An Oklahoma senator accused of threatening speech was cleared by an appeals court.
Al Gerhart
Posted inNews
Unlikely allies
Al Gerhart Credit: Mark Hancock “For us, it’s the concern we have any time we see a prosecutorial process or law enforcement being used to potentially chill speech that is, in our mind, protected political speech,” said Brady Henderson, legal director of ACLU of Oklahoma. “It may not be pleasant speech, it may not be […]
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Threatening email
Prosecutors also charged the 54-year-old Gerhart with violating the Oklahoma Computer Crimes Act by sending a threatening email to Sen. Cliff Branan, R-Oklahma City, chairman of the Senate Energy Committee. Gerhart wrote in his March 26 email, “Branan, get that bill heard or I will make sure you regret not doing it. I will make […]
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Advocacy or extortion?
Jessica Brown, spokeswoman for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, confirmed the agency is examining bribery allegations against Al Gerhart, who admitted at Tuesday news conference that he sent a threatening email message to state Sen. Cliff Branan, R-Oklahoma City. Gerhart sent the March 26 email warning the lawmaker that he would become the “laughing […]
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When conservatives attack
Credit: Brad Gregg So whether the latest dust-up between two of the state’s most arch-conservative groups is the culmination of a “divide and conquer” strategy by the chamber crowd, a genuine disagreement or just petty ego-tripping is hard to say. Whatever is behind it, the latest spat between Sooner Tea Party head Al Gerhart and […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Fractured family
“Lord, I pray in spite of the many differences between them that would under normal circumstances cause division between them, that you would bring them together, Lord, in the common cause of your righteousness that alone can exalt people of this state,” Vineyard said. To some, it may seem an act of divine intervention would […]