Oklahoma City — Governor Kevin Stitt and state Attorney General John O’Connor applauded this week’s federal court injunction stopping — at least for now — President Joe Biden’s order to force COVID-19 vaccines for healthcare workers.

Stitt said in a statement from his office he was “pleased that federal courts have blocked yet another one of President Biden’s unconstitutional vaccine mandates.”

A statement from the office of A.G. O’Connor, Oklahoma’s top legal officer, characterized the ruling as “a major victory for our healthcare heroes.”

The ruling came in response to a lawsuit brought by Oklahoma and eleven other states. O’Connor said, “This is a major win for the medical freedom of Oklahoma’s healthcare heroes who have fearlessly braved the pandemic to keep the rest of us healthy.”

O’Connor and his attorney general peers said in their lawsuit accused the Biden administration of “overreaching” with an edict giving, through the Biden order, a “job or jab” choice.

Now, a federal court has said, as O’Connor’s press release put it, “The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) exceeded its statutory authority, the Court included. CMS also violated multiple federal laws, the Spending Clause, the Anti-Commandeering Doctrine, and the Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.”

Stitt and O’Connor have led a unified chorus of opposition to vax mandates from statewide elected leaders and members of the congressional delegation. https://www.city-sentinel.com/business/oklahoma-attorney-general-john-o-connor-leads-state-counter-punch-to-new-biden-vaccine-mandate/article_195d74dc-3e3e-11ec-b6b0-ab360741c805.html

Legislative leaders added special funding for O’Connor’s office to support state government efforts to oppose federal administrative and legal overreach, including to counter vax mandates. https://www.capitolbeatok.com/reports/senate-president-pro-tempore-greg-treat-opposes-presidents-vaccine-mandate/

In the press release from his staff, sent to CapitolBeatOK.com and other news organizations, Gov. Stitt said, “I stand with Attorney General John O’Connor and the Legislature as we fight back to defend our individual liberties and want Oklahomans to know we will continue standing up to the Biden Administration’s excessive federal overreach.”