Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Free meals top lobbyist gifts to Oklahoma lawmakers

Free meals top lobbyist gifts to
Oklahoma lawmakers


OKLAHOMA CITY -- Free meals made up the biggest share of gifts from lobbyists to lawmakers, according to reports filed with the Oklahoma Ethics Commission for the last six months of 2007.

They ranged in price from $6 breakfasts to $210 dinners. Other gifts included tickets to college and professional football games and to the PGA Championship last summer in Tulsa.

Lobbyist Bill Case, a former legislator, spent $142.77 on transportation and snacks on each of seven Republican House lawmakers to take them to a fundraiser for GOP presidential contender Mike Huckabee in December at the Dallas home of businessman Gene Phillips. Phillips allegedly bribed Carroll Fisher when Fisher was Oklahoma’s Insurance Commissioner.

Those going on the Dec. 18 trip are listed as House Speaker Lance Cargill of Harrah and Reps. Gus Blackwell of Goodwell, Mike Jackson of Enid, Charles Key of Oklahoma City, Ron Peterson of Broken Arrow, Colby Schwartz of Yukon and T.W. Shannon of Lawton.

Among other gifts:

-- Several legislators received centennial polo shirts valued at $26 each from a lobbyist representing the Oklahoma State Home Builders Association.















Sen. Brian Crain of Tulsa received
a ticket valued at $130 to watch the
Dallas Cowboys play the Washington
Redskins on Nov. 18 in Dallas. He
also received $67 in food and
beverages. Electronic Data Systems
Corp. paid for everything.


-- Sens. Brian Crain of Tulsa, Mike Mazzei of Tulsa and Todd Lamb of Edmond, all Republicans, each received a ticket valued at $130 to watch the Dallas Cowboys play the Washington Redskins on Nov. 18 in Dallas. Each also received $67 in food and beverages; Electronic Data Systems Corp. paid for the tickets and food.

-- The University of Oklahoma gave season tickets valued at $300 each to Sooner football games to 93 of the state’s 149 legislators. Attorney General Drew Edmondson also received a season ticket, records show.

-- Oklahoma State University gave season tickets valued at $288 each to 84 legislators, reports show.

Lobbyists had a 4 p.m. Tuesday deadline for filing reports for gifts to Oklahoma’s elected officials.

About 265 of the state’s 389 registered lobbyists had filed reports with the Ethics Commission by the deadline.

Lobbyists have to disclose gifts after spending more than $50 on a state official or aide during each six-month period. The limit a lobbyist can spend on an elected official is $300 per year.

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