McCurtain County, Oklahoma, is facing a political crisis after the release of an audio recording containing racist adn threatening remarks allegedly made by county officials. Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt has called for the resignation of McCurtain County Sheriff Tommy Hanson and all members of the McCurtain County Board of Commissioners following the leak.
The controversy centers around a recording obtained by KJRH, a CNN affiliate, which appears to capture county officials discussing eliminating journalists and expressing racially charged sentiments. The Willingham family, the focus of reported intimidation and harassment by officials, is represented by the law firm Kilpatrick Townsend, who stated, “For nearly a year, they have suffered intimidation, ridicule and harassment based solely on their efforts to report the news for McCurtain County.” The recording’s emergence has ignited calls for accountability and raised questions about potential illegal activity.
The McCurtain County Sheriff’s Office acknowledged an “ongoing inquiry into multiple notable violations” of the Oklahoma Security of Communications Act,which prohibits secretly recording conversations without the consent of at least one party. In a statement released Monday on Facebook, the Sheriff’s Office asserted the recording has not been “duly authenticated or validated” and indicated “preliminary details indicates that the media released audio recording has, in fact, been altered.” The motivation behind any potential alteration is currently under investigation.
The Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office confirmed it has received the audio recording and is conducting its own investigation, according to Communications Director Phil Bacharach. The FBI declined to comment on whether it is involved, citing agency policy.
