The Oklahoma State Capital

Those who follow freshman state senator Kendal Sacchieri’s Facebook videos are on the cutting edge of the most recent expansion of the surveillance state: footage has leaked (see the video attached to this article) of the state’s new driver’s license data sharing system, no doubt a multi-million dollar implementation funded by your taxpayer dollars, that will go live in the next few days, and that will be used to share your data nationwide with those in other states who you will never be able to hold accountable with your vote, and in complete violation of the principles of state sovereignty and federalism.

Worse, the new system won’t just share the data of those who have opted in to REAL ID, but also the information of those who have intentionally refused to do so, under the mistaken belief that the state would protect them from nationwide data sharing.

The state has come a long way from 2007, when the House, led by then-state representative Charles Key and his Senate Bill 464, passed without a single “no” vote of either party in either the Senate or the House and was signed by Oklahoma’s then-Democrat governor, Brad Henry.

Key’s bill was a strong declaration of states’ rights and of the state’s intent to refuse to comply with the REAL ID mandate. It read in part: “The Legislature finds that the enactment into law by the United States Congress of the federal REAL ID Act of 2005, Public Law Number 109-13, is inimical to the security and well-being of the people of Oklahoma, will cause approximately Eight Million Dollars ($8,000,000.00) in added expense and inconvenience to our state, and was adopted by the United States Congress in violation of the principles of federalism contained in the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.”

And, “The State of Oklahoma shall not participate in the implementation of the REAL ID Act of 2005.”

This kicked off a multi-year game in which the federal government would promise that it was about to enforce the law … and then extend … and then extend again.

In 2015, Mary Fallin’s Public Safety head, Michael Thompson, said Oklahoma had received an extension from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security until October 2016 that gave it time to comply, but that additional extensions “were unlikely.”

We now know just how silly that threat was. It would be another decade before the federal government started substantively enforcing the law, and the Legislature, to its great credit, ignored him, and the federal government blinked. No enforcement.

But the local media machine, and special interests such as the State Chamber of Commerce, hammered away. A 2015 editorial from The Oklahoman fearmongered about the impending federal mandate. It theorized that, in 2016, every civil worker at Tinker would have to get a passport to get on base—a fear-mongering talking point echoed by the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber in its newsletter.

And it became clear that Oklahoma’s politicians were ready to cave too.

In 2017, new House Speaker Charles McCall and Governor Mary Fallin went all in on the game of pretending to be heroes by getting yet another “extension” from an enforcement action that was clearly a never-ending bluff by the federal government. Had the states stood together and called the bluff, the federal government wouldn’t have been able to enforce its actions. But clearly, cowardly red-state leaders were playing a game over the course of years by pretending that the federal government would act “in just a few weeks” to cut off access to federal buildings and airports.

By 2017, McCall, just as he became Speaker, was declaring:

“I am very pleased that the federal government is giving us additional time to develop a legislative solution to this issue. This extension will allow our citizens to continue to interact with our federal entities without interruption. House Republicans are committed to a solution that will bring Oklahoma into compliance with the Real ID Act while also protecting the privacy and liberty of our citizens.”

McCall’s statements were echoed by his Majority Floor Leader, Jon Echols, who predicted that legislation would quickly pass the bill to bring the state into compliance, stating that he was confident legislators would be “more open to compromise this time.”

Any sense that Democrats would keep their position of opposition to REAL ID was soon dashed as Minority Leader Scott Inman signed on as well. This would be a uniparty initiative, with both parties’ leaders clearly set to cast their lots with the State Chamber and the special interests anxious to bring Oklahoma into compliance with the federal government.

And soon thereafter, McCall’s very first public policy initiative of significance after becoming House Speaker, House Bill 1845, would bring the state into compliance with federal demands. But unbeknownst to many, McCall’s promise of “protecting the privacy and liberty of our citizens” would become one of the most far-reaching broken promises—and one of the great betrayals of those who worked so hard to get McCall and his Republican majority elected.

The size and scope of that betrayal is hard to come to terms with—but it is set to take place in the next few days.

Per Sacchieri’s warning, the state is about to implement a new data-sharing system, sharing access to the data of Oklahoma drivers license holders with other states. But notably, as revealed by Sacchieri, the state does not just intend to share the data of REAL ID-compliant license holders, but also the data of those who opted out.

What gives the state the right to share that data?

It’s McCall’s HB 1845—the very bill that unwound Charlie Key’s SB 464 and brought the state into compliance with REAL ID. That bill not only expressly enabled the data sharing, but, in an ultimate insult, contained a fee increase—an increase that, in my view, likely forced those paying for the non-compliant ID to self-fund the very IT system now set to share their data.

McCall’s bill, HB 1845—the first major policy proposal of his tenure—was brought to the floor and presented on his behalf by then-House Appropriations Chairman Leslie Osborn.

As she presented McCall’s bill, Osborn—clearly acting as an agent of the federal government’s fear-pandering game—resorted to the same fear tactics, noting that the federal government would begin requiring REAL ID as soon as 2018, a prediction we now know was part of a long game to toy with the states until they adopted bills like McCall’s.

Then something notable happened.

A courageous freshman representative asked one of his first questions ever on the House floor—and he went straight to the sensitive part of the matter.

Sure, the bill still allowed those adverse to REAL ID to get a non-compliant driver’s license, but what about the data sharing? Something wasn’t right. Tom Gann had picked up on a suspicious word in the prohibition on data sharing with the federal government.

The bill prevented the sharing of Oklahoma driver’s license data “directly” with the federal government—but what about, Gann wanted to know, indirectly?

Did the bill actually allow the data of non-compliant license holders to be indirectly shared by other means?

Osborn dismissed the freshman’s concerns, stating that “there would be no more sharing than was absolutely vital and required.”

But now, almost a decade later, we now know that Gann—courageously taking to the mic and risking the ire of the new, powerful House Speaker and his Appropriations chair—was hovering right over the target.

Upon close inspection of the bill, McCall was in fact authorizing the state to participate in a third-party, multi-state data-sharing arrangement, with no exclusions or exceptions for those trying to opt out—who were naively believing the state government would protect their information if they took the opt-out option.

Sure, Osborn could say, as she did repeatedly, that the state was not sharing data with the federal government—because that’s not how REAL ID works. The law forces participating states into a third-party network, something Osborn never bothered to explain in response to Gann’s question.

McCall’s trickery, in addition to striking through much of Charlie Key’s 2007 prohibition, read as follows:

“C. The State of Oklahoma shall not share its citizens’ personal information or biometric data with the federal government directly, except as a result of compliance with the REAL ID Act of 2005, Public Law Number 109-13.”

There was no exception for those without a REAL ID driver’s license. Thus, the trickery. Real ID mandates the sharing of access to the data, whether the license holder wants to comply with REAL ID or not. And McCall’s bill, authorized the participating in that network, because that’s the network referenced in REAL ID.

And now, almost a decade later, within just a few days, that is exactly what the government is set to do: provide nationwide access to both REAL ID compliant AND non-REAL ID compliant.

Gann—and to his credit, certain members of the grassroots—were already figuring out the sleight of hand. But it was early in the session, and using the faux logic that “the federal government is about to bar courthouse doors to Oklahomans,” McCall and crew moved at warp speed.

2017: A post from a prominent grassroots leader attempted to warn the public of the dangers of Charles McCall’s HB 1845 after it had steamrolled through the House and headed to the Senate. The poster had figured out the trick, and now, nearly a decade later, his warnings have been proven spot on.

As the tricky McCall would soon boast:

“The Legislature has quickly resolved a matter important for our citizens and our economy. This bill will bring our state into compliance with federal law while protecting the privacy and freedom of our citizens.

Those Oklahomans who are concerned about privacy and liberty will be allowed to opt out and receive a state-compliant ID, but those citizens who need access to federal installations or who desire to travel can receive a federally compliant ID. I have never seen a bill pass both chambers and get signed into law in four weeks, so this is an example of how we can all work together to get a priority for the people of Oklahoma accomplished.”

What can we learn from this?

The arrogance of politicians who believe we have short memories.

We must always remember the gloating McCall, who boasted of the rapid passage of his bill—his first meaningful policy initiative as Speaker.

The same goes for Echols, who now courts the votes of the grassroots for statewide office, but who so viciously betrayed those values. Many grassroots conservatives opted out of REAL ID only to now face their data being shared against their wishes—helpless and with little recourse.

The weak leaders who not only failed to stand up to federal overreach, but actively played the game by repeating faux threats—threats that would not materialize for years—now attempt to kowtow to the grassroots, believing they can hoodwink us into supporting them again.

Make no mistake: current legislators watching grassroots support for McCall, Echols, and crew will conclude they too can get away with the same behavior when they seek their own political “careers.” Why should they change their vote when they will be able to go full-on politician now, and depend on the short memories of the people, later?

Though the grassroots feel helpless now—as the bureaucracy prepares to cross a threshold that permanently betrays public trust—the voter must not, at the very least, trust those who betrayed us, even as they ask for that trust again.

In fact, if there is to be a silver lining to the fact that those who betrayed our values are on the statewide ticket this year, it’s that we have an outlet to send them, and the other politicians, a strong message with our vote on June 16th.

Also of note, in recent days, many grassroots activists have taken to calling the governor to plead their case. They know it’s a long shot—this has been a decade-long effort with millions likely spent, so it’s unlikely that the Governor will do the right thing—but at least there is an outlet.

This is how it should be.

The people’s elected representative, in this case the Governor, should have the authority to delay implementations like this until the matter can be sorted by the Legislature. But often, unelected bureaucrats running state agencies call the shots at the agency level—and they don’t have to care what the people think.

This legislative year, with a weak, lame-duck governor—whose repeated betrayals of his own supporters were on display again during last week’s shocking CNN appearance, preening for the coastal elites—the Legislature appears poised to strip the governor of meaningful appointment authority, placing power further into unelected hands.

If that happens, it is an attack on the people—not on Stitt.

Those latest proposals to concentrate power in the hands of the bureaucrats must be opposed.

And finally, as this 2026 session gets underway, it’s vital to note that history has once again looked favorably on Tom Gann.

Time and again during Gann’s time in office, he has found himself in the minority on the House floor—yet aligned with the vast majority of the general public who believe in limited government.

Legislators who continue to vote opposite Gann are defying gravity.

Gann’s instincts are carefully calibrated to conservative thought, and though years may pass, the record will attest to the wisdom of voting with him. And, this writer, for one, is quite pleased to recollect that he was one of those votes.

That vote was an early sign of how Gann would become one of the most influential legislators—able to forecast through his actions and his votes the traps awaiting future lawmakers.

Gann’s secret?

Actually reading the bills, finding these tricks, and, very importantly, not taking the special interest money. Because Gann didn’t take their money. He was immune to State Chamber pressure. And he was unafraid to ask questions—even though he was only a freshman—on the House Speaker’s bill. Wow!

This, the abstinence approach, the abstinence from even the appearance of impropriety, is the true secret that we, as the voters must continue to advance throughout the state as we seek to reclaim the state government for the people.

MORE: How Tucker Carlson and Kristi Noem May Have Saved Oklahoma From Charles McCall, Chris Kannady and Fedcoin.