Stitt Attempts to Block Tulsa-Muscogee Nation Settlement; City, Tribal Leaders Push Back

Written By: Rachael Schuit and Russell Sun Eagle

(TULSA, Okla.) Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols and Tribal leaders are responding after Governor Kevin Stitt filed an emergency motion to prevent the City of Tulsa from entering into a settlement agreement with the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. 

Stitt submitted the filing to the Oklahoma Supreme Court on August 20. 

“I was a little caught off guard by the news,” Nichols said at a press conference the following day. “Not necessarily surprised, but a little caught off guard.”

Stitt argued that Tulsa must enforce municipal and state laws against all residents, including Tribal members within state limits. 

“More than anything, this is a public safety issue,” Stitt said. “No mayor has the authority to pick and choose which Oklahomans are subject to the laws of our state. By entering into this agreement, Mayor Nichols has essentially made Tulsa a sanctuary city with two systems of justice: one for those with Tribal membership and one for everyone else. This makes our state less safe.”

Nichols rejected that claim. “The notion that there's been any time where we have not enforced the law in this city is false,” he said. “It's incorrect. It's an outright lie.” 

He pointed to Operation Ceasefire, Tulsa’s crime reduction initiative over the last eight weeks, and overall lower crime this year.

“In just the last eight weeks, [we’ve made] 88 felony arrests, 129 misdemeanor arrests,” Nichols explained. “Seized 157 firearms from folks who have been noted as dangerous to this community. We've had over 4,000 citizen contacts over that time, 22 uses of force, and only one complaint. I say all that to say, as a snapshot, not only are we enforcing the law, but we're doing it in the most responsible ways possible.”

Nichols also said Stitt did not consult Tulsa officials before removing Oklahoma High Patrol troopers from the city. 

Muscogee Nation Principal Chief David Hill called Stitt’s filing “disappointing,” but unsurprising.

“Governor Stitt is once again trying to undermine agreements that strengthen both our Nation and the state of Oklahoma,” Hill said in a Facebook post. “The settlement between Tulsa and the Muscogee Nation is a responsible solution that respects sovereignty, improves public safety, and benefits all Oklahomans, so, of course, he wants to block it. We have so many that understand and value the relationship with Tribal Nations…yet our own governor continues to be divisive and refuses to work together.”

The City of Tulsa and the Muscogee Nation finalized the settlement at the end of June. 

Under the agreement, Tulsa will not prosecute Tribal citizens for crimes or traffic offenses committed within the boundaries of the Muscogee Reservation. Through cross-deputization, however, Tulsa Police can still stop Tribal citizens and address traffic violations or criminal activity, with resulting tickets referred to the Muscogee Nation.

Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr. also criticized Stitt’s stance.

“It is not a surprise that Governor Kevin Stitt believes that Tribal and non-Tribal government cooperation is a bad idea,” Hoskin, Jr. said in a statement. “The historic agreement between Muscogee Nation and the City of Tulsa strengthens the blanket of public safety across Tulsa while respecting Muscogee Nation’s treaty rights of self governance over its reservation. Governor Stitt’s hostility to Tribal sovereignty and his remarkably uninformed views on the subject are fortunately outliers in a state full of civic, business, faith leaders, and government leaders.”

Nichols emphasized that Tulsa will continue working with Tribal Nations, despite Stitt’s actions.

“He is not an example to follow when it comes to public safety or when it comes to relations with Indian Country,” Nichols said. “This is a big, diverse city. We’ve got to work on a bunch of different perspectives, and we’ve got to do it together.” 

Nichols says a working group of city and Tribal leaders will continue collaborating to keep public safety a priority in Tulsa.