Senate to Receive Articles of Impeachment on Tuesday

Following Thursday’s vote in the House to approve all five articles of impeachment, the chairman designate of the Senate Judiciary committee announced the full Senate would convene Tuesday to begin the next phase in the impeachment of State Insurance Commissioner Carroll Fisher.

“The Oklahoma Constitution requires the articles of impeachment to be delivered to the Senate within five days of the House vote. In accordance with that provision, the State Senate will convene at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 14, to receive those articles. We will also organize as a court on that same date,” said Sen. Charlie Laster, D-Shawnee.

Laster explained that process would include the adoption of rules; the installation of Chief Justice Joseph M. Watt as presiding officer; the swearing in of officers of the court; and the swearing in of Senators as jurors for the trial.

At that time, it is likely that a trial date will be set in order to give the House Board of Managers and the defendant the appropriate amount of time to prepare their cases.

from the State Senate proceedings can be heard live on the Internet by going to www.oksenate.gov and selecting the live audio link on the homepage.