NOWHERE TO HIDE

Full Audio Released of Oklahoma Officials Discussing Lynchings, Killing Journalists

One former official reportedly talked about buying a tank to drive into a newspaper’s building.

A newspaper in Oklahoma has released the full audio of a secret recording which captured officials talking about lynching Black people and murdering journalists. The McCurtain Gazette first reported on portions of the tape which captured the sick conversation that took place between McCurtain County officials after a public meeting last month. The county commissioner, Mark Jennings, resigned on Wednesday after he could be heard saying in the audio that, if he could, he’d take Black residents “down to Mud Creek and hang them up with a damn rope.” In the full recording, which runs for three hours and 37 minutes, Jennings also reportedly talks about buying an old military tank in order to drive into the newspaper’s building. He said he would say, “Sorry, I couldn’t stop this motherfucker” when asked to explain what happened. McCurtain County Sheriff Kevin Clardy, who is still in his post, also reportedly tells his colleagues that he had gone to the district attorney’s office “to whoop his ass.” Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt has called for all of the officials in the recording to resign.