OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) 鈥� Oklahoma's top education official is seeking to purchase 55,000 Bibles for public schools and specifying that each copy contain the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution, which are not commonly found in Bibles but are included in .
The request is part of Republican State Superintendent Ryan Walters' ongoing efforts , which has been by some of Oklahoma's largest school districts.
Walters is seeking to spend $3 million in state funds for Bibles that fit a certain criteria, including that the pages are supplemented with U.S. historical materials. The Bibles must also be 鈥渂ound in leather or leather-like material for durability,鈥� according to state bidding documents posted this week.
The nonprofit news outlet Oklahoma Watch Thursday that the requirements match the 鈥淕od Bless the USA Bible" that Trump urged his supporters to begin buying earlier this year at a website that sells the book for $59.99.
Asked Friday if the state's bid was tailored for the Bible backed by Trump, a spokesman for Walters said the proposal was open to any vendor.
鈥淭here are hundreds of Bible publishers and we expect a robust competition for this proposal,鈥� said Dan Isett, a spokesman for the Oklahoma State Department of Education.
Former Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson, a Democrat, said the bid 鈥渄oes not pass the smell test鈥� and said a court could void it if the process was found to limit competition.
鈥淎ll fingers point to the Trump Bible that does contain all these requirements," Edmondson said.
Walters in June ordered public schools to incorporate the Bible into lessons for grades 5 through 12. The bidding documents also specify that the Bibles include both the Old Testament and New Testament, the Pledge of Allegiance and the Bill of Rights.
鈥淲e can see there are very few Bibles on the market that would meet these criteria, and all of them have been endorsed by former President Donald Trump,鈥� said Colleen McCarty, executive director of Oklahoma Appleseed Center for Law and Justice.
The name of the Bible backed by Trump is inspired by country singer Lee Greenwood鈥檚 patriotic ballad. Trump takes the stage to the song at each of his rallies and has appeared with Greenwood at events.
The Bible鈥檚 website states the product 鈥渋s not political and has nothing to do with any political campaign.鈥� It says the site 鈥渦ses Donald J. Trump鈥檚 name, likeness and image under paid license from CIC Ventures LLC.鈥�
Trump reported earning $300,000 off sales of the Bible, . His campaign did not immediately return an email seeking comment Friday evening.
Walters, himself a former public school teacher who was elected to his post in 2022, ran on banning books from school libraries and getting rid of 鈥渞adical leftists鈥� who he claims are indoctrinating children in classrooms.
Ken Miller, The Associated Press
