http://www.okgazette.com/p/12776/a/1068/Default.aspx?ReturnUrl=LwBEAGUAZgBhAHUAbAB0AC4AYQBzAHAAeAAslashAHAAPQAxADIANwAyADkA


Documents reveal state GOP work billed to county party
Monday, September 24, 2007
By Scott Cooper


The Oklahoma County Republican Party, under investigation for questionable 2004 campaign contributions, was billed thousands of dollars for candidates in districts well outside of Oklahoma County during that election cycle.

In documents obtained by Oklahoma Gazette, various political and survey consulting firms conducted work for nine Republican state House candidates in the fall of 2004, none of whom ran for office inside Oklahoma County.

PAYMENTS
One firm sent a bill for $15,050 to the county party for survey work on six incumbent representatives. Another firm conducted six polls for various district races at a cost of $3,000.

The surveys were for races in the counties of:
• Cleveland,
• Texas,
• Pottawatomie,
• Rogers,
• Tulsa,
• Muskogee,
• Mayes,
• Wagoner and
• Murray.

Another invoice sent to the county party in 2004 totaling $1,705 went for “background research” and searches with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, records show.
On one invoice, a memo is written on the cover of a fax to forward the attached invoices to the Oklahoma County Republican Party for payment. The fax was sent to the county party.

NO COMMENT
Pam Pollard, executive director of the county party, said she could not comment about the documents, which deal with the timeframe under investigation.

State Republican financing is being investigated by the Oklahoma Ethics Commission for contributions made out to the state Republican Party, but ending up in the county party coffers. Some of the donors, who were elected Republican House members, have publicly said they did not direct their contribution to the county party.

Look for more coverage in the Oct. 3 Oklahoma Gazette. —Scott Cooper




2 Comment(s):

Tip of the Iceberg?
Are we sure this money came from campaign funds or did it possibly come originate in the PAC funds that Todd Heitt and other leading republicans filled with "contributions" from lobbyists during the legislative sessions? I know for a fact that at least one Republican lobbyist made a phone call to a retired legislator complaining about the "new cost of doing business" during Scott Heitt's first term as Speaker.
9/25/2007 10:57 AM | Okiecrat

Um....
So, what was wrong with the Oklahoma County Republicans helping out the other counties?
9/25/2007 10:57 AM | stinkerpants