Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt Faces Backlash for Supporting Pro-Cockfighting Group

Stitt's endorsement of the controversial Oklahoma Gamefowl Commission, which lobbies for lessened penalties for illegal cockfighting, draws criticism from animal rights groups and former state officials.

• Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt is facing backlash for expressing support for a pro-cockfighting organization, the Oklahoma Gamefowl Commission, in a video message.
• The Oklahoma Gamefowl Commission is a political action group that lobbies for lessened penalties for participation in cockfighting, which is illegal in all 50 states.
• Stitt's message has been criticized by animal rights groups, former Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating, and former state Attorney General Drew Edmondson, who called it an 'embarrassment' and 'toxic to the idea of economic development and forward progress'.
• Stitt claimed that cockfighting is a main driver for the state’s economy and vital for the rural economy, despite being made illegal in Oklahoma in 2002.
• The Oklahoma Gamefowl Commission is expected to push for cockfighting legalization to be re-examined in the 2024 legislative session.

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