Oklahoma City , Oklahoma ( CNN ) -- Oklahoma state Rep. Charles Key never bought the official version of what happened 15 years ago Monday at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building . Even though authorities prosecuted a small group of extremists , whose homemade bomb killed 168 people , Key claimed that there was a government conspiracy to hide the truth . He said at a 1998 news conference , `` It 's obvious that there 's more to this case than what some in the government want you to know . '' Today , his distrust of the federal government is as deep as ever . Key stands for many of the issues that attract Tea Party protesters to a rally on the Capitol steps : less government , lower taxes and more liberty . `` I was talking about these issues before the Tea Party movement came into existence , '' he said . Using the rhetoric of colonial revolutionaries defying the British monarch , Key says today 's federal government is `` dictatorial , '' on its way to becoming `` more of a tyranny . '' Key 's outspoken views once cost him his job . A retired IRS agent , John Nance , had worked in the Murrah building , knew many of the victims and was outraged over Key 's claim that federal agents knew of the bomb plot and did not stop it . `` I could n't believe that at all , '' Nance said . `` Having served with these people , I know there 's no way somebody would have covered it up . '' Nance beat Key in the 1998 GOP primary and went on to serve four consecutive terms in the state legislature before stepping down . By then , the raw memories of domestic terrorism on April 19 , 1995 , had been eclipsed by foreign terrorists on September 11 , 2001 . The time was right for Key to make a comeback . `` When I ran in 2006 , the Oklahoma City bombing was not on the radar screen , '' he said . `` I have moved past it . '' Key 's former political nemesis also supports many of today 's Tea Party positions . `` I believe the American people are fed up with the system and the robbery of our personal rights and privileges , '' Nance said . But he worries that a legitimate political debate will have an unintended consequence . `` My concerns are that there are going to be some radicals who are going to think it 's OK to do things that are illegal , like killing people , '' Nance said , `` because they think it 's going to be approved by the Tea Party movement or other people who are upset with the government . '' It 's just the opposite , Key said . `` If [ the Tea Party movement ] does anything , it 's an avenue that people need to have so they can express themselves to the government '' without violence . Key warns that if there 's another domestic terrorist attack like the one on the Murrah Federal Building , it will be the fault of the federal government . `` History tells us that it 's government becoming too heavy-handed , going out of its proper role , is what fuels extremism , '' Key said . `` People get their buttons pushed , to put it one way . They get their buttons pushed , and some people will take violent actions . '' Key 's current agenda is inspired by the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution , which limits federal authority over the 50 states and over individual citizens . He legislative proposals include House Bill 2817 , which would fund roads and bridges , not by taxing Oklahomans or selling bonds but by having state-chartered banks create their own money . Another proposal , HB 2810 , the State Sovereignty Act , would have Oklahoma withhold federal excise taxes from Washington if the state legislature determines that the U.S. government has violated the Constitution . `` I understand that this legislation is different than your typical legislation , '' Key said . An editorial in The Oklahoman called the bills `` a waste of time '' and sympathized with residents of House District 90 `` if they 're having second thoughts '' about re-electing Key . Is Key once again out of step with his constituents ? He says no . `` I was elected to look out for their rights . That includes life , liberty and property . '' But time is running out for Key . Assuming he is re-elected in 2010 , he will become the victim of a populist anti-government movement from the 1990s : term limits . Under Oklahoma law , legislators are limited to 12 years . Even those who rail against the government .
Many of issues that are important to the future of our country and its people will be decided by a small group of people. Key has mistrusted government since 1995 attack on Murrah Federal Building . Key : Today 's federal government is `` dictatorial , '' on way to becoming `` tyranny ''