Newly appointed Sen. Alan Armstrong is finding that closing a deal on permitting reform is no easy task.
Oklahoma Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt tapped Armstrong in March to replace Markwayne Mullin — now Homeland Security secretary — until the state elects a new senator in November.
Stitt said he picked Armstrong because the former head of Williams Cos., a natural gas giant, could use his experience navigating the nation’s cumbersome permitting laws to lock in an elusive deal to ease the rules.
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But in interviews this week, Armstrong and Stitt expressed frustration around political factors that are making it harder for Republican and Democratic negotiators to reach an accord.
