Stem, Case Lobby For Phillips Company
Lobbyist Bobby Stem's firm, Capitol Gains LLC, is now the registered lobbyist for an insurance company associated with controversial Texans Gene and Bradford Phillips, Ethics Commission records show. Former Republican State Rep. Bill Case (pictured), unsuccessful candidate for insurance commissioner, joined Stem's firm in December as a registered lobbyist.
The registration shows Stem (left) and Case now represent American Reserve Life Insurance Company, a company that figured prominently in the criminal investigation that helped force disgraced former Commissioner Carroll Fisher from office.
Enid attorney Stephen Jones has represented Phillips family interests in Oklahoma. In last year's contentious race for insurance commissioner, Jones and his associates donated thousands to Case's campaign and Jones has confirmed to The McCarville Report Online that another client of his is the secretive "Just The Facts America" group based in Austin, Texas and headed by Texas Republican activist Jim Cardle; JTFA is the entity that invested an estimated $300,000 from anonymous donors in television commercials and a website attacking incumbent Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland, Democrat appointed by Governor Brad Henry when Fisher resigned rather than face removal from office. Investigations into Fisher showed he accepted gifts from a company tied to Gene Phillips.
A document on file in the state of Kansas reports the following: "On April 11, 2005, Bradford A. Phillips, President and Chief Executive Officer of Liberty Bankers Life, provided the Commissioner with an organization chart, dated December 31, 2004, indicating that the May Trust is the "Ultimate Controlling Parties" of Realty Advisors, Inc., American Reserve Life Insurance Company, and Liberty Bankers Life. Mr. Phillips also provided documentation indicating that the Trustees of the May Trust are Mickey N. Phillips, Ryan T. Phillips, and Donald W. Phillips." They are the children of Gene Phillips, as is Bradford Phillips. Regulators in other states have found that Gene Phillips exercises considerable authority over the operations of the companies.
Grand jury probes into Fisher's conduct resulted in allegations he accepted bribes from Phillips, his family and business associates while insurance commissioner. The alleged bribes included a $25,000 check from Davister Corp. Jones said Phillips was never an officer, director or shareholder of Davister. But the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission identified the company as being "managed by the same personnel who manage ... other private companies owned by Phillips or his family trusts.''
In September 1999 Fisher personally approved the sale of Tulsa-based American Reserve Life Insurance Co. to a Phillips-related company, authorities said.
Gene Phillips was interviewed twice by investigators from the attorney general's office, the grand jury's legal adviser, and Phillips' business associates, including Ron Akin (an officer of Davister), were subpoenaed to testify before the earlier grand jury. Akin appeared before the grand jury twice. Jones was successful in fighting efforts to force Gene Phillips to appear.
The registration shows Stem (left) and Case now represent American Reserve Life Insurance Company, a company that figured prominently in the criminal investigation that helped force disgraced former Commissioner Carroll Fisher from office.
Enid attorney Stephen Jones has represented Phillips family interests in Oklahoma. In last year's contentious race for insurance commissioner, Jones and his associates donated thousands to Case's campaign and Jones has confirmed to The McCarville Report Online that another client of his is the secretive "Just The Facts America" group based in Austin, Texas and headed by Texas Republican activist Jim Cardle; JTFA is the entity that invested an estimated $300,000 from anonymous donors in television commercials and a website attacking incumbent Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland, Democrat appointed by Governor Brad Henry when Fisher resigned rather than face removal from office. Investigations into Fisher showed he accepted gifts from a company tied to Gene Phillips.
A document on file in the state of Kansas reports the following: "On April 11, 2005, Bradford A. Phillips, President and Chief Executive Officer of Liberty Bankers Life, provided the Commissioner with an organization chart, dated December 31, 2004, indicating that the May Trust is the "Ultimate Controlling Parties" of Realty Advisors, Inc., American Reserve Life Insurance Company, and Liberty Bankers Life. Mr. Phillips also provided documentation indicating that the Trustees of the May Trust are Mickey N. Phillips, Ryan T. Phillips, and Donald W. Phillips." They are the children of Gene Phillips, as is Bradford Phillips. Regulators in other states have found that Gene Phillips exercises considerable authority over the operations of the companies.
Grand jury probes into Fisher's conduct resulted in allegations he accepted bribes from Phillips, his family and business associates while insurance commissioner. The alleged bribes included a $25,000 check from Davister Corp. Jones said Phillips was never an officer, director or shareholder of Davister. But the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission identified the company as being "managed by the same personnel who manage ... other private companies owned by Phillips or his family trusts.''
In September 1999 Fisher personally approved the sale of Tulsa-based American Reserve Life Insurance Co. to a Phillips-related company, authorities said.
Gene Phillips was interviewed twice by investigators from the attorney general's office, the grand jury's legal adviser, and Phillips' business associates, including Ron Akin (an officer of Davister), were subpoenaed to testify before the earlier grand jury. Akin appeared before the grand jury twice. Jones was successful in fighting efforts to force Gene Phillips to appear.
Labels: American Reserve Life Insurance Company, Bill Case, Bobby Stem, Bradford Phillips, Gene Phillips, Just The Facts America, Kim Holland, Stephen Jones
posted by Mike McCarville @ 8:15 AM
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