CNN
–
The governor of Oklahoma called on four McCoult County officials to resign, allegedly participating in a secretly recorded conversation that included racist remarks about lynching black people and talking about the killing of journalists.
Over the weekend, the McCurtain Gazette-News released the recorded audio after a committee meeting held on March 6.
The document says the audio of the meeting was legally obtained, but the McCoult County Sheriff’s Office is statement It is illegally recorded and is under investigation. The Sheriff’s Office also said it believes the recording has changed.
“I was shocked and frustrated to hear the horror comments from McCoult County officials,” Gov. Kevin Stitt said in a statement Sunday. “In Oklahoma, there is no place for such a hateful remark, especially those representing the community through their respective offices. “I will not be idle when this happens.” ”
The governor called for immediate resignation, McCoult County Sheriff Kevin Clardy, District 2 Commissioner Mark Jennings, Sheriff’s Investigator Alicia Manning and Prison Administrator Larry Hendrix. He also said he would ask the Oklahoma Bureau of Investigation to investigate the case.
McCoult County is located in southeastern Oklahoma, about 200 miles from Oklahoma City.
The recording was reported in the Gazette’s New York correspondent Chris Willingham filed a lawsuit against the Sheriff’s Office, Manning and the County Commissioner’s Commission.
In the recording, Manning talks about the need to approach the newspaper office and expresses concern that if she meets Willingham, Oklahoma The report said other reports from the Gazette News.
According to the Oklahoma report, Jennings said, “Oh, are you talking about not being able to control yourself?” Manning replied, “Yes, I’m not worried about what he’s going to do to me. I’m worried about what I’m going to do to him. My dad would whip his A**, wipe him and use him to toilet paper… If my dad hadn’t been knocked down by a vehicle, he’d be there.”
According to the Gazette, Jennings replied that his father had been upset about what was published in the newspaper and “started down and killed him.”
“I know where if you need two big holes,” Jennings allegedly said. Sheriff’s Clardy allegedly said he had the equipment.
“I have an excavator,” Clardy said during the discussion. Jennings allegedly said: “Well, these are already pre-digging.”
In other parts of the recording, officials expressed disappointment that blacks could no longer be lynched, according to the newspaper.
CNN cannot verify the authenticity of the recording or confirm who said what. CNN has contacted all four county officials.
The organization’s executive director told CNN that the Oklahoma Sheriff’s Association voted Tuesday to suspend members of Clardy, Manning and Hendrix.
Investigate state and local agencies
Willingham and his father, Bruce Willingham, were advised to leave the town temporarily, CNN Member KJRH Report.
“They have suffered intimidation, ridicule and harassment over the past year,” Kilpatrick Townsend, a law firm representing the Willingham family, told CNN in a statement.
McCoult County Sheriff’s Office in statement On Monday, there was a “major violation of ongoing” against the Oklahoma Communications Security Act, which made it “secretly documenting conversations you were not involved in and without the consent of at least one of the parties involved.” It also said that the recording has not been “properly authenticated or verified”.
“Our preliminary information shows that the recordings released by the media have actually changed. At this point, the motivation for doing so is not clear. This matter is being actively investigated,” the statement said.
Communications Director Phil Bacharach said the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office has received recordings and is investigating them.
The FBI will not confirm or deny whether it is involved in the investigation, and spokesman Kayla McCleery said it is agency policy to not comment.
