TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols delivered sharp criticism of Gov. Kevin Stitt after the governor asked the Oklahoma Supreme Court to block the city's tribal jurisdiction agreement with the Muscogee Nation.
"I think a more direct way would be; it is riddled with just lies," Nichols said.
The mayor isn't holding back in his response to Stitt's emergency filing, which claims Tulsa's agreement with the Muscogee Nation will "endanger public safety" and encourage other cities to follow suit, even though the governor argues such agreements aren't legally allowed.
Local News
Stitt asks OK Supreme Court to block Tulsa's agreement with Muscogee Nation
"The notion that there's been any time where we do not enforce the law in the city is false. It's incorrect. It's an outright lie. Governor knows that. Governor does not care about that," Nichols said.
The agreement, signed in June, establishes that if a tribal citizen is pulled over within Tulsa city limits on Muscogee land, that case goes to tribal court rather than state court.
"That's been the Creek Nation, the Cherokee Nation, everybody knows that we must enforce the law and is very much aligned on that must be priority number one. The question on the table is, who prosecutes who based on the crime that they committed? That's all we're talking about here," Nichols said.
WATCH THE FULL PRESS CONFERENCE:
The Muscogee Creek Nation responded with a statement saying the settlement "…is a responsible solution that respects sovereignty, improves public safety, and benefits all Oklahomans." The tribe added that the governor should stop wasting taxpayer dollars and work with tribal nations instead.
Read full statement:
It is disappointing—but not surprising—that Governor Stitt is once again trying to undermine agreements that strengthen both our Nation and the state of Oklahoma. The settlement between Tulsa and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation is a responsible solution that respects sovereignty, improves public safety, and benefits all Oklahomans. Instead of wasting taxpayer dollars on divisive lawsuits, the Governor should be working with us to build stronger partnerships for the future.
Nichols emphasized that law enforcement has never been compromised, pointing to recent arrest statistics as evidence.
"We've always enforced the law. That's not a question. It's not a real question. And that's the thing that everybody has to understand. There's never been a time where we're deciding to enforce a law or not. It is the Tulsa police department; they enforce the law," Nichols said.
WATCH: Tulsa mayor fires back at governor over tribal jurisdiction agreement challenge
Over the past eight weeks, Tulsa police made 88 felony arrests, 129 misdemeanor arrests, and seized 157 firearms, according to the city.
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Muscogee Nation, City of Tulsa sign law enforcement jurisdiction agreement
Looking ahead, Nichols said the city and tribe remain committed to their agreement.
"Next steps, we're going to continue. We have a working group that's been established," Nichols said.
"Again, I couldn't be any surer that we're on the right path, but I also know that there's a lot of things we gotta work out," Nichols said.
The Tulsa City Council plans to meet with the Muscogee Nation during a special meeting on Aug. 22.
Nichols traced the current dispute back to the aftermath of the McGirt Supreme Court decision, criticizing the governor's response.
"It's a conversation that should have happened led by the governor after the McGirt opinion was issued four or five years ago. We wouldn't be here right now if that weren't the case. The governor is unwilling to do it. He didn't. It. He didn't do his job, so I'm doing his job," Nichols said.
To read the governor's filing, click here.
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