Bennett has been a controversial member of the Oklahoma Republican Party. He has been criticized for anti-Muslim comments,[1][2][3] and for associating with anti-Muslim groups such as the Center for Security Policy and ACT for America.[4][5]
Later that year, Bennett was the author of successful legislation to require school districts to require schools to provide the same access to school facilities for religious groups as it does for other groups and allow the students to organize prayer groups.[11]
55th Oklahoma Legislature
In 2016, Bennett campaigned on introducing legislation to ban the CAIR from Oklahoma calling them a "terrorist organization."[3][9] He later hosted an interim legislative study to examine the threat of "radical Islam" posed to the state.[3]
Later that year in November, Bennett posted on his Facebook page a photograph of Hillary Clinton with a caption suggesting that she should be executed by firing squad. After the post caused controversy, Bennett said that it was "barracks talk" and that he was not advocating for Clinton's execution but said that he viewed Clinton as a traitor who should be imprisoned.[9] Later, Bennett continued to claim that Clinton was guilty of "treason" but called the remarks "sarcasm" and said he would never wish death toward any candidate.[12]
56th Oklahoma Legislature
In March 2017, during CAIR's third annual Oklahoma "Muslim Day" at the Oklahoma State Capitol in Oklahoma City, Bennett gave a questionnaire to three Muslim students who came to meet him. The questionnaire said: "The Koran, the sunna of Mohammed and Sharia Law of all schools say that the husband can beat his wife. Do you beat your wife?"[9][13][14] According to CAIR, this questionnaire "intentionally misinterpreted ideas [from the Koran] to try to slander Muslims." The survey was written by ACT for America.[15]
Later that year, during debate on a proposal to increase taxes on oil and gas producers to fund services, Bennett said, regarding state agencies' reports that budget cuts would lead to service cuts: "That's terrorism. We should not be negotiating with terrorists, period. These agencies are using our citizens as pawns." Bennett also asserted that state agencies would later "threaten to extort money from us again." The "terrorist" agency that he was referring to provides long-term care to individuals with intellectual disabilities, services to elderly Americans, as well as those who are living in poverty.[16] Then-Governor Mary Fallin called the statement "unacceptable"[9] and it was condemned by the Oklahoma Public Employees Association.[16]
After leaving office in 2019, Bennett joined former FBI agent John Guandolo's organization Understanding the Threat as its Vice President,[5] a part of the counter-jihad movement.[17]
Chairman of Oklahoma Republican Party
On April 10, 2021, John Bennett was elected chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party.[6][18] Bennett's election was considered controversial due to the Islamophobic remarks and coverage he had made during his tenure in the legislature.[2][3][9] CAIR-Oklahoma executive director Adam Soltani said that Bennett told him all mosques in Oklahoma are "jihadi training grounds" and that Bennett personally accused him of being "one of the biggest terrorists in Oklahoma."[9] Imad Enchassi, senior imam of the Islamic Society of Greater Oklahoma City, was told by Bennett that he would "demolish my mosque and every mosque in town" and that he "was the biggest threat for the state of Oklahoma.[3]
