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OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Gov. Kevin Stitt praised Oklahoma’s Attorney General for filing a lawsuit against President Joe Biden’s administration over the President’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate on tens of millions of workers.

Attorney General John O’Connor filed the lawsuit Thursday on behalf of the State of Oklahoma.

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Gov. Kevin Stitt

Stitt, who returned to Oklahoma on Thursday following an official trip to Mexico, issued the following statement on Friday, lauding O’Connor and blasting the Biden Administration:

“I promised Oklahomans that we would sue the Biden administration for its unlawful vaccine mandates as soon as the rules were made public and that is exactly what we’ve done.

I am proud to have Attorney General John O’Connor and the Legislature on our side fighting back against the constant federal overreach coming from the Biden White House.

We’ve asked the courts to immediately intervene and stop President Biden from demanding that American citizens comply with the federal government’s order to get a vaccine to keep their jobs.

Forcing people out of work while businesses across the country are already struggling to find enough employees and our supply chain is experiencing historic disruptions proves that President Biden is totally out of touch with reality.

I will keep fighting to protect Oklahomans’ individual freedoms, and this mandate will not stand.”

O’Connor took aim at Biden and his vaccine mandates with remarks of his own on Thursday.

“Biden’s vaccine mandates are a clear abuse of power. He does not have the authority to make healthcare decisions for Oklahomans,” Attorney General John O’Connor said. “It is sinister that Biden is threatening Oklahomans with the loss of their jobs if they do not surrender their personal rights and freedoms to the federal government. The President is using private employers to do his dirty work.”

The White House said Thursday that tens of millions of Americans who work at companies with 100 or more employees will need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 4 or get tested for the virus weekly.

Companies that fail to comply could face penalties of nearly $14,000 per violation, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

President Biden first announced the new requirements in September. The mandate applies to about 84 million workers at medium and large businesses, but it is unclear how many of those employees are unvaccinated.

President Joe Biden speaks about his domestic agenda from the East Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Stiffer requirements were announced for 17 million people who work in nursing homes, hospitals and other facilities that receive money from Medicare and Medicaid. Those workers will not have a testing option; they will be obligated to get vaccinated.

However, they can ask for exemptions on medical or religious grounds, according to OSHA.

Attorney General O’Connor and 20 other Attorneys General sent President Biden a letter last week, challenging the mandatory vaccination requirement for federal contractors.

“How can they pay their mortgages and car payments? Then, months from now Biden and the democratic Congress will dole out trillions of dollars to support the people Biden drove out of the workforce,” General O’Connor said. “Who is going to pay for this?”

O’Connor’s office brought in outside counsel to help with the lawsuit.

“We appreciate the support from our State’s Senate and the House,” O’Connor said. “With their support, we can stand up for the rights of Oklahomans and defend the rule of law against federal overreach.”

View a copy of the federal contract lawsuit filing here.

O’Connor says a different lawsuit is being prepared to challenge the OSHA rules released on Thursday.