The Oklahoman reports, two weeks before unveiling its $5 billion ACCESS Oklahoma initiative, the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA) purchased 23 website domain names that suggest opposition to the expansion plan. Several of the names specifically refer to Norman-area projects that spawned litigation after the initiative’s announcement. The purchases were revealed in emails obtained through an open records request by the attorney representing plaintiffs in one of the pending lawsuits. He called OTA’s reservation of the names “a creepy attempt to snuff out any opposition.” A OTA spokeswoman who denied any intent to silence critics, said the purchases were “common practice” aimed at blocking phishing attempts and preventing web user errors.
StateImpact Oklahoma also covers this story.