Appearing before a packed, almost entirely maskless crowd of young conservatives in an Edmond ballroom on Tuesday, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt boasted about his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We are about freedom in the state of Oklahoma," Stitt told an applauding crowd at an event hosted by national conservative organization Turning Point USA. "[I am] one of only nine governors that did not shut down, that did not do mask mandates."
Public health experts, local officials across the state and the Trump White House repeatedly implored Stitt to implement a statewide mask mandate last year but he steadfastly refused, even during the most devastating periods of the pandemic.
"Took a few bullets back in March, April and May and June, but we're starting -- now people are starting to wake up and starting to take Oklahoma's lead. And our numbers are not dissimilar to any other state that took much more draconian methods."
Oklahoma, according to CDC data, has more than three times the known COVID-19 deaths of Oregon, which implemented more serious mitigation measures and is the state with the population closest to Oklahoma's.
"An informed citizenry is so important," Stitt said, moments after being introduced by Turning Point USA founder and featured speaker Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist who has spread misinformation about COVID-19 and the 2020 election, and who was temporarily banned from Twitter last year for falsely claimingthat the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine is "100% effective" at treating the novel coronavirus.
"Just do not be afraid. The Bible teaches us 365 times, I think, God tells us, 'Do not be afraid. Be bold,'" Stitt said. "And I'm just so sick of people telling us how we should live."
The White House last year told Stitt that many of Oklahoma's COVID-19 deaths could have been prevented.
