Prater Says Lane 'Morbidly Incompetent'; Finance Reports Show Lane With Huge Advantage

The race for Oklahoma County district attorney took another turn Tuesday, as Democrat David Prater said Republican incumbent Wes Lane is "morbidly incompetent." Prater accused Lane of engaging in a "publicity stunt" by sending more than 400 jurors home on Monday after Brian Bates, the "Video Vigilante" prosecuted by Lane, passed out fliers critical of Lane outside the courthouse to some jury pool members. Prater said he does not approve of Bates' action, even though the two marched together in Bethany's July 4th parade with Bates carrying a Prater banner. Bates' website is a virtual Prater campaign site, raising the question of whether it constitutes a contribution to Prater's campaign. In a statement posted on his campaign website today, Prater says "Lane and Bates are acting like children." Lane, meanwhile, said he will ask Attorney General Drew Edmondson to select a prosecutor to determine if Bates violated any laws by passing the fliers out at the courthouse.

With the Lane-Prater race heating up, attention is turning to the financing of their campaigns. Ethics Commission reports show that Lane began the year with about $20,000 on hand, remnants of his last campaign. As of early August, he had raised about $175,000 and spent $79,000, almost $61,000 of it described as being payments to consultants and related expenses. Lane's largest donors, at $5,000 each, include Aubrey McClendon, CEO of Chesapeake Energy; Angus McQueen, CEO of Ackerman-McQueen; and James Williams of Oklahoma City. Donors of $4,000 include real estate agent Mark Befford, Josephine Freede, and Stan Harrison. Donors of $2,500 include David Green of Hobby Lobby and Clay Bennett, investor.

Prater's reports show he raised about $98,000 and spent about $64,500, $17,105 of it on campaign consultants. His donors include a large number of attorneys, including two assistant attorneys general, Phillip Stambeck ($100) and James Hankins ($250). Others include Joe Reynolds, $2,500; Garvin Isaacs, $1,000; and Irvin Box, $1,000. Jim Meyer, president of Bridgeport Holdings, gave $2,500.

Share |