative followers, right-wing bots, and all the journalists forced to document the dumb things he says and does.

14. Right-Wing Lackey We Warned You About Appointed to Oklahoma Supreme Court…

Date: 4/15/2025

What We Wrote: 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.

15. Ryan Walters’ Pricey New Hire Pops Up on Polyamorous Dating Site…

Date: 4/23/2025

What We Wrote: Seriously, you have to admit it’s a little funny that Ryan Walters – a self-righteous, Trump-loving moralist who campaigns like a Southern Baptist youth pastor – would hire “Swingin’ Steve” to be his right-hand man.

Wait…

As Oklahoma students will soon learn in their revised history class, polygamy was totally fine in the Bible. Never mind.

16. Ryan Walters hires Duggar Family fixer on $100,000-a-year grift…

Date: 4/28/2025

What We Wrote: According to a recent report by Oklahoma Watch, Ryan has apparently hired Chad Gallagher — a conservative politico and public school grifter from Arkansas who once helped the Duggar family explain away sex abuse crimes — on a $96,000-a-year salary to serve as a “temporary senior advisor” at the OSDE.

I’m not sure what a “special advisor” does, but in this case, I’m guessing Chad’s primary responsibility will be training students who were sexually molested by their teacher, coach, or guidance counselor into sticking up for their abuser. You know, to help the school district avoid a seven-figure settlement.

17. Bob Mills Sky News 9 Crashes at Wiley Post Airport!

Date: 4/30/2025

What We Wrote: It looks like Channel 9 will get to unveil a new chopper… again.

Thanks to a tip via the Ogle Mole Network, we’ve learned that Channel 9’s fancy new Bob Mills Sky News 9 was involved in an accident earlier today at Wiley Post Airport. Pilot Jim Gardner and photojournalist Tim Young were aboard the aircraft during the incident and, from what we’ve gathered, are both okay.

18. Jim Gardner “retires” from News 9!

Date: 5/19/2025

What We Wrote: There’s been a major disturbance in the local severe weather force!

Thanks to a tip from the Ogle Mole Network, we’ve learned that Bob Mills Sky News 9 chopper pilot Jim Gardner has "retired" from KWTV News 9.

The retirement comes right in the middle of severe weather season, and just three weeks after he crash-landed the Sky News 9 at Wiley Post Airport on April 30th.

19. 10 Oklahoma Lawmakers in Dire Need of a Free Makeover…

Date: 5/22/2025

What We Wrote: Anyway, because I — once again — love hairstylists, I thought I would do my due diligence and find the 10 lawmakers in the biggest need of a makeover. Sadly, that excludes Kevin Stitt and his forest creature eyebrows, as he’s a law vetoer — not a maker.

20. Stitt Quietly Signs Bill to Kill Oklahoma’s Citizen Petitions…

Date: 5/27/2025

What We Wrote: On Saturday afternoon of Memorial Day weekend – always a good time to sign incredibly unpopular legislation to roll back the rights and freedoms of the people and derail their ability to self-govern – Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt happily and quietly signed SB 1027 into law.

Known around here as the Oklahoma Citizen Petition Oppression Act, the controversial piece of legislation will make it even more difficult, if not impossible, for any group to gather enough signatures to put a petition initiative on the Oklahoma ballot and up for a statewide vote.

21. Open Records Reveal How Stitt Micromanaged the Design of Oklahoma's

Date: 6/3/2025

What We Wrote: A couple of weeks ago, Governor Kevin Stitt unveiled the long-rumored redesign of the Oklahoma license plate, and just like a failed gubernatorial campaign, it was widely mocked, ridiculed, and dismissed.

Although we’ve known Stitt was behind the redesign, open records obtained by The Lost Ogle reveal that he and his staff micromanaged nearly every single detail in its development — from the precise hue of red, white, and blue used in the design, to which kitschy state symbols should adorn the plate’s bottom border.

22. Poll Shows Ryan Walters Has a Real Life, Very Serious Shot at Being Governor…

Date: 6/6/2025

What We Wrote: If you’re one of the many Oklahomans who think Ryan Walters is nothing more than a self-absorbed, dangerous grifter who uses culture war rhetoric, political propaganda, and state resources to mask his ineptitude, corruption, and disdain for public education, I have some bad news for you.

According to a recent poll conducted by Amber Integrated, Ryan Walters is a legitimate, very real, very serious threat to be Oklahoma’s next Governor.

23. Remembering Our Severe Weather Savior: A TLO Tribute to Lord Gary England

Date: 6/11/2025

What We Wrote: There’s been a major disturbance in the severe weather force. Last night, we were first on the scene and on the story to report that Lord Gary England – the former chief meteorologist at KWTV News 9 and divine protector and guardian of the Oklahoma meteorological universe – passed away. He was 85 years old and survived by his wife of 63 years, Mary, daughter Molly, and countless fans across the world.

24. Marcuswayne Mullin successfully reinforces dumb Oklahoman stereotype…

Date: 6/9/2025

What We Wrote: Last week, U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon – the wrestling lady that Trump put in charge of the Department of Education – appeared before a Senate appropriations committee that includes Marcuswayne to lobby for a 15% funding cut to her agency.

When it was Marcuswayne’s turn to speak, he asked McMahon a set-up question about the definition of insanity – a word Marcuswayne may need to practice with his speech pathologist.

25. Former Dippin’ Dots CEO Breaks into Nichols Hills Home to Flee Imaginary Kidnappers…

Date: 6/13/2025

What We Wrote: According to a police report, Nichols Hills 911 received a panicked call from Fischer on the morning of April 14th claiming that – ready for this? – four Hispanic men were inside his home threatening to kidnap and sex-traffic him because he was the CEO of Dippin’ Dots and has money.

After calling 911, Fischer – a stand-up guy who’s been arrested for DUI and domestic assault and sued for revenge porn blackmail – fled his home and ran to a neighbor’s house. He broke into the house through an open garage, grabbed a knife from the kitchen, and – while still on the phone with 911 – locked himself in an upstairs bedroom.

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I hope you enjoyed this ridiculous retrospective half as much as you’ll enjoy not being at work tomorrow. We’ll see you back next week after whatever you've made of this long weekend.