In a letter sent to members of the Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC), 10 state lawmakers have urged the JNC to set aside political agendas and instead focus on identifying three Oklahoma Supreme Court nominees committed to upholding the law.

“Oklahomans deserve justices who will interpret the law with fairness and impartiality, upholding the principles enshrined in our state constitution,” the lawmakers wrote. “As you deliberate, we urge you to prioritize candidates who possess a strong record of judicial competence, a steadfast commitment to justice, and the highest ethical standards, rather than individuals who make decisions based on partisan politics.”

The secretive Judicial Nominating Commission, which does not hold public meetings or cast votes in public, is in the process of selecting three nominees to fill the vacancy created on the Oklahoma Supreme Court when voters ousted longtime liberal incumbent Justice Yvonne Kauger last November.

“Oklahoma voters demanded change on the state’s Supreme Court, and the Judicial Nominating Commission would be wise to listen,” said state Sen. Brent Howard, R-Altus, who led the effort. “Oklahomans are tired of appointed judges playing politics from the bench and ignoring the rule of law. As the JNC vets candidates for this historic appointment, I encourage them to nominate individuals who will uphold the Constitution, put the law above partisanship, and restore Oklahomans’ trust in our judicial system. This is a rare opportunity to ensure the next justice reflects the values and priorities of the people of Oklahoma.”

Under Oklahoma’s current system, the JNC selects up to three nominees for court positions, including the Oklahoma Supreme Court, behind closed doors. The group conducts interviews with judicial candidates under a veil of secrecy. The group does not hold public meetings and does not provide any public records of its votes on judicial nominees, even raw-number tallies. The governor is required to select one of the three candidates put forward by the JNC and cannot consider any other qualified individuals.

Of the 15 members of the Oklahoma Judicial Nominating Commission, six are appointed by the Oklahoma Bar Association via internal membership elections. No other attorneys are allowed to serve.

Public records show that an overwhelming majority of bar appointees to the JNC since 2000 have directed most of their campaign donations to Democrats, raising questions about the group’s ability to vet and choose judicial nominees aligned with a conservative judicial philosophy when a Republican governor is in office.

In addition, of the 14 individuals who have applied with the JNC for the open Oklahoma Supreme Court position, public records indicate that several applicants have financially supported Democratic candidates’ campaigns, or contributed to political action committees (PACs) that supported Democrats.

“While we do not advocate for a partisan appointment by the JNC, we strongly encourage the members to send only quality recommendations to the Governor to fill this historic vacancy,” the lawmakers wrote. “We believe it is important for the JNC to promote nominees who will make decisions based on what the law says—not what they would like it to say.”

The 10 lawmakers who signed the letter—five members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives and five members of the Oklahoma Senate—including the following individuals: Howard; Senate Majority Floor Leader Julie Daniels, R-Bartlesville; state Sen. Todd Gollihare, R-Kellyville; state Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond; state Sen. Brian Guthrie, R-Bixby; state Rep. Anthony Moore, R-Clinton; state Rep. John Pfeiffer, R-Mulhall; state Rep. Mark Lepak. R-Claremore; state Rep. John Kane, R-Bartlesville; and state Rep. Neil Hays, R-Checotah.