As his six tumultuous years leading the upper chamber approach their term-limited conclusion, Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat underscored the current state of his Republican Caucus late Wednesday by responding to an email from Gov. Kevin Stitt and carbon copying the entire Oklahoma Legislature.
At 4:20 p.m., Stitt emailed Treat (R-OKC), House Speaker Charles McCall (R-Atoka) and their administrative assistants to propose a Monday meeting about suddenly deteriorating budget negotiations. He thanked both leaders for their new transparency efforts this year and referenced recent tornadic storms, saying he hoped “to conclude session in a timely manner.”
“Should both chambers not reach an agreement by the end of the week, I want to assist by facilitating a meeting between my office and the House and Senate budget negotiators to come to terms on the budget,” Stitt wrote. “I want to invite you to a meeting in my office on Monday at 2 p.m. I will invite the media in an effort to continue your transparency efforts.”
Treat — who recently speculated that Stitt has “personal hatred” for him — responded at 6:13 p.m. by looping the entire Legislature and saying “the budget will not be complete this week.” He said he and “the Senate team” would be ready at 2 p.m. Monday.
“Thank you for the invite. I look forward to the opportunity,” Treat wrote to Stitt and 148 legislators. “Please know that you are welcome to use the Senate Assembly Room to better accommodate members of the Legislature, public and the media to be able to observe and so it can be livestreamed, closed captioned and archived.”
That suggestion hearkened back to Treat’s request for Stitt to sit and answer questions about his October 2023 special session call that asked lawmakers to eliminate the state income tax. Stitt declined to attend, and senators adjourned special session after brief testimony from budget staff before the Senate Appropriations and Budget Committee.
Wednesday’s emails came 24 hours after Treat had suddenly removed Sen. Roger Thompson (R-Okemah) as chairman of that committee, sacking his longtime ally, instructing him to move offices, and saying “transparency” three times in the press release that handed Vice Chairman Chuck Hall the golden gavel.
“I have the highest regard for Sen. Thompson,” Treat said. “However, as we continue our transition into our new transparency efforts, it is vital to move forward accordingly.”
Made only 30 days ahead of the Legislature’s mandatory adjournment deadline, Treat’s move stunned other legislators, lobbyists and staff. On Wednesday morning, Thompson stayed in his office and filled trash cans with document detritus while his colleagues listened to a dignitary’s presentation about the political importance of Taiwan. On the Senate floor, Treat sat with his hands in his lap next to his desk. Every other Republican senator stood.
“We haven’t had an opportunity to visit this entire session,” Treat said in conclusion of his email to Stitt, “so I look forward to sharing the Senate perspective and getting your perspective and the House perspective Monday. I think it is a great idea and we will fully participate.”
‘If it takes until May 31, it takes until May 31’
Rumors of Thompson wheeling budget deals without Treat’s approval echoed through the Capitol on Wednesday, but so did concern that a reasonable attempt to land the proverbial plane had been aborted for a power play with vague purpose beyond the slate of appropriations subcommittee meetings called for Thursday morning with “potential action” on their one-sentence agendas.
Somber in his own right, Hall stood across from Thompson’s office — which he is set to inhabit by Monday — and acknowledged he was in an awkward position.
“First of all, I didn’t ask for this job. I worked closely with somebody I consider a very close friend and a mentor,” Hall said. “Sen. Thompson, I think, was a tremendous asset to the Senate and a tremendous asset to the state of Oklahoma. I have nothing but high praise, and I hold him in high regard.”
Thompson declined comment beyond saying he was at peace with the situation, something lobbyists and other legislators had yet to find.
“The Senate doesn’t know how to take a win,” one lobbyist said on the condition of anonymity.
Spurred by the Senate’s new budget process, the House launched a public portal in April to track chamber positions. On April 24 and 25, hundreds of changes were logged that appeared to bring the two sides closer, particularly on public safety questions.
But those who believed agreements had been within grasp on a variety of issues grumbled as the legislative groundhog suddenly saw its senatorial shadow.
“On a timeline, we have until May 31 to get our work done, and it is my intention to see that that work gets done,” Hall said. “And if it takes until May 31, it takes until May 31.”
Hall said Treat’s goal since the start of the session has been revolutionizing the budget negotiation process in a way that lets the public watch details unfold.
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“What’s happening next is we are going to be focused on complete transparency,” Hall said. “We saw that full transparency in all of its glory in the Senate resolution, and now it’s time to work on the second half and remain transparent on our discussions of what will ultimately end up in the final appropriations. (…) I see our subcommittees and our subcommittee chairs making recommendations to full Appropriations, and Appropriations will address those and turn that into appropriations for the state.”
To that end — at least on one side of the building — seven Senate appropriations subcommittee meeting are scheduled to begin between 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Thursday, a potential challenge for Oklahomans trying to juggle Senate livestreams to view the transparency.
At 1:30 p.m., the House and Senate Joint Committee on Pandemic Relief Funding is scheduled to review and possibly take action on a slate of projects receiving American Rescue Plan Act funding. With Hall’s promotion to chairman, he said Sen. Grant Green (R-Wellston) will co-lead the joint committee. Treat named Sen. Paul Rosino (R-OKC) as Hall’s new vice chairman.
McCall said his budget negotiators would attend the 2 p.m. Monday meeting with Stitt and Treat’s teams.
“The House’s current budget proposal has been posted for several weeks and is available to anyone to access,” McCall said. “The House will send people authorized to negotiate a tax cut for the people of Oklahoma, support law enforcement and finalize a budget. We welcome the members of the media to be in attendance and prefer that these negotiations be live-streamed.”
Read the full emails between Stitt and Treat
Stitt emailed Treat at 4:20 p.m. Wednesday:
Dear Mr. Speaker and Dear Mr. President Pro Tempore,
Last night, more tornadoes came through Oklahoma. This has been a tough couple weeks, but I’m thankful we have gotten our FEMA request approved and Oklahomans are rallying together. I’m focused on making sure we navigate this moment well while you are working to finalize this legislative session.
As session is coming to a close, it’s important that we get together to finalize a budget. Both of your transparency efforts have been very encouraging this session.
I know both chambers are working diligently to come to agreement on budget numbers, and will once again reiterate my priority to pass an income tax cut for all four million Oklahomans. I hope that continues to be a topic of conversation in your negotiations.
Time is of the essence, and without an agreement I worry we won’t be able to conclude session in a timely manner. Should both chambers not reach an agreement by the end of the week, I want to assist by facilitating a meeting between my office and the House and Senate budget negotiators to come to terms on the budget. I want to invite you to a meeting in my office on Monday (5/6/2024) at 2pm. I will invite the media in an effort to continue your transparency efforts.
I look forward to hearing from you both and finishing this session strong.
Best,
J. Kevin Stitt
Treat replied just shy of two hours later and looped the entire Legislature:
Governor,
Thank you for the invite. I look forward to the opportunity. The budget will not be complete this week, so I and the Senate team will be there at 2. Please know that you are welcome to use the Senate Assembly Room (Rm 535) to better accommodate members of the legislature, public and the media to be able to observe and so it can be livestreamed, closed captioned and archived. My staff will be more than happy to assist in getting the word out to the media and the public. I’m excited that you are willing to fully participate in our new transparent process.
Our prayers continue to be with the families that lost loved ones and those communities that experienced such devastating tornadoes. If we need to put additional resources into emergency management for the state portion of the local match we stand ready.
I’ve added the Senate Chair and Vice Chair of Appropriations, the Floor Leader, and the entire legislature because I hope this is a productive and insightful meeting.
We haven’t had an opportunity to visit this entire session, so I look forward to sharing the Senate perspective and getting your perspective and the House perspective Monday. I think it is a great idea and we will fully participate.
Greg
(Update: This article was updated at 8:35 a.m. Thursday, May 2, to include a statement from McCall.)
