OKLAHOMA CITY — Monday, the political feuding between the governor and the senate pro tem continued, even though the legislative session ended more than a week ago.
Governor Kevin Stitt issued a call for a special session, involving the Senate only, to be convened on Wednesday for the purpose of voting on an appointment to the Oklahoma State University and A&M Colleges Board of Regents.
The Senate voted to reject his previous nominee late in the legislative session.
The floor vote rejected Norman businesswoman Susan Bergen 32-13, though the Senate’s Education Committee had voted unanimously to advance her nomination to the full Senate.
Interestingly, eight of those committee “yes” votes became “no” votes in meantime, though the governor’s office says it doesn’t know why.
The new nominee is well-known to the OSU community.
He’s Mike Holder, former OSU Athletic Director who competed as a golfer on the university’s team in the 1960s, and went on to become the school’s golf coach, and eventually AD.
But Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat, without commenting on Holder’s qualifications, said in a statement Monday that “this is another example of the governor not understanding the process or rules of the Senate.”
He said the nominee has to meet with committee members first, and get the approval of that committee, before there can be a vote on the Senate floor.