Paul Monies
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pmonies.bsky.social
Paul Monies
@pmonies.bsky.social
1.4K followers 1.5K following 540 posts
“Bluesky ain’t real life.” 🤷‍♂️ Native Scotsman. Honorary Texan and Okie. Reporting without fear or favor. #FOI Send me news tips: pmonies@oklahomawatch.org.
https://oklahomawatch.org/author/paulmonies/
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pmonies.bsky.social
USDA's contingency plan, now offline, said there was contingency funds available for SNAP benefits in the event of a shutdown.
web.archive.org/web/20251008...
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): OMB’s General Counsel provided a letter to USDA on May 23, 2025 stating that there is a bona fide need to obligate benefits for October – the first month of the fiscal year – during or prior to the month of September, thereby guaranteeing that benefit funds are available for program operations even in the event of a government shutdown at the beginning of a fiscal year. In addition, Congressional intent is evident that SNAP’s operations should continue since the program has been provided with multi-year contingency funds that can be used for State Administrative Expenses to ensure that the State can also continue operations during a Federal Government shutdown. These multi-year contingency funds are also available to fund participant benefits in the event that a lapse occurs in the middle of the fiscal year. To fulfill this Congressional intent, it is necessary that a limited number of FNS employees be excepted from furlough to support program operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, program policy and operations, financial management, and stakeholder communications.
October 27, 2025 at 1:52 PM
pmonies.bsky.social
Benny gives off major Caesar Flickerman vibes.
Caesar Flickerman is the host for the Hunger Games, responsible for interviewing tributes the night before the competition begins.
October 20, 2025 at 8:05 PM
pmonies.bsky.social
Reminds me of the time when the #kpop kids bought all the tickets to Trump's Tulsa rally back in 2020.
Via Patrick Semansky / AP. A dejected guy walks in the dark.
October 8, 2025 at 2:09 PM
pmonies.bsky.social
🧐
An iteration of the webpage for the Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction dated Oct. 1, 2025. It reads: "Coming Soon."
October 1, 2025 at 3:58 PM
pmonies.bsky.social
Just another Saturday on Truth Social and Twitter.
A Truth Social post by Trump threatening the city of Chicago. An exchange on X between JD Vance and political commentator Brian Krassenstein on the legality of US strikes against alleged cartel members in international waters.
September 6, 2025 at 5:48 PM
pmonies.bsky.social
Here's the last web pages if you successfully "complete" the Prager teacher qualification test. 🙄

www.prageru.com/teacher-qual...

#oklaed #okgov #okleg
Screenshot of donation splash page after successfully completing the Prager “U” teacher qualification test. Screenshot of donation splash page after successfully completing the Prager “U” teacher qualification test.
August 30, 2025 at 12:35 PM
pmonies.bsky.social
Reminder.
1/x
FWIW, it's OK to tell fascists to fuck the fuck off.
August 26, 2025 at 3:57 AM
pmonies.bsky.social
A Monster Munch crisp packet from the U.K.
August 21, 2025 at 6:51 PM
pmonies.bsky.social
Not to be killjoy, but Google gets a bunch of incentives from the Oklahoma ad valorem manufacturing exemption. 🤷‍♂️
www.oklahoman.com/story/busine...
Link to report:
oklahoma.gov/content/dam/...
A screenshot showing how much Google has claimed from the Oklahoma property tax exemption. A pie chart showing the proportion of types of facilities eligible for the Oklahoma incentive for property tax exemptions.
August 14, 2025 at 3:19 PM
pmonies.bsky.social
Should I tell you half of this fundraising total is a personal loan from the candidate? My next story looks at the issue of candidate campaign loans. #okgov #okleg
A Tweet from Oklahoma GOP gubernatorial candidate Mike Mazzei purporting to show his fundraising prowess. The Tweet reads: "First fundraising quarter: Over $500,000." It does not mention that $250,000 of that total comes from a personal loan to his campaign.
August 3, 2025 at 5:05 AM
pmonies.bsky.social
I think the cat has missed me working from home. 😂 #WFH
A tabby cat is sprawled out next to a mouse and mouse pad.
August 1, 2025 at 8:58 PM
pmonies.bsky.social
Old enough to remember all this. Every administration thinks they have the best and brightest people in the room. History is the ultimate judge.
Image of book cover to the 2006 book “Hubris” by Michael Isikoff and David Corn. It depicts Condeleeza Rice, Dick Cheney, George W. Bush and Donald Rumsfeld.
June 22, 2025 at 3:39 PM
pmonies.bsky.social
Tearing it up downtown. #OKC
June 10, 2025 at 6:20 PM
pmonies.bsky.social
Just going to leave this here. This guy lost a race for city council in 2018 and still hasn't recovered from the fact that people yelled at him online.

christopherrufo.com/p/trump-shou...
Christopher Rufo: "At the same time, as we saw demonstrated in Portland, Oregon, during the George Floyd riots, the agencies should dispatch unmarked vans to follow key agitators and snatch them from the streets while the media are not looking."
June 10, 2025 at 3:17 PM
pmonies.bsky.social
Sunday morning news shows love them some Oklahoma GOP senators.
Screenshot of June 8, 2025, exchange on Meet the Press between host Kristin Welker and US Sen. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma: WELKER: The Constitution does say that all persons in the US are entitled to due process. It doesn't make a decision about citizenship. LANKFORD: Literally reading to them the statute and saying 'this is what you violated' does count as due process depending on how they entered into the country (Via NBC NEWS) Screenshot of June 8, 2025, exchange on CNN’s State of the Union between host Dana Bash and US Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Oklahoma: MARKWAYNE MULLIN: You can't find where we are reducing coverage for anybody BASH: If this passes the way it does, I would be interested to talk to you about what happens to the rural hospitals in your state MULLIN: It will pass
June 8, 2025 at 2:54 PM
pmonies.bsky.social
U.S. Rep. Markwayne Mullin, R-Oklahoma, takes cover as Jan. 6 “tourists” try to break into the House chamber. Twitter post from U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Oklahoma, on June 5, 2025. “I learned a long time ago when I was fighting to stay out of other people's fights. We're moving forward to get the most MAGA bill possible for the American people. Results.”
June 6, 2025 at 10:55 AM
pmonies.bsky.social
Wow.
“Mistakes were made,” seems to be the mantra for these DOGE boys.
Sahil Lavingia, the programmer enlisted by DOGE, which was then run by Elon Musk, acknowledged flaws in the code. “I think that mistakes were made,” said Lavingia, who worked at DOGE for nearly two months. “I’m sure mistakes were made. Mistakes are always made. I would never recommend someone run my code and do what it says. It’s like that ‘Office’ episode where Steve Carell drives into the lake because Google Maps says drive into the lake. Do not drive into the lake.” Though Lavingia has talked about his time at DOGE previously, this is the first time his work has been examined in detail and the first time he’s publicly explained his process, down to specific lines of code.
June 6, 2025 at 10:33 AM
pmonies.bsky.social
#YNWA
🏆
Fucking Liverpool!
May 25, 2025 at 5:27 PM
pmonies.bsky.social
Oklahoma followed right behind Texas in signing on to this “invasion” legal theory on immigration.
In 2021 and 2022, Cucinelli, with Vought's help, mounted press conferences and privately urged Gov. Doug Ducey of Arizona and Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas to proclaim that their states were being invaded. After Arizona's then-attorney general, Mark Brnovich, released a legal opinion in February 2022 proclaiming violent cartels had "actually invaded" and opened the door for Ducey to deploy the state's National Guard, Vought bragged to his audience that he and Cuccinelli had personally provided draft language for the opinion. In a previous email to ProPublica, Brnovich acknowledged speaking to Cuccinelli but said his opinion was "drafted and written by hard working attorneys (including myself) in our office."
May 23, 2025 at 10:30 AM
pmonies.bsky.social
OK Public Employees:
"Employees are not expendable commodities to be leveraged during budget shortfalls. These are dedicated individuals who provide crucial services to our communities and treating them as mere bargaining chips is not only disrespectful but also incredibly short-sighted."
It's disheartening to hear about the situation at the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health where the financial fiasco is now affecting our state employees payroll. These employees take care of a vulnerable population that must continue. State employees are not expendable commodities to be leveraged during budget shortfalls. These are dedicated individuals who provide crucial services to our communities, and treating them as mere bargaining chips is not only disrespectful but also incredibly short-sighted. Balancing the budget by squeezing the workforce , delaying investment their well-being, fair compensation, and adequate staffing – is a lazy approach, plain and simple. It demonstrates a lack of creative problem-solving and a failure to recognize the long-term consequences. When we underfund and undervalue our state employees, particularly those in critical sectors like mental health and other high hazard positions, we risk burnout, high turnover, and ultimately, a decline in the quality of services provided to Oklahomans who need them most. Prioritizing state employees isn't just a matter of fairness; it's a strategic investment in the state's future. A supported and valued workforce is a more effective and stable workforce. Oklahoma needs to move away from this damaging cycle and start treating its dedicated public servants as the invaluable assets they truly are. #FinancialFiasco #getinvolved #Paycheck #stateworkers #FairCompensation
May 2, 2025 at 6:15 PM
pmonies.bsky.social
Also, me tracking a Stitt press conference when we had a #chemtrail guy ask the last question.
Chem trail.
April 29, 2025 at 5:49 PM
pmonies.bsky.social
Good job, Elon! You're the fiercest sheriff!
A child's Sheriff badge, befitting the Chief Twit, Elon Musk.
April 29, 2025 at 1:25 AM
pmonies.bsky.social
UPDATE: In a letter filed with the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday evening, Oklahoma disagreed with the Trump Justice Department and said cert should be granted in the case. Letter here: www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/24...
Letter dated April 17, 2025, from Oklahoma Attorney General/State Solicitor General to the U.S. Supreme Court disagreeing with the Trump Justice Department that cert should be granted in a pending case over Title X grants and abortion referral hotlines. Letter dated April 17, 2025, from Oklahoma Attorney General/State Solicitor General to the U.S. Supreme Court disagreeing with the Trump Justice Department that cert should be granted in a pending case over Title X grants and abortion referral hotlines.
April 18, 2025 at 3:18 PM
pmonies.bsky.social
LOL. Nice write-up, Jim! Good to see you on Monday.
BONUS CONTENT — While Michael told me a story about an event I didn’t recall, I also shared with him about the first — and only — time I visited his office at The Oklahoman’s Enid bureau. Since I was from the “home office” of the paper and worked in the opulent (now former) newsroom along Broadway Extension, I had visions of McNutt working out of a similar abode in Enid. However, it turned out that he worked in a tiny office in a corporate building that was like a 1960s time capsule. I’m not sure exactly what I expected, but today all I can see in my mind is the bright green shag carpet in his office.
April 17, 2025 at 3:03 PM
pmonies.bsky.social
UPDATE: The Police Pension board voted today to have its executive director ask @oklahomaoag.bsky.social for an AG opinion on the meaning of "investment or funds management" qualification of Speaker Kyle Hilbert's appointee to the board. #okleg #okgov
A screenshot of Oklahoma outlining the qualifications of appointees to the Oklahoma Police Pension and Retirement Board. "4. Any vacancy that occurs shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner as the office was previously filled. C. The members appointed to the State Board by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Governor and the President of the Oklahoma Municipal League or who are designees of an ex officio member of the State Board shall: 1. Have demonstrated professional experience in investment or funds management, public funds management, public or private pension fund management or retirement system management; 2. Have demonstrated experience in the banking profession and have demonstrated professional experience in investment or funds management; 3. Be licensed to practice law in this state and have demonstrated professional experience in commercial matters; or 4. Be licensed by the Oklahoma Accountancy Board to practice in this state as a public accountant or a certified public accountant.
April 16, 2025 at 6:09 PM