State Senate candidate sues over termination
SHAWNEE — A Republican candidate for state Senate alleges he was fired from his job with the Citizen Potawatomi Nation for opposing a local mask mandate in a public meeting. Shane Jett sued Citizen Pot aw a to mi Nation Chairman John “Rocky” Barrett this week, saying he was wrongfully terminated after voicing criticism of a proposed mask ordinance at a July 20 Shawnee City Commission meeting.
A citizen of the Cherokee Nation, Jett alleges Barrett fired him due to political differences.
“After numerous attempts to reason with Chairman Barrett and other elected CPN officials, it became clear a lawsuit was the only way to protect me and my family,” Jett said in a news release. “The Chairman is a well-known partisan Democrat and attacked me for speaking out.”
In a statement, Barrett denied Jett's termination was politically motivated.
The Citizen Potawatomi Nation has 2,400 employees of all political persuasions and no one is fired without cause, he said.
“I knew that Shane was an ultra- conservative Republican when I hired him 10 years ago,” Barrett said, “In addition, he worked here before, during and after his run for the 5th Congressional District in 2014 as a Republican. Why would I wait more t han seven years to fire him over his politics? Obviously, the reason was something else altogether.”
Barrett did not say why Jett was fired on Aug. 10
A former Republican legislator in the Oklahoma House, Jett stepped down in 2010 to run for the 5th Congressional District seat. He mounted a second unsuccessful congressional campaign in 2014.
Now, Jett is challenging Sen. Ron Sharp for the Republican nomination in Senate District 17. The two candidates will face off in the Aug. 25 runoff primary.
In court filings, Jett says Barrett referenced the city council meeting where Jet ts poke out against a citywide mask ordinance when asking him to resign. Jett said he refused to resign, saying the matter should be taken up by the board of directors that over sees the Community Development Corporation.
"Chairman Barrett behaved as a bully unbecoming to his position as Chairman of the Potawatomi Nation," Jett said. "I will not be intimidated into silence in the face of petty tyranny."
In response, Barrett pointed to his more than 35- year tenure leading the Citizen Potawatomi Nation and the nation's $ 350 mill i on operating budget.
"Mr. Jett can engage in petty name calling all he wants, but the proof is in the numbers," Barrett said. "We are a success and over 35,000 Tribal citizens continue to elect me. This would not be true if I was all of the nasty things young Mr. Jett is calling me.”
The Shawnee commission unanimously adopted am ask mandate that is in effect until Sept .30. During the public comment period of the July 20 meeting, Jett warned commissioners not to “overstep” and enact a mask mandate.
“I think our citizens are smart enough to do the reading for themselves and to listen to experts to decide what is in the best interest of their family and their health,” he said.
Jett was hired to lead the Community Development Corporation in 2011. As part of the lawsuit Jett filed in Citizen Potawatomi Nation District Court, he seeks to be reinstated at his job “without further harassment” from Barrett and receive back pay.
The Citizen Potawatomi Nation donated $ 1,000 to Sharp this election cycle, according to public campaign finance reports.