By Emma Murphy, Oklahoma Voice
OKLAHOMA CITY — A Democratic House lawmaker has taken on a job as a regional government affairs manager for a nonprofit organization focused on the separation of church and state.
In addition to serving as a state representative, Mickey Dollens, D-Oklahoma City, announced Wednesday that he will also work for the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Dollens said in an interview with Oklahoma Voice that the new position will not interfere with his role as a legislator and that he has no plans to step down as a lawmaker.
He said he does not view holding the two roles as an ethical concern and it won’t impact his ability to vote on proposed legislation involving religion, including ones seeking to restore the Ten Commandments monument to state Capitol grounds and requiring that they be posted in public school classrooms.
He said he will still vote in the best interest of his constituents.
“How I vote is completely up to me and reflective of my constituency and is in no way tied to the constitutional principle of separation of church and state,” Dollens said. “… The Freedom From Religion Foundation is simply upholding Constitutional rights and ensuring that lawmakers are following the First Amendment.”
His role will include “identifying and advancing key legislative priorities, building coalitions in strategic states and developing initiatives to counter Christian nationalism,” according to a news release.
Dollens said he’ll receive compensation for his new position, but it is not funded by any state or federal funds. He said he is “in no way a lobbyist.”
“It’s just a continuation of the work that we’re doing pretty much in Oklahoma,” he said. “But now I get to help lawmakers in other states as well.”
The new position with the foundation is “very accommodating” and will respect his time at the Capitol, Dollens said.
“Over the past eight years, I’ve gotten really good at time management and balancing a full-time job outside of the Capitol,” he said.
Dollens’ position will cover a to-be-determined region of the U.S., but he said the job is remote and will not require out-of-state travel.
House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City, did not return a request for comment by the time of publication.
The foundation is a national nonprofit with the purpose of “protecting the constitutional principle of separation between state and church.”
The foundation has been involved in lawsuits attempting to stop state Superintendent Ryan Walters’ Bible mandate and to block the creation of Oklahoma’s first publicly funded religious charter school, St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Charter School.
“Rep. Dollens’ unwavering commitment to secular values and his courageous work in Oklahoma make him an exceptional addition to our team,” said Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the foundation. “We are excited to welcome him and are confident that his leadership and experience will significantly strengthen our state-level advocacy during this critical time.
