Attorney General, Ethics Commission Investigating Donors Linked To Enid Attorney Stephen Jones
Attorney General Drew Edmondson and the Oklahoma Ethics Commission are investigating donations made by associates of Enid attorney Stephen Jones to Oklahoma County District Judge Bill Graves, The Oklahoman reports.
Fourteen donors tied to Jones directly or indirectly gave Graves, a former State House member, more than $57,000.
Bartlesville elementary school counselor Terry Gann (Holmes), represented by Stephen Jones in a contentious Garfield County divorce case, gave $5,000 to Graves and $5,000 to Bill Case, GOP candidate for insurance commissioner. She did not respond to an inquiry about her donations by The McCarville Report Online and told reporter Clay to "contact my lawyer." She's among more than a dozen individuals associated with Jones who donated to Graves and Case.
Donors tied to Jones also gave an equally-huge sum to Republican Bill Case, who tried to defeat Democrat Kim Holland for insurance commissioner.
Reporter Nolan Clay of The Oklahoman writes, "State investigators are looking into whether a judicial race was bought...."
Clay reported, "Most of the donors declined comment or did not respond to requests for comments." None of the 14 donors connected to Jones live in Oklahoma County.
Graves (at left) told Clay, "He (Jones) would not do that sort of thing (make donations in the names of others). He's been a friend for a long time. He's helped me in past campaigns." Former Judge Susan Caswell, defeated by Graves, said, "I don't understand why anybody from out of state or even out of this county would have an interest in a local judge race. It makes no sense to me."
Curiosity about the donations to Graves and Case from Jones family members and associates began following reports by TMRO and others last fall. The decision to open an investigation apparently came when officials noted some of the same donors gave to the Graves and Case campaigns, and the fact they gave the maximum allowed under law, $5,000. Donors to Graves include Jones' son and daughter. They also include six Texans connected to Dallas businessman Gene Phillips, a Jones client. Clay reports that a former employee of Jones, Daniel Rath, was approached by investigators on November 1st, and asked about Jones, Phillips, and former Insurance Commissioner Carroll Fisher. Through one of his law firm associates, Jones was tied to attacks on incumbent Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland by a secret Texas group, "Just The Facts America" headed by GOP activist Jim Cardle of Austin. The activities of that group remain under scrutiny by some, TMRO has been told. A new state multicounty grand jury headed by Edmondson is scheduled to convene later this month. To access TMRO's stories about Jones last fall, just click on Jones' name in the labels list.
Donors tied to Jones also gave an equally-huge sum to Republican Bill Case, who tried to defeat Democrat Kim Holland for insurance commissioner.
Reporter Nolan Clay of The Oklahoman writes, "State investigators are looking into whether a judicial race was bought...."
Clay reported, "Most of the donors declined comment or did not respond to requests for comments." None of the 14 donors connected to Jones live in Oklahoma County.
Graves (at left) told Clay, "He (Jones) would not do that sort of thing (make donations in the names of others). He's been a friend for a long time. He's helped me in past campaigns." Former Judge Susan Caswell, defeated by Graves, said, "I don't understand why anybody from out of state or even out of this county would have an interest in a local judge race. It makes no sense to me."
Curiosity about the donations to Graves and Case from Jones family members and associates began following reports by TMRO and others last fall. The decision to open an investigation apparently came when officials noted some of the same donors gave to the Graves and Case campaigns, and the fact they gave the maximum allowed under law, $5,000. Donors to Graves include Jones' son and daughter. They also include six Texans connected to Dallas businessman Gene Phillips, a Jones client. Clay reports that a former employee of Jones, Daniel Rath, was approached by investigators on November 1st, and asked about Jones, Phillips, and former Insurance Commissioner Carroll Fisher. Through one of his law firm associates, Jones was tied to attacks on incumbent Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland by a secret Texas group, "Just The Facts America" headed by GOP activist Jim Cardle of Austin. The activities of that group remain under scrutiny by some, TMRO has been told. A new state multicounty grand jury headed by Edmondson is scheduled to convene later this month. To access TMRO's stories about Jones last fall, just click on Jones' name in the labels list.
Labels: Bill Graves, Drew Edmondson, Ethics, Jim Cardle, Just The Facts America, Kim Holland, Stephen Jones
posted by Mike McCarville @ 8:41 AM
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