A top Democrat in Congress says Oklahoma isn’t following federal guidance on coronavirus restrictions.Gov. Kevin Stitt called the accusation a “political statement.” U.S. Rep. James Clyburn sent Stitt a letter calling for more restrictions in Oklahoma. The letter references guidelines from President Donald Trump’s Coronavirus Task Force. A report from the task force says “Oklahoma continues to have a high number of cases diagnosed and high percent positivity.”The report recommends closing bars and reducing indoor seating capacity, closing or limiting capacity in gyms in some areas, and requiring masks in much of the state. Clyburn’s letter to Stitt said Oklahoma is out of compliance with the recommendations. Stitt said the report’s recommendations are just that – recommendations. And he supports making decisions locally. “I think it’s a subcommittee inside Congress that really is just trying to make a political statement either against the President or our state — I don’t know exactly where it’s coming from,” he said.In a response to Stitt’s claims of making a political statement, Clyburn said that is incorrect.“This was sent out to the states. And the states in the red zone that are refusing to comply, as you heard from us, so — I’m not being partisan here. We’re trying to save lives,” he said. Oklahoma has its own color-coded map showing risk levels, with the latest report showing more counties entering the orange level. But the entire state would need to be nearing hospital capacity for any county to be colored red.
A top Democrat in Congress says Oklahoma isn’t following federal guidance on coronavirus restrictions.
Gov. Kevin Stitt called the accusation a “political statement.”
U.S. Rep. James Clyburn sent Stitt a letter calling for more restrictions in Oklahoma. The letter references guidelines from President Donald Trump’s Coronavirus Task Force. A report from the task force says “Oklahoma continues to have a high number of cases diagnosed and high percent positivity.”
The report recommends closing bars and reducing indoor seating capacity, closing or limiting capacity in gyms in some areas, and requiring masks in much of the state.
Clyburn’s letter to Stitt said Oklahoma is out of compliance with the recommendations.
Stitt said the report’s recommendations are just that – recommendations. And he supports making decisions locally.
“I think it’s a subcommittee inside Congress that really is just trying to make a political statement either against the President or our state — I don’t know exactly where it’s coming from,” he said.
In a response to Stitt’s claims of making a political statement, Clyburn said that is incorrect.
“This was sent out to the states. And the states in the red zone that are refusing to comply, as you heard from us, so — I’m not being partisan here. We’re trying to save lives,” he said.
Oklahoma has its own color-coded map showing risk levels, with the latest report showing more counties entering the orange level. But the entire state would need to be nearing hospital capacity for any county to be colored red.
