| On Monday, the US Senate confirmed President Trump's nomination to the Federal District Court for western Oklahoma. This now creates the 2nd vacancy on Oklahoma's high court. Justice Reif is also stepping down at the end of this month. All of these developments are enabling Gov. Stitt to leave more legacy on Oklahoma govt. than Gov. Fallin had in her full 8 years in the governor's mansion. Wyrick was Fallin's last Supreme Court appointment. Patrick Wyrick had been Fallin's Solicitor and had previously worked under then AG Scott Pruitt. Democrat senators exploited that Pruitt connection to disparage Wyrick and oppose his appointment. He was also disparaged for his young age. The 38 year old has fast-tracked through the hierarchy of state judicial appointments. He's noted as one of the best communicators and thinkers on the current Oklahoma Supreme Court. His fellow justices have let him write most of the significant majority opinions during his short 2 years as a justice. |  |
But Wyrick does have legitimate controversy to contend with. He was never supposed to be nominated when former Justice Steven Taylor stepped down. Oklahoma's high court is intended to draw from all areas of the state by requiring each justice to come from a particular district.
Wyrick, who has lived & voted in the OKC area for most of his adult life, was presented as the justice for Judicial District 2, which is known as "little Dixie" (far southeast Oklahoma). When Fallen selected him, a court challenge was filed. But the court threw out that challenge without even a hearing. The rejection said that the plaintiff lacked standing. According to the justices, only the two other finalists whose names were presented to Gov. Fallin had standing. In other words, even though the entire 2nd judicial district was denied constitutional representation, they had no redress rights granted. The high court went further to say that the challenge had to come during the time Fallin was making her final decision, which might have only been minutes. Such is the low degree of integrity that Oklahoma's high court has devolved to. Wyrick's willingness to put on that robe indicates just how willing he is to let his ambitions trump his integrity.
Trump may have gotten his man, but did he get a man of integrity?
Wyrick, who has lived & voted in the OKC area for most of his adult life, was presented as the justice for Judicial District 2, which is known as "little Dixie" (far southeast Oklahoma). When Fallen selected him, a court challenge was filed. But the court threw out that challenge without even a hearing. The rejection said that the plaintiff lacked standing. According to the justices, only the two other finalists whose names were presented to Gov. Fallin had standing. In other words, even though the entire 2nd judicial district was denied constitutional representation, they had no redress rights granted. The high court went further to say that the challenge had to come during the time Fallin was making her final decision, which might have only been minutes. Such is the low degree of integrity that Oklahoma's high court has devolved to. Wyrick's willingness to put on that robe indicates just how willing he is to let his ambitions trump his integrity.
Trump may have gotten his man, but did he get a man of integrity?
