Mark Jennings, a county commissioner in McCurtain County, Oklahoma, resigned on Wednesday following increasing backlash after a local newspaper reported that he and other officials were secretly recorded discussing the lynching of Black people and threatening to assassinate two reporters. Jennings, who had served on the McCurtain County Board of Commissioners since January 2021, wrote in his resignation letter that he was stepping down "effective immediately" and promised to "release a formal statement in the near future regarding the recent events in our county."
The controversy began when protesters swarmed a regularly scheduled board meeting earlier on Monday, demanding accountability for the alleged remarks. They also demonstrated outside the commissioners' office with signs expressing their outrage.
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt has called for Sheriff Kevin Clardy of McCurtain County as well as Alicia Manning (sheriff's investigator), Larry Hendrix (Jail Administrator), and Mark Jennings to step down from their positions. The governor's appeal comes after Bruce Willingham – publisher of The McCURtain County Gazette whose son Chris also serves as a reporter– expressed concern over some coverage by their outlet.
While investigating this incident further is ongoing at both state and federal levels; Bruce Willingham said he consulted his attorneys before recording any talks between these officials without permission or knowledge.. According to reports obtained from an anonymous source close inside law enforcement circles here within Oklahoma State Bureau Investigation Agency,'there may be more than meets eye' behind what transpired during those conversations involving high-ranking members affiliated directly under Governor Stitt himself!!
In response to these accusations against them all four individuals mentioned above have chosen not provide comment nor address specific details about why such actions occurred – thus leaving many questions unanswered surrounding true motives driving white supremacy across America today