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Oklahoma joins 21-state challenge to federal contractor vaccine rules

Oklahoma Attorney General John O'Connor addresses Attorney General's Office staff on July 26, shortly after being sworn into office.

Oklahoma Attorney General John O'Connor announced Friday he had signed onto a letter asking the White House to suspend a requirement that federal contractors vaccinate their workers against COVID-19.

“I am standing up for Oklahomans’ rights,” O’Connor said in a statement. “Joe Biden does not have the authority to infringe on an individual’s freedom to make healthcare decisions for themselves and their families.”

"We strongly urge you to instruct agencies to cease implementing the mandate or, at a minimum, to provide clarity to agencies and federal contractors across the country and delay the mandate’s compliance date," the letter reads.

The White House released additional information on the requirements for contractors Monday.

O'Connor's opposition to vaccine requirements is in line with the views of Gov. Kevin Stitt, who tapped O'Connor to replace Mike Hunter as state attorney general in July.

"President Biden’s administration has no respect for individual freedoms," Stitt said in an Oct. 14 videoopposing federal COVID-19 policies.

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Chris joined Public Radio Tulsa as a news anchor and reporter in April 2020. He’s a graduate of Hunter College and the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, both at the City University of New York.