Table of Contents
A routine city council meeting in Wagoner, Oklahoma turned into a constitutional crisis when Mayor Dalton Self allegedly destroyed government records and denied public speaking opportunities during a contentious vote about privatizing public baseball fields. The entire confrontation was captured on the city's own livestream, creating a permanent record of what critics are calling a blatant violation of open government laws.
The Trash Can That Started It All
Journalist Adam McAdoo attempted to sign up for public comment on agenda item nine, which proposed leasing the city's baseball and softball fields to a private youth football association. McAdoo filled out the city-provided form and submitted it to Mayor Self, requesting speaking time for both himself and another reporter who was running late to the meeting.
According to multiple witnesses, Self immediately threw the completed form in the trash and told McAdoo he couldn't fill out a request for the second journalist. The moment McAdoo handed the form to a city official, it became a government record under Oklahoma law. Destroying it constituted a felony.
Police Report Filed During the Meeting
When the second journalist arrived and learned what had happened, he immediately approached Wagoner police officers who were present for security. The surreal scene unfolded with a police report being filed in real time while the city council continued conducting business just feet away.
"The minute you handed it in, it became a government record," the journalist explained to Officer Merida, who took the complaint. "Him throwing that in the trash is a felony." The officer agreed to take a formal statement and preserve the city's own video footage as evidence.
The Contract That Nobody Could Defend
The meeting's main agenda item proved equally controversial. The proposed agreement would give the Wagoner Youth Football Association control over public baseball fields, but the contract contained glaring legal deficiencies. There was no requirement for the organization to indemnify the city, no deposit provisions, and vague enforcement mechanisms that could violate First Amendment rights.
Even city council members expressed reservations. One councilman worried about liability issues since the youth organization didn't have required 501c3 nonprofit status. Another questioned whether they could legally remove people from public property.
Constitutional Rights Denied on Camera
When the journalists attempted to speak during the public comment period, Mayor Self refused to recognize them. "Are you refusing to let me speak during public comments?" one asked directly. "If you say yes, I'll sit down and shut up. I got my lawsuit if you say that."
Self's response was telling: he claimed the journalist wasn't a citizen of Wagoner and therefore couldn't speak. This reasoning has no basis in First Amendment law, which protects speech rights regardless of residency status.
The Vote That Violated Open Meeting Laws
Despite the chaos and legal concerns, the council voted 7-0 to approve the contract through July 1st. However, the vote itself may have violated Oklahoma's Open Meeting Act. The agenda item only stated "consider entering into a use agreement" but didn't specify that a vote would be taken, potentially invalidating the entire decision.
The livestream captures multiple violations unfolding in real time, but viewers will need to watch the full footage to see how this unprecedented meeting finally concluded.
Watch the complete video to witness democracy under attack in small-town Oklahoma, where basic constitutional rights were trampled on camera.
