America First Oklahoma Senators Introduce “MAGA” Specialty License Plates Bill
Jose Nino
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Two Oklahoma Republican State Senators put forward a bill that would create specialty license plates that show off the president’s campaign slogans. Some analysts believe this license plate could be a violation of federal campaign finance law.
Senators Nathan Dahm and Marty Quinn wrote the legislation, which would create Oklahoma state license plates that read “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) and “Keep America Great” available for people to buy.
As of now, 98 styles are available for purchase for registered vehicles in Oklahoma. More than half of the proceeds go to nonpolitical causes and charities.
The proceeds from the “MAGA” and “Keep America Great” license plates won’t go directly to president Trump’s reelection campaign. However, they will be split among two veteran groups: The Warriors for Freedom Foundation and the Folds of Honor Foundation. Trump will still have a say in the license plate designs.
“The license plates shall be designed in consultation with the corporation or entity designated by Donald J. Trump for such purposes,” the bill details.
According to the Washington Post, the two senators have yet to submit the bill to the Federal Elections Commission for an advisory opinion. After all, this bill may be employing state resources to disseminate campaign materials for the president.
Although the money collected from the sale of the plates would not be diverted towards President Trump’s reelection campaign, some contend that it still breaks federal campaign finance laws if the state uses taxpayer dollars to make them. If such a bill were to pass, it would raise numerous free speech issues.
“These are political slogans,” stated Richard Briffault, a professor at Columbia Law School. “This has the look and feel of using state resources to support a political candidate, which seems improper . . . and possibly illegal.”
This bill is a piece of pro-Trump legislation state lawmakers will discuss when the statehouse gets together in February. Back in November, the same two senators introduced a bill that would rename a section of Route 66 the “President Donald Trump Highway.”
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