By Journalist Trevor Friesen (OSU).
The location of the gavel’s “hiding” moments before it was found.
Tensions boil as the O.I.L. Senate’s gavel mysteriously disappears.
Saturday, April 1st, a well-run Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature was abruptly put to a halt due to the gavel in the senate turning up lost upon the return from lunch.
Instantly the chambers took to immense chaos. Threats and violence took the floors and halls, accusations were made, and friendships were shattered. Unable to determine the gavel’s location, both chambers delayed return to order thus preventing the prommelgation of new bills, and an all-but civil war began.
President pro tempore, Evan Shaw, immediately took to accusation without cause to the House of Representatives. Boasts of utilizing someone from the “National Guard on [their] committee” and threatening to “tackle them and take them to justice”.
Fear took to the air. Those accused such as Representative Wyatt Moore (OSU) simply had no role in the mysterious disappearance of the precious gavel. With established alibis and equal confusion, the many unfairly accused such as Moore felt an immense feeling of distress and disgust for respective accusers.
Search committees were formed, and members of the senate took to uncovering all areas of the Oklahoma State Capitol. Invasions of the chamber left feelings of confusion and stress, especially that of the House of Representatives. Representative Leandra Lepp (OBU)
Senator Reece Sconyers (OSU), a proud theft who boasted his “stealing of the gavel last year”, immediately jumped to an accusatory stance against the House of Representatives. Equating the misplaced gavel as an “average representative’s” essential copying that of his horrid previous acts.
I, myself, a member of the Press who has objectively caused zero instances of disruption nor intentions of gavelry-theft, was forcibly thrown out of the senate during this time of crises by Shaw’s allowance and that of multiple hostile senators.
Through disruptions and overall decorum disrespect, the gavel was eventually recovered in the House of Representatives’ chamber. While accusations and bold claims continue to lay awry, no evidence of potential culprits have been discovered to date.
Those hunting down the alleged criminals remain vigilant, but with clear tracks and evidence slipping further away in due time, chances shine dimmer as session continues on from the day’s tragedy.