Jones: Follow Henry's Money

Republican State Chairman Gary Jones said today that should anyone doubt where Brad Henry’s loyalty lies, look no further than his weekend veto of the lawsuit reform legislation, SB 507, and cross check that with the campaign finance watchdog, FollowTheMoney.org.

"It’s crystal clear that Brad Henry’s trial lawyer friends got a return on their investment this past weekend," said Jones. "According to the non-partisan website, FollowTheMoney.org, the trial lawyer industry is far and away the top contributor to his 2002 and 2006 campaigns. "It looks like they finally got what they paid for."

In Henry’s first campaign for governor in 2002, Jones said, lawyers accounted for over 27% of Henry’s receipts, far outpacing his second most lucrative source, a category referred to as "Self." Health Care Professionals were a distant third. See http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=200236&c=23729.

In 2006, trial lawyers came through again, with 20% of his contributions, outpacing the number two category – health care – by an almost 4-1 margin, Jones said. See http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=200636&c=416243.

"Clearly, Brad Henry has put the interest of his friends and colleagues in the courtrooms ahead of the better interest of economic development and business prosperity in Oklahoma," Jones said. "Our governor, without the specter of a re-election facing him, is showing his true liberal stripes."

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