Oklahoma U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe thinks it’s a bad idea—opening an Oklahoma office in Washington.
It’s what Gov. Kevin Stitt wants to do as well as hiring a lobbyist to campaign congress for issues such as Oklahoma energy, agriculture and aviation. Despite Sen. Inhofe’s opposition, Gov. Stitt’s staff is moving ahead with the D-C office plan and might soon start advertising to hire a lobbyist.
Inhofe, R-Tulsa, said in an interview this week that he told a top aide to the governor, Donelle Harder, that Stitt shouldn’t establish a “bureaucracy” in Washington to do work already being performed by Oklahoma members of Congress and their staffs, according to the Tulsa World.
Harder has said a Washington-based liaison could help the governor’s office stay on top of developments affecting Oklahoma, particularly funding issues.
“That’s what we’re supposed to be doing, and that’s what (members of Congress) have been doing for over 200 years,’’ Inhofe said.