DESPERATE "SAPS" People

VOTE NO on THIS MAPS

Hat Tip to Mark Shannon

Who Makes Money Off MAPS?

So, who benefits from MAPS 3?

Let's look...
Congressman Tom Cole - His company Cole Hargraves Snodgrass is being paid to do polling for MAPS. Cole didn't reveal that when he endorsed MAPS. He also receives campaign funds from many of the principles involved in shoving MAPS 3 down the throat of voters. It's Tom Cole's company that is behind the annoying "robocalls" and the caller "Laurie" is an employee of his company, though you're supposed to be so stupid that you think it's some "regular" housewife. I'm not even sure LAURIE lives in Oklahoma City. FAKE.

Former Mayor Kirk Humphrey on the Oklahoma River that is/has been improved by MAPS 3. He bought it three years ago, but it remains undeveloped. Why do you suppose he's waiting? Hmm.

MAYOR Mick Cornett is directly paid by Ackerman McQueen, who is a MAPS supporter and who has produced commercials and public relations for MAPS 3. Cornett's salary is also being paid by clients of A-M such as THE OKLAHOMAN, OGE, The State Fair Board, The OKC Chamber of Commerce, Baptist Integris, and Chesapeake, among others. All who are pushing MAPS. The Mayor is ON THE TAKE, legally or otherwise, by MAPS 3 supporters.

Some of his clients do business with the city. Anyone see anything UNETHICAL about that? CORNETT'S CONFLICTS

Billionaire Aubrey McClendon/Chesapeake owns property along the OK River, which will directly benefit from MAPS 3.

OG&E reportedly might stand to gain "big time" depending on where the Convention Center is built. It has something to do with the "need" of a new power sub-station, though I'm unclear about the details.

State Fair Board, who receives money from the HOTEL MOTEL TAX, gets even more money. How much profit do they make? How much do they pay their members or employees? How much money does this so-called NON-PROFIT make off the State Fair and the shows there? Where does it go? Two members of Ackerman-McQueen are on their board, as is Clay Bennett and other YESMAPS money backers.

DEVON already received a special TIFF to subsidize the building of their 50 story office building. This TIFF draws off taxes that normally would go to the school district.

THE OKLAHOMAN has benefitted enormously from expensive FULL PAGE ads, already gets heavy money from the STATE FAIR, (to the point most people think the OKLAHOMAN owns the FAIR,) and the Oklahoman publisher is the head of the Chamber, and heading up the MAPS 3 tax increase.

The CITY GOVERNMENT will grow as a result of MAPS. That means more taxes, more salaries, more control. I guess Oklahomans only care about the size of government when it's Obama's government?

And, the only UNION that benefits is not the police or firefighters, but the UNION that represents State, City, and County municipal employees.

And that's just the connections I am aware of, without doing any serious digging. Too bad a certain newspaper, (which is in the MAPS TANKS) doesn't do some real journalism about the "corruption" in this city.

If You Vote - THIS MAPS is Over!

If I had any doubt about the numbers I've been receiving show THIS MAPS failing miserably, I no longer do.

The people of Oklahoma City have sent a loud and clear message to the pollsters, owned and operated by Congressman Tom Cole's CHS company, funded by a group of clients of Mick Cornett's employer, Ackerman-McQueen:

NOT THIS MAPS....NOT NOW....ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!

The evidence that confirms what I'm saying? The MAPS campaign has gone negative! (As predicted in this column earlier this week.)

Their most recent TV commercials now call our Police and Firefighters BULLIES!

These people are desperate.

To refer to these overstretched and understaffed members of public safety as BULLIES is not only complete "B.S." - it's just unbelievable!

AND...its' all a SMOKE SCREEN.

The police and firefighters aren't the issue. The bad timing of many bad projects that will only grow the burden already felt by Oklahoma City taxpayers is the issue.

Swimming pools for seniors that are not needed and who will compete with privately-owned athletic facilities, not to mention the YM and YWCA's.

A whitewater rafting "fantasy" that does will not make break even. (And if it could should be built by private investment, not government.)

A downtown park, which might look good, but which will further burden city government that can barely keep up with what we have already, and that the city cannot provide security for due to the undermanned and overworked OKC Police Dept. (And absolutely no one can fail to see that it will be a gathering place for the homeless and criminal element that already fills that area of the city, and who have already made the nearby Myriad Gardens their home.)

Voting NO will not undue any of the progress this city has made.

It won't stop the building of the DEVON TOWER, it won't send the NBA back to Seattle, it won't hurt Bricktown at all, (in fact many in Bricktown oppose MAPS 3 because it will draw retail away from the still lacking retail business in that part of the city.)

Oklahoma City (the Mayor tells us) is already a BIG LEAGUE CITY, and yet in the middle of the worst recession most of us can remember, at a time when unemployment continues to grow in the city and revenues to the city are down, these disgusting politicians and millionaires want the taxpayers of the city to spend another 777 million dollars for projects the city DOES NOT NEED and in many cases will continue to cost taxpayers long after the 777 million dollars is spent.

Mick Cornett and his clients at A-M and his fellow politicians should be ashamed of themselves, asking taxpayers for more when they don't even know if they'll have a job next week. Not to mention referring to the heroes of April 19, 1995 and the tornados that have torn across this community as "BULLIES."

When your priorities as Mayor appear to be your advertising clients and not the voters who put you where you are, there are consequences.

Especially at election time.

And the first chance to send that message is TUESDAY. VOTE NO.

www.apexchange.com/(X(1)A(LmILmn8GyAEkAAAAZWZiMjA2YmMtMTQzNC00NzcyLThlOWYtMDhjYTM2ZDIyMTBjaCO_VhVxuVhLMr1Vauj0dzwcoLQ1))/pages/oneup_rss.aspx?id=47a839321c0c48e5960a0349f899bb1e%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20&links=USABL&uh=ZlmexWy8QrhLhjGcJKC%2FyGpHx15SqKbrpeGqusGoNm4%3D&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

Young speaker embroiled in ethics controversy again

By RON JENKINS
Release Date: 09/30/2007 04:00 AM

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ For the second time in his first year as speaker, Republican Lance Cargill has become embroiled in a controversy over fundraising.

Earlier this year, Cargill drew criticism for summoning lobbyists to a political consultant's office to personally ask them for donations.

Democrats charged that was symbolic of a "pay-for-play" atmosphere at the Capitol, where special interests who have legislation pending before the Legislature are pressured to make political donations.

Cargill, 36, said there was nothing improper about the solicitations.

The latest fundraising questions stem from activities in 2004 by the House Republican political action committee, which was headed by Cargill.

Those activities are being investigated by the Ethics Commission, according to party leaders.

The exact nature of the investigation is not clear, but it has exposed differences among GOP officials over how campaign funds should be handled.

One question being asked is how checks written to the Oklahoma Republican Party in 2004 wound up in the "Victory Fund" of the Oklahoma County Republican Committee.

As head of the House PAC, Cargill should have the answers, says former Speaker Todd Hiett, R-Kellyville. He and others said checks they wrote were intended for the Oklahoma Republican Party, not the county. Others said they had no problem with the county getting the funds.

For his part, Cargill is not responding to questions about the House PAC's fundraising and spending.

He has issued a statement in which he declared: "We are not aware of any ethics violations that have occurred, but to be absolutely clear: I did not solicit, receive, deposit or expend any Victory Fund checks."

State ethics rules limit contributions to a political party to $5,000, whether the money is received by the state party, the county party or similar entity.

Some of Cargill's supporters say that means checks made out to the state party can be given to the county.

Gary Jones, state Republican chairman, disagrees.

Jones says the state party should have received checks written to it in 2004. He said he did not know why funds were diverted.

"You will have to ask the people who directed that," Jones said. "Every dollar we received here was deposited and reported.

"If we chose to give money to another group or candidate, we wrote a check and reported that as well. I'm a stickler for the rules."

State ethics rules seek to prevent efforts to get around the $5,000 limit on contributions. State campaign laws do the same.

Violation of funding limits can lead to criminal charges. The most notable example was the case against former Gov. David Walters, who was accused of perjury for signing faulty campaign reports.

In the end, he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor, paid a $1,000 fine and got a one-year deferred sentence. The controversy led to him not seeking re-election in 1994.

In a case brought against Oklahoma County Commissioner Brent Rinehart, the county official was charged with perjury, money laundering and conspiracy linked to an alleged scheme to exceed the $5,000 limit.

Those charges revolved around an accusation that Rinehart skirted campaign law by "knowingly accepting a contribution to a political candidate through an intermediary or conduit with unlawful intent."

The criminal charge is similar to a state ethics rule. Ethics rules carry only civil penalties, such as a fine, but a case can be forwarded to prosecutors for consideration of criminal charges.

The downfall of former Insurance Commissioner Carroll Fisher began with an Ethics Commission probe. The panel turned its files over to the state's multicounty grand jury. That led to bribery and other charges being levied against Fisher, who was impeached and sentenced to prison.

Both Jones and Pam Pollard, chairman of the Oklahoma County GOP, said they understood the Ethics Commission had sent letters asking some Oklahoma County Republicans to appear before the panel, but they did not know who got the letters.

Al Mertens of Oklahoma City, an unsuccessful candidate for the state House in 2000, was county GOP chairman in 2004.

He has not returned repeated calls to his home seeking comment.

Neither has Aaron Curry, a House Republican PAC official four years ago.

Ryan Wilson, Oklahoma City lawyer, performed legal services for the House PAC in 2004. He said he worked with Mertens and Curry. He said he was recommended for the work by Cargill.

Wilson said he sent bills to Cargill's law office in Harrah because he was acquainted with the House member.

"I was simply forwarding the bills (to Cargill's office) so that he could forward them on to the organization," the attorney said.

So far, no one has publicly alleged wrongdoing by Cargill or anyone else and the ethics investigation appears to be in its early stages.

Outcomes of Ethics Commission probes are not always made public. Ethics rules provide for a "private reprimand" in some cases.

http://stevefair.blogspot.com/2007/10/are-political-consultants-hurting-or.html


Tuesday, October 2, 2007

Are Political Consultants Hurting
or Helping Democracy?
Who They Are, How They Evaluate the
Process of Electing Candidates &
What They Reveal about Their Ethical Practices

In June of 1999, American University commissioned a study on the effect of paid political consultants on the Democratic process. The 28 page report is available at the link below. Some of their findings include-
Consultants see themselves as replacing political parties in providing strategic advice, advertising, polling, direct mail, opposition research, fundraising, and get out the vote operations.
Seventy-three percent of the consultants think unethical practices sometimes occur in their business.
While ideology is still what motivates consultants most often today, the number who say the money involved is their main motivation has more than doubled (11% to 24%).
I believe in the free market. I have sold everything from cat litter to apple butter, so I understand the free market. I would never attempt to prevent anyone from selling anything that is legal to a potential buyer, however political consultants tend to push talented volunteers out of the decision making process in campaigns. That happens for one reason- MONEY. If a campaign volunteer can provide FREE or VALUE PRICED material, labor or expertise, the consultant doesn't get their cut. The reason parties have become irrelevant in recent years is not because the level of talent at the volunteer level has deteriorated, but because consultants can't compete with free or cheap labor, so they attack it. They convince the naive candidate that without their "expert" help, they don't have a chance to win. Truth is- candidates win races, not consultants. A good solid candidate is the primary component to winning- one that will work, raise money, and engage voters. The consultant may help with material and "strategy", but the bulk of what they sell the candidate is MATERIAL, not strategy. The more material they can get a candidate to buy, the more they make. I understand that concept. I eat what I kill- I'm on commission.

Political consultants have become so prevalent in campaigns that now school board, county and municipal candidates use them. A principled consultant can provide expert knowledge of the campaign game, but an unprincipled one can spoil the whole barrel. It's critical principled consultants root out, expose and police their ranks, otherwise the vocation of political consultant will have the same respect level as a used car salesman or trial lawyer. I apologize for the rant, but when a candidate has 8 mail pieces in the last week of a race JUST TO SPEND THE MONEY SO THE CONSULTANT CAN GET HIS CUT, it hacks me off! Check out the link- the article is well worth reading.

http://spa.american.edu/ccps/getpdf.php?table=publications&ID=7
Posted by Steve Fair

http://newsok.com/article/3136503/1191110866


Sun September 30, 2007

Cleaning up: Another crack at campaign reform

The Oklahoman Editorial

Republican state Rep. David Dank has chosen to take the lead on the issue of ethics reform, particularly as it pertains to campaign financing. It's a laudable goal, although generally the more rules that are enacted, the messier and more complicated it gets for everyone involved.

We've seen this on the national stage, where post-Watergate campaign finance reform muddied already murky waters and helped lead to the McCain-Feingold reform of recent years, which in turn has created yet another level of confusion and any number of ingenious efforts to bend or skirt the rules.

Dank, R-Oklahoma City, aims to build on modest ethics reform passed during the 2007 session. He has some sound ideas in his proposed legislation, among them a ban on accepting campaign contributions during the session (and during the 15 days before and after the session) and ending the practice of transferring money from one political fundraising committee to another.

The former would apply not just to incumbents but to candidates, which legislators may find more palatable than previous efforts aimed solely at incumbents. Those, they argued, would have put incumbents at a disadvantage, which is ridiculous. The power of the incumbency is immeasurable, for one thing. For another, candidates aren't in a position to vote on legislation — incumbents are, and we're for ways to eliminate the "pay for play” mind-set that's been all too prevalent through the years.

The Oklahoma Clean Campaign Act of 2008 also would:

•Tighten the definition of a "person” making a campaign contribution, to eliminate loopholes used by some companies and other organizations.

•Require detailed listing of all campaign expenditures on regular reports filed with the state Ethics Commission.

•Prohibit the use of campaign funds raised to run for one office in seeking another office.

•Prohibit the use of surplus campaign funds for personal purposes or donation to another candidate.

We're less enthusiastic about Dank's proposal to place a $40,000 limit on contributions by any person, lobbyist or family. That's sure to sit well with the public, but why that amount? Why not $20,000, or $50,000? This and his call to limit campaign contributions to campaign expenses, as opposed to such items as computers, travel expenses and food and lodging, seem an administrative nightmare waiting to happen.

That nightmare would likely fall to the Ethics Commission, which already is overworked and undermanned as it tries to keep pace with the myriad rules regarding public officials. Until something is done by the Legislature to fix that problem, and the commission is given the teeth to dissuade bad behavior, then Dank's wish to give Oklahomans "a clean campaign finance system” is likely to remain just that.

http://newsok.com/article/3134081/1190770299

Wed September 26, 2007

Check that: Probe of campaign funds troubling

The Oklahoman Editorial

House Speaker Lance Cargill, who has spent the year soliciting the 100 best ideas for Oklahoma, may wish to add one to his list: Produce an explanation for Republican campaign accounts that appear out of whack, and pronto.

Cargill, R-Harrah, is a party in an investigation by the state Ethics Commission into several 2004 campaign checks that were written to the state Republican Party but instead wound up in the account of the Oklahoma County Republican Committee.

Among those surprised by this turn of events was Cargill's predecessor, former Speaker Todd Hiett, who says he thought his own $5,000 contribution was going to the state. "I delegated campaign finance to Lance Cargill as the (political action committee) chairman,” Hiett told The Oklahoman' s Jennifer Mock. At the time, Cargill was honorary chairman of the House fundraising committee.

Mock reported that a dozen checks from the 2004 election cycle, totaling more than $30,000, are the focus of the investigation. Many who wrote the checks said their contributions went to the county party without them knowing it. Others said that in writing a check to the state GOP, they didn't earmark or even care where the money went, provided it helped Republican candidates.

Five House Republicans produced a statement — issued through Cargill's office — defending their boss. They said Cargill in 2004 didn't ask for the funds and that none of them told the GOP how their donations were to be spent. Cargill says he's glad to cooperate with the Ethics Commission, has denied any wrongdoing and adds that the probe stems from gripes by "political opponents.”

That may be, but having money that's intended for one campaign account turn up in another at the very least emits an unpleasant odor. And to be sure, these sorts of things rarely go over well in the court of public opinion.

http://newsok.com/article/3136646/1191113300

Sun September 30, 2007

Staff shortage may delay ethics investigations

By Michael McNutt
Capitol Bureau

Lack of adequate staffing at the Oklahoma Ethics Commission makes it a certainty that an investigation into Republican House fundraising tactics in 2004 will take weeks to complete.

The commission only has one attorney to interpret commission rules and state law and only one investigator to look into complaints.

Both have to work additional hours to look into ethics complaints, said Marilyn Hughes, the commission's executive director.

The commission has seven employees; a new position has not been added since 1991.

The agency takes care of candidate campaign reports, lobbyist reports, financial disclosure statements, political action committee reports and registrations.

Hughes, the commission's executive director the past 20 years, said requests for additional funding typically are turned down by legislators — the same people the commission scrutinizes.


Staff funding sought
Despite record state budgets each of the past three years, no additional money for staffing has been approved.
"We've been asking for increased staff for the last 15 years,” Hughes said.

The commission will ask legislators next year to add three staff members, including another lawyer and investigator.

Rep. David Dank, who last week said he will file an ethics bill next legislative session to tighten campaign financing, said the agency needs more money and more teeth.

"They need to be funded properly, and the ethics laws need to be strengthened,” said Dank, R-Oklahoma City. "They need to have more investigators on their staff. Right now all they can do is shuffle (campaign reporting) papers, keep up with the paperwork. They don't even have time to investigate anything.”


Permanent funding
It may be time to consider finding a permanent funding source for the agency and to take it out of the legislative process, Dank said.
He started working on his ethics ideas in late May, shortly after this year's session adjourned.

"It's ridiculous what we've done with the Ethics Commission,” he said. "I just think it's important that we have an Ethics Commission that's functional.”

Rules prohibit any Ethics Commission member or employee from talking about investigations, who files complaints or whether complaints have been filed.

Secrecy surrounding investigations is important, Hughes said.

Numerous complaints have been filed in the past two decades that had no foundation.

"We're dealing with politics, and in politics you can ruin someone with unfounded allegations,” she said. "You don't have any confidentiality — then the commission can be used as a political tool.”

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=070930_1_A21_hTheO11725


GOP funds under question

By MICK HINTON World Capitol Bureau
9/30/2007

The Oklahoma County Republican Party received money meant for the state party.


OKLAHOMA CITY — Key Republicans intent on taking over the state House of Representatives in 2004 found a way to capture tens of thousands of dollars not intended for their use, according to documents obtained by the Tulsa World.

The bulk of the money came from legislators who thought it was going to the state Republican Party. Unbeknownst to some of these lawmakers, the money was diverted to the Oklahoma County Republican Party’s coffers, where the House PAC gained access to spend it for key races across the state.

Legislators are prohibited by state law from making contributions directly to the House Republican’s political action committee.

Whether the PAC’s actions under the leadership of chairman Lance Cargill were illegal apparently is being sorted out by the Oklahoma Ethics Commission.

Cargill, who is now speaker of the House, remains silent on questions about what kind of arrangements the PAC had with Oklahoma County Republicans, sticking to a statement he made on Sept. 20.

Asked to comment on questions about the diverted money, Cargill issued a statement saying, “I did not solicit, receive, deposit or expend any Victory Fund checks.”

Although the Victory Fund is not an actual entity, it is the term used by Republicans to refer to any party money raised for campaigns.

Checks to state party: Documents show that former House Speaker Todd Hiett and eight other lawmakers wrote checks to the state party, but the money ended up with the Oklahoma County Republican Party.

In all, House members put up a total of $48,000 that ended up at the disposal of the Oklahoma County party.

Hiett has said that Cargill, chairman of of the House PAC in 2004, should be able to explain how the state party’s money ended up with the county party.

Republicans took notice when GOP stalwart Ray Vaughn, a former state representative who is now an Oklahoma County commissioner, declared he was not pleased that his check was diverted. Vaughn said he remembers sending the check to the State Party Headquarters at 4031 North Lincoln Blvd. The Oklahoma County Republican Party rents space from the state party at the same address.

Rep. Susan Winchester, RChickasha, said there was no way that she would have donated money to Oklahoma County, rather than giving it to Grady County where she lives.

Paying for polling: Documents obtained by the World indicate that the PAC headed by Cargill had a role in directing the funds to specific candidates involved in tough races.

According to invoices presented by pollsters to the Oklahoma County Republicans, the PAC had a role in getting the county to foot the bill.

According to an invoice dated Oct. 29, 2004, pollster Bill Shapard conducted six surveys of key House races, all outside Oklahoma County.

Shapard sent the bill to the Oklahoma County party, and the party paid the bill.

A notation on the invoice states that Aaron Currey, then executive director of the House PAC, “instructed” Shapard’s firm to send the bill over to the Oklahoma County Republican Party. Currey could not be reached for comment. Shapard confirmed the polls were conducted for the Republican House PAC.

A notation on another invoice obtained by the World indicates that polling done by Cole Hargrave Snodgrass and Associates at a cost of $15,050 was paid jointly, with the House PAC footing the bill for $5,000 and the Oklahoma County party picking up the rest.

Fount Holland, the House Republican PAC’s primary consultant, also served as a paid consultant to individual candidates.

Several of the lawmakers contacted said they did not know the House PAC polling of their races was being conducted, even though Holland was consulting for their campaigns.

Holland said there was no law preventing him from serving as a consultant for both the Republican House PAC and individual candidates. He said he did not use information resulting from the House PAC polling when he was advising individual candidates. If the PAC information was used to the benefit of a candidate, it would have to be reported as an in-kind contribution, Holland said.

Over the limit: Questions have arisen on whether some candidates benefited from contributions exceeding the $5,000 limit. Records filed in 2004 by the Republican House PAC failed to delineate how much the PAC actually was giving to specific candidates, as required by ethics rules.

The only notation was “candidate contribution - campaign.” When the World pointed out this lack of information, the House PAC filed an amended report shortly after noon Friday, which was three years after the expenditures had been made.

The revised record showed that Republican incumbent Stuart Ericson received a $4,000 contribution from the House PAC. In addition, Cole Hargrave conducted a poll in his race, costing another $2,450, while Shapard’s firm conducted a survey in that race costing $500.

Ericson lost the race. However, Republicans were successful in capturing command of the House for the first time since the 1920s, when they held it for only a short time.

Another lawmaker, Rep. Tad Jones, R-Claremore, received $4,000 from the House PAC. In addition, two polls — one costing $2,450 and another costing $500 — were conducted on his behalf.

Possible Ethics Commission probe: State Republican Party Chairman Gary Jones confirmed in mid-September that the party’s attorney had informed him that the state Ethics Commission was asking some Republicans to appear, although he did not know their names.

However, the state Ethics Commission refuses to comment on whether it is investigating. Marilyn Hughes, executive director of the Ethics Commission, also declined to discuss whether the House Republican PAC could legally direct Oklahoma County to pay its bills.

Meeting behind closed doors to decide whether ethics rules have been broken, the commission has the choice of issuing a private reprimand, a public reprimand, calling for a civil fine or doing nothing.

A state law prohibits “a campaign contribution to be made to a particular candidate or committee through an intermediary or conduit” to evade reporting requirements or exceed contribution limits.

Richard Morrissette, a Democratic representative and an attorney, said his interpretation would be that this law prohibits the PAC from directing the county to pay for polls conducted for the benefit of the political action committee.

“If the factual scenario is that the expense was done for the candidate under the direction of the PAC, that could be a criminal offense,” Morrissette said.

Willful violation of the Oklahoma statute could result in a felony conviction and fine up to four times the amount exceeding the contribution limit or imprisonment for up to a year, or both. If the contribution amount in question is less than $5,000, a willful violator could be found guilty of a misdemeanor.



Mick Hinton (405) 528-2465
mick.hinton@tulsaworld.com

By MICK HINTON World Capitol Bureau

Comments:

(1) readers have commented on this story so far. Tell us what you think below!

1. 9/30/2007 8:57:52 AM, David,
I dont understand the consultant Holland's comment ..Are we to believe that the knowledge which he gleaned from those polls paid for by the county party would not benefit his clients like Representative Ericson? These folks are running a shell game ...as evidenced by not even reporting who they are contributing to. At the least there is a foul oder coming from the Republicans in OKC. Speaker Cargill should resign.

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

http://www.newsok.com/article/3131060/


Sat September 22, 2007

Ethics panel looks into GOP fundraising

By Jennifer Mock
Capitol Bureau

Twelve checks from the 2004 election cycle obtained by The Oklahoman on Friday are at the heart of an ongoing investigation by the state Ethics Commission into the fundraising practices of the House Republican leadership.

The checks — most of which are made out to the "Oklahoma Republican Party” and total more than $33,000 — ended up in the Oklahoma County Republican Committee's account. Many of the current and former House members cutting the checks say they thought the money was intended for the state party and went to the county party without their knowledge.

Others say it is common practice for lawmakers without a race in any given election year to write checks to the party to be distributed to candidates who need the money. By writing "Oklahoma Republican Party,” they did not indicate, or in many cases care, where the money went as long as the money got to financially needy GOP candidates, many said.

The Ethics Commission is barred from confirming if an investigation is occurring.

Pam Pollard, chairman of the Oklahoma County Republican Party, said she was barred from commenting because it is a "confidential manner before the Ethics Commission.”


Chairman confirms inquiry
State GOP Chairman Gary Jones confirmed Friday his attorney notified him letters had gone out to several party members about appearing before the Ethics Commission in connection with the investigation.
Jones said he did not know who received the letters. He was not asked to appear. He said he did not receive any of the $33,000 in 2004 and did not know the money was intended for the state Republican Party.

House Speaker Lance Cargill, who as honorary chairman of the Republican state House Committee at the time raised money for House campaigns, has denied wrongdoing, saying he "did not solicit, receive, deposit or expend” any of the checks in question.


What donors said
Six of the 11 lawmakers who wrote the 12 checks also said in a statement that Cargill did not solicit them for the funds and did not try to control how the money would be spent.
•The spokesman for former Rep. Ray Vaughn, who is now an Oklahoma County commissioner, said Vaughan's check was sent directly to Jones' office address. Rick Buchanan said he does not know how it ended up at the county party.

•Rep. John Trebilcock, R-Broken Arrow, said he wrote a check to the state party.

•Former Rep. Dale DeWitt said he wanted to help GOP candidates. He is not sure where the check ended up, but he knows it went to the candidates who needed it.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/OK_ETHICS_GOP_OKOL-?SITE=OKTUL&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2007-09-21-10-15-15

Sep 22, 11:11 AM EDT

Worthen: Ethics panel has not asked him to appear


TULSA, Okla. (AP) -- The chairman of a state House political action committee that raises money to elect Republican candidates says he has not received a letter asking him to appear before the Oklahoma Ethics Commission.

Rep. Trebor Worthen, R-Oklahoma City, chairman of the House PAC, told the Tulsa World he called the Ethics Commission after it was reported he had been sent a letter to make sure that was not the case.

Gary Jones, chairman of the State Republican Party, said earlier this week the Ethics Commission is probing possible violations in GOP campaign financial dealings in 2004. Questions have been raised as to why contributions designated for the state party ended up with the Oklahoma County Republican Committee.

Jones said the party's attorney informed the party that "some people have received letters to appear" before the Ethics Commission, but Jones did not know who they were.

The commission will not confirm or deny whether it is conducting investigations.

Meanwhile, State House Democrats said Friday no one should rush to conclusions regarding the reports that House Republicans' campaign activities three years ago are being probed.

"Too often, politicians trip over each other rushing to judgment in these matters," said Rep. Danny Morgan, head of the House's minority party. "Right now, there are simply more questions than there are answers. We should patiently wait while the Ethics Commission investigators do their work."

On the other hand, Rep. Chuck Hoskin, the House Democrats' new caucus chairman, said the allegations appear to be serious, "involving Republicans at high levels of state government."

Questions have been raised as to why Republican candidates' contributions to the state party in 2004 were diverted to the Oklahoma County Republican Party, unbeknownst to some of the contributors.

Todd Hiett, then House speaker, said he did not know that the money intended for the state party ended up in the coffers of the Oklahoma County Republican Party. But he said Rep. Lance Cargill, who headed up the House Republican caucus, should be able to answer questions because he was responsible for the Republican PAC's activities.

Cargill, now House speaker, has not addressed the question as to why the money was moved.

Cargill, R-Harrah, released a statement Thursday saying, "We will play by the rules and work diligently to resolve any matter, and to show that unfounded claims that have been made are false."

The speaker said he did not "solicit, receive, deposit or expend any Victory Fund checks" contributed by candidates to the party.

Candidates can contribute money to parties but cannot designate how those contributions must be spent.

Meanwhile, another former lawmaker, Rep. Mark Liotta, R-Tulsa, said Friday he wrote a check to the state party for $5,000 at the time and was asked later by a staffer with the House PAC if it would be all right for the county party, instead of the state, to have the money.

http://wwwtmrcom.blogspot.com/2007/09/ktok-cargill-refuses-to-discuss-ethics.html

Wednesday, September 19, 2007
KTOK: Cargill Says He's Not Been Notified Of Probe


From NewsRadio 1000 KTOK ~ State House Speaker Lance Cargill on Wednesday made it clear he did not want to answer questions about a reported State Ethics Commission probe that could involve his fundraising in 2004.
It was at an Oklahoma City event where KTOK's Michael Cross attempted to question the Republican leader about the possible investigation.
Cross: "Have you heard about an ethics investigation or anything like that?" Cargill: "No, I think actually Damon has talked to the station."
Cross: "I was wondering if you heard anything about that at all?" Cargill walked off and State House Communications Director Damon Gardenhire was left to handle things.
"I guess first of all I'm not aware of an investigation, but secondly, the Speaker's not received any notification of anything like that. If they were conducting one like that with him, they would typically notify him and they haven't done so."
The reported Ethics Commission investigation centers around money raised by top House Republicans in 2004.
Labels: Ethics, Lance Cargill,

posted by Mike @ 4:05 PM 1 comments
1 Comments:

At 6:01 PM, Mike Donovan said...
I remember something an old friend of mine, the late Herb Johnson, used to say: "If you don't stand up and talk about it - that's all they're going to talk about."

His point, of course, whether you DO have something to hide or you DON'T, you better stand up and eagerly discuss it, even it means saying nothing for five minutes or the result is going to be, "He has something to hide *because he won't talk about it*."

For Cargill to walk off like that does NOT look good.