House Speaker Jeff Hickman is joining the growing chorus of Republican legislators demanding action after the Supreme Court's decision to order the Ten Commandments monument removed from the Capitol grounds.
Hickman said in a statement Wednesday that calls for the impeachment of justices and for a public vote on amending the Oklahoma Constitution are within the Legislature's authority and "will be seriously considered."
In a 7-2 ruling Tuesday, Oklahoma Supreme Court said the monument violates a section of the constitution that prohibits the use of public money or property for religious purposes.
House Judiciary Committee chairman Randy Grau and vice-chairman Jon Echols both said Wednesday they intend to seek a public vote on whether to repeal that section of the Oklahoma Constitution.
“Oklahomans deserve to decide this issue for themselves,” Grau said in a statement. “The court’s decision is legally wrong and based upon a poorly written, discriminatory provision. Placing a repeal question on the ballot will save the Ten Commandments monument and allow it to remain on state Capitol grounds if that is the will of the people. The U.S. Supreme Court already allows such monuments and this is a matter of amending state law so it does not conflict with the decision of a higher court.”
Attorney general Scott Pruitt says the Supreme Court requested briefs Wednesday from parties who sued to remove the Ten Commandments monument from the grounds of the state Capitol.
The suit was brought by the American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma.
Pruitt says he's encouraged, because it shows the high court is considering his petition for rehearing after Tuesday's decision to take down the monument.
Speaking to Fox News's Sean Hannity Wednesday night, Pruitt said the Supreme Court disregarded the connection of the Ten Commandments to current codes of law.
“The southern frieze of the U.S. Supreme Court, you have the lawgivers, Moses being one with the Ten Commandments,” Pruitt said. “Clearly there is a purpose here that is different than establishing a particular religion.”
Others have called for the impeachment of the seven justices who voted to remove a Ten Commandments monument from the state Capitol. State Rep. Kevin Calvey said the justices made a political decision that overruled the state constitution.
"A strong message needs to be sent that we the people are not going to put up with this kind of dictatorial bullying by judges," Calvey said. "When judges bully the people with these kind of outrageous decisions, they need to have some consequences."
Calvey said Tuesday’s decision is the latest in a series of politically motivated rulings. He also wants to enact judicial reform and reduce the influence of the Oklahoma Bar Association on the selection of judges. He has filed a request for an interim study on the issue.
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