© 2024 Public Radio Tulsa
800 South Tucker Drive
Tulsa, OK 74104
(918) 631-2577

A listener-supported service of The University of Tulsa
classical 88.7 | public radio 89.5
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Sheriff, Mayors Among Oklahomans In Washington On Day Of Insurrection

Oklahoma Sheriffs' Association
Canadian County Sheriff Chris West (center) receiving a "Sheriff of the Year" award from the Oklahoma Sheriffs' Association in 2019.

At least one sheriff and two mayors were among the Oklahomans present in Washington, D.C., Wednesday for a protest against the rightful results of the 2020 presidential election on the day a pro-Trump mob stormed the U.S. Capitol and left five people dead.

Canadian County Sheriff Chris West said at a Friday press conference that he marched to the Capitol but did not participate in nor witness violence.

"I can't talk about, where was I when the violence was going, because I didn't see the violence. I don't know when it happened," West said, noting he wore a "Make America Great Again" hat and chanted "stop the steal," a rallying cry for supporters of the debunked conspiracy theory that the election President-elect Joe Biden won was somehow "stolen" from President Trump.

Mayor Jenni White of Luther also traveled to Washington, according to KOCO, and the New York Times reports Newkirk Mayor Brian Hobbs was also present. The Tulsa World reports Hobbs "attributed the violence that broke out to 'Antifa goons' and called the shooting of one participant a police assassination." Hobbs and White deny taking part of the riot.

The Associated Press reports that the insurrectionist attackers were overwhelmingly supporters of the president; the FBI said there is no evidence to support the claim that antifascist activists were involved in the siege on the Capitol.

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.
Related Content