Yukon mayor files police report against state rep
Yukon Mayor Shelli Selby filed a police report last week against a state representative for allegedly harassing and bullying he rafters he instituted am ask mandate for bar and restaurant workers in June.
Selby told police Rep. Jay Steagall, a Republican representing Yukon and parts of Oklahoma City, was intimidating her for political reasons because he believes the mask mandate is illegal, according to the police report.
She also sent a letter to House Speaker Charles McCall detailing her allegations and asking McCall to “educate” Steagall on “what is appropriate and ethical.”
A spokesperson for McCall said he had no comment on the letter. The full letter was published by t he Yukon Progress and can be read at www. yukonprogressnew.com.
“Since my signed proclamation, Representative Ste ag all has harassed, ridiculed, demeaned and threatened me in direct response to the painstaking decision that I made as mayor of my city,” Selby wrote.
Ste ag all told The Oklahoman on Monday in a statement he had not approached Selby “in any other way than to seek answers and address concerns” he had heard from constituents.
“I can assure you that in my over 22 years of military service … I have navigated very difficult conversations and policy decisions in appropriate manners,” Steagall said.
In her letter, Selby describes several encounSelby te rs with
Steagall where she alleges he tried to intimidate her by telling her people were planning to “get” her but refusing to give more details.
“A friend of mine called and said that Representative Steagall had called her to let me know I was in `big trouble' and that `people were out to get me' and that I should talk with him to keep myself safe ,” the letter reads.
When Selby would ask who was trying to harm her, Steagall wouldn't say.
Selby said after meeting once with Steagall and listening to his concerns, her legal team reviewed the proclamation and decided to keep it in place.
Steagall then, according to Selby' s letter, continued to threaten legal action if the mask order was not rescinded and said there were people trying to “take ( Selby) down.” He requested to meet with Selby at his firearms business, which she refused, according to the letter.
Later on, Selby wrote that she found out Steagall had told local businesses to defy the proclamation and not require masks to be worn.
In June, Selby ins tituted a mandate requiring masks be worn by bar and r est aurant workers, as well as requiring masks inside city buildings.
Several other metroarea cities have taken similar precautions, and many have taken them ask man dates further. Oklahoma City and Norman both require masks to be worn in any public indoor space, including private businesses, with some exceptions.
Selby pointed to this fact in her letter, saying she asked Oklahoma City officials if they had heard complaints from Steagall as well since he also represents part of Oklahoma City and they said they hadn't.
“I can't help but think it is because Representative Steagall feels like he can harass, intimidate or otherwise bully me in ways that he feels he cannot bully the mayor of Oklahoma City,” Selby wrote.
Selby wrote that she is talking with local law enforcement and if Steagall continues to encourage local bu sinesses to not use masks, she'll look to press charges for conspiring to commit an illegal act.
“We are trying to keep our people safe and also working to do everything in our power to avoid another devastating shut down of our businesses,” she said.
She also noted that if Steagall “continues his harassment,” she would take legal action.
"How he has interacted with me is completely inappropriate ," Selby said on Monday ." This behavior prompted me to file a police report. ... Ultimately, my goal is for Representative Steagall to be a representative and to leave me to be mayor."
Masks have continued to be apolitical issue, though public health officials have urged residents to look at the science instead.