Disturbing leaked audio of county officials in Oklahoma has caught the entire state’s attention. A local print newspaper, the McCurtain Gazette-News, published audio from inside a public meeting of the McCurtain County Commissioners on March 6, where local officials discussed lynching Black people and murdering reporters.
Oklahoma Republican Governor Kevin Stitt, who is calling for the officials to resign, did not mince words in his statement about the tape. “I am both appalled and disheartened to hear of the horrid comments made by officials in McCurtain County,” said Stitt, according to the Wall Street Journal. “I will not stand idly by while this takes place.”
Among those being called to resign are Sheriff Kevin Clardy, his investigator Alicia Manning, commissioners Mark Jennings and Robert Beck, commissioners’ secretary Heather Carter, and jail administrator Larry Hendrix.
Before we even get into the racism, the audio starts off deeply unsettling. The group begins by joking about starting a barbecue with the remains of a recently deceased woman, Danette Stowe, who died in a fire after attempting to rescue her two dogs.
From there, Commissioner Jennings begins to reminisce over the days of lynchings. “I’m gonna tell you something,” Jennings said, according to audio captured by the McCurtain Gazette-News, and shared by The Hill. “If it was back in the day, when … Alan Marshton would take a damn Black guy and whoop their ass and throw him in the cell? I’d run for f— Sheriff.”
He goes further after someone reminds him that lynching Black people is no longer acceptable. “I know,” Jennings responds. “Take them down to Mud Creek and hang them up with a damn rope. But you can’t do that anymore. They got more rights than we got.”
Jennings and Clardy then discuss murdering two journalists, including one of the reporters who would go on to break this story. “I know where two big deep holes are here if you ever need them,” said Jennings. Clardy added that he “had an excavator” who could do the job. Later in the audio, Jennings mentions that he knows “two or three hit men” who could get the job done.
According to reporting from The Hill, the FBI is currently investigating the Sheriff and the other county officials. With the Governor and the FBI on them, one can only hope these officials take the hint and resign.