MCALESTER, Okla. — Congressman Josh Brecheen visited McAlester Aug. 27 while on his town hall tour and told 2 News why he believes in Mike Mazzei for Governor and trusts Pres. Trump's judgment on the Inola aluminum smelter.
Rep. Brecheen introduced Mike Mazzei on Aug. 25 at the former Tulsa state senator's watch party as he clinched the GOP nomination in a runoff against Attorney General Gentner Drummond.
Brecheen told 2 News Oklahoma after the town hall his support of Mazzei was not a recent decision.
"I endorsed Mike over a year ago," the congressman said. "Long before anybody was talking about Mike even having a chance, I knew what was under the hood with what I experienced with Mike in the (Oklahoma) State Senate and it's someone who makes decisions based on conscience and not political calculation. I saw that in Mike. I saw him be courageous when we were state lawmakers."
After the representative's presentation on reducing government spending, a concern among the small Southeast Expo Center crowd was the data center for Australia-based IREN still in the works near Kiowa. Rep. Brecheen currently co-sponsors a bill that would mandate the Secretary of Energy to report to Congress on electricity and water usage from data centers.
"(Data center operators) have to make sure that they are not driving up people's electricity costs," Brecheen said. "I think that is something that every Oklahoman ought to know the facts on. So that data center measure that you're talking about (HR9019), Congress is not gonna create the regulatory environment. What we can do is make sure people have information about the data centers."
The U.S. representative was also asked by 2 News about the controversy in Inola over its aluminum smelter project, which is championed by Pres. Trump.
- FULL VIDEO>>> Rep. Josh Brecheen speaks with 2 News after McAlester town hall August 27
Rep. Josh Brecheen speaks with 2 News after McAlester town hall August 27
"If you're asking me, I won't make any decision on this," Brecheen said. "That's the Governor's decision. I want to make sure my focus is on those who live closest to it. I wanna make sure their personal health, their kids, their crops - hay crop - is protected. And if that all happens, it'll be a good deal. If it doesn't happen that way it won't be a good deal. I trust that the next governor - I believe that it's going to be Mike - he's going to be led by his conscience to put himself in the position like I believe President Trump wants to do. I don't think President Trump would have asked for Oklahoma to be a benefactor of this if he thought somebody's health was going to be compromised."
- Previous coverage>>> Inola neighbors against smelter 'disappointed' with Mazzei win
Rep. Brecheen's last question from a member of the audience before heading to his next town hall in Holdenville was whether he believed Joe Biden won the 2020 Presidential Election.
"I think the election was rigged to benefit Democrats. No doubt in my mind," Brecheen said to those in attendance. "That's my personal belief."
Brecheen also posted criticism of the president's decision to import beef in an Aug. 21 Facebook post. The announcement also drew stark opposition from Oklahoma ranchers.
The congressman will also hold hour-long town halls Aug. 28, including in Claremore and Bartlesville.
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