Democrat Blog Rips Whetsel, Lane Fundraiser

Demookie.com, popular blog visited regularly by dozens of posters, rips Oklahoma County Sheriff John Whetsel, a Democrat, and Republican Oklahoma County District Attorney Wes Lane today for a planned Lane fundraiser that is being staged by Whetsel and "members of the Oklahoma County DA Staff."

A poster on the site questions the propriety of Lane's staff members participating in the fundraiser given reports on The McCarville Report Online about employee donations to State Auditor & Inspector Jeff McMahan.

Lane said this afternoon that he is "not hitting up my staff" for donations. He said the event is for previous contributors who might want to donate again. He said he has returned one donation check to a staff member when he found out it had been offered; he added that several, however, were accepted by his campaign and deposited before he knew about them. "I just don't pay attention to them (contributions)," he said. Lane has about 150 employees on his staff.

Lane's campaign finance reports on file with the Oklahoma Ethics Commission list three employee donations totaling $700 thus far in 2006.

The fundraiser is a golf tournament at the Greens Golf & Country Club on Monday at 8 a.m. Monday is a holiday when county employees are off. Gold sponsors are expected to donate $1,000; silver sponsors are $500; bronze sponsors are $300; individuals are $200.

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