Phipps-Stipe Overseer Approved By Judge

An Oklahoma City property attorney was named Friday to oversee the litigation-entangled holding company jointly owned by former state Senator Gene Stipe and his estranged business partner, Steven Phipps. Kraettli Epperson was selected by Pittsburg County Associate District Judge James Bland out of two candidates agreed upon by Stipe and Phipps. Stipe is suing Phipps on allegations that he embezzled money from their business. Read the Tulsa World's complete story.

The Gadfly On The Wall

Explain This: How does Auditor & Inspector Jeff McMahan explain three trips with abstract company owner Steve Phipps, a man McMahan indicated earlier he hardly knows? He isn't explaining; now, he's hiding behind the skirts of his new spokeswoman, former television news reporter Terri Watkins, who is discovering her boss may have a forked tongue. She insisted to The Oklahoman's Tony Thornton that McMahan had taken just one trip with Phipps; but as Thornton compiled evidence there were other trips, she admitted that was so and said she just hadn't asked McMahan "the right questions." What...McMahan couldn't figure out what she was asking about? And the Tulsa World hammered McMahan on Friday morning for earlier statements that now don't hold water. McMahan's doo-doo is getting deeper and deeper...and there's more to come.

If: If Governor Brad Henry donates any of his left-over campaign war chest to the House Democrat PAC or helps it raise money, look for lots of folks to start yelling QUID PRO QUO since the House Democrats are standing with Henry over his budget veto. That pits him, and them, against Senate Democrats, Senate Republicans and House Republicans.

Jesse Jackson: The Rev is in town. Few years back, I interviewed him on my KTOK talk show. He left not too happy with me. Perhaps it was my final question: "Are you aware of what the biggest question about you is? What do you do for a living?" He bristled and replied, "Talk to people like you...host a CNN show...." He spluttered a lot. One of my most treasured talk radio moments!

OETA Capitol Guy: Jason Doyle, former KTOK reporter and KOCO-TV assignment editor, hits the Capitol Monday on behalf of his new employer, the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority.

How Do You Like Me Now? Toby Keith's life story has been showing on The Biography Channel. Great stuff, great story. Part of it tells the real story behind ABC's Peter Jennings' objection to Toby performing Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue on a Jennings special. Toby, of course, told Jennings to stick it when he insisted some lyrics be changed. I've been a huge Toby fan ever since.

Royal Reg: Continuing to share with you the family military connections (in two countries), here's distant cousin Reg McCarville (with wife Mary) of Prince Edward Island, Canada, who saw service in the Royal Canadian Navy in World War II.

Tulsa World Hammers McMahan

From today's Tulsa World: "State Auditor and Inspector Jeff McMahan changed his story Thursday and said he did go on a trip paid for by Steve Phipps, a southeastern Oklahoma abstractor and business partner of former state Sen. Gene Stipe."

McMahan-Phipps Trip Companions Identified

The Oklahoman reports today that some of those involved in the federal investigation into alleged public corruption in southeastern Oklahoma took out-of-state trips with Auditor & Inspector Jeff McMahan and embattled abstract company owner Steve Phipps.

Taking a trip to New Orleans in 2003 with McMahan and Phipps and their wives, the newspaper's Tony Thornton and Nolan Clay reported, was Karla Hall, chairman and executive director of Rural Development Foundation; the FBI alleges that state money was directed to RDF to benefit Phipps and his business partner, former Senator Gene Stipe.

Taking a trip to Biloxi, Mississippi were Roy Hatridge and Suzie Carper of National Pet Products, the McAlester dog food company that is part of the federal investigation.

Some of those involved in the Phipps-Stipes enterprises have been revealed as straw donors to multiple political campaigns, including McMahan's.

Laster To Henry: Can You Take This Hint?

“I told him (Governor Henry) in a nice way (that) as he knows, perception is reality and the perception at the Capitol is that last year he went behind the Senate Democrats back and made a deal with (Republican House Speaker) Todd Hiett on the budget." ~ Senator Charlie Laster, D-Shawnee, explaining why Senate Democrats joined Senate and House Republicans in finalizing the new budget without Henry's input.

Thompson Gains Texas Support

The campaign to draft former United States Senator Fred Thompson received a big boost Thursday when it was joined by three prominent statewide officials in Texas.

Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, Texas Railroad Commissioner Victor Carrillo, and National Committeewoman Denise McNamara all have voiced their strong support for a Thompson candidacy.

Patterson, a retired Marine Corps Reserve Lieutenant Colonel and Viet Nam combat veteran, who as Land Commissioner has earned a reputation as a powerhouse in Texas conservative grassroots politics, said Thompson has what it takes to win in Texas and America.

Tulsa World: McMahan Last Week Denied Taking Trip Paid For By Abstractor Steve Phipps

The Tulsa World Online reports today that Auditor & Inspector Jeff McMahan last week denied he'd ever taken a trip paid for by abstract company owner Steve Phipps, saying he had "no recollection" of such a trip.

That report came after The Oklahoman confirmed today that McMahan had taken three trips with Phipps, two of them paid for by the under-federal-investigation Phipps. The World quotes someone in McMahan's office as confirming today he did make such a trip.

To read the World's report, go to www.tulsaworld.com.

Oklahoman Nails Jeff McMahan; Trips With Steve Phipps May Have Violated Ethics Rules

The Oklahoman's Tony Thornton reports today that Auditor & Inspector Jeff McMahan took three trips with controversial abstract company owner Steve Phipps (left) and that two of them, apparently paid for by Phipps, may have violated Ethics Commission rules.

Phipps is under investigation by a federal grand jury, in part for his alleged involvement in a campaign money-laundering conspiracy in which straw donors were used to funnel money into multiple campaigns, including McMahan's campaigns.

Thornton reports confirmation of the three trips two days after McMahan's spokeswoman, Terri Watkins, insisted he took only one trip with Phipps. Watkins then said, "It's not a matter of trying to hide things. It's my not asking the right questions."

Watkins said Phipps paid for a fishing trip to Lake Texoma in 2002 and a trip to a Biloxi, Mississippi casino in 2004. McMahan paid his own way on the third trip, to New Orleans in 2003, Watkins said. McMahan and his wife went with Phipps and his wife.

The trips are further evidence that McMahan's relationship to Phipps is much closer than McMahan has insisted; he's indicated he barely knows Phipps.

Thornton quotes Marilyn Hughes of the Ethics Commission as saying rules preclude an office-holder accepting anything of value from a person or entity the office-holder regulates. McMahan regulates abstractors.

For the complete story, go to http://www.newsok.com/ or pick up a copy of today's newspaper.

Bush Displays Humor In Washington

"A year ago my approval rating was in the 30s, my nominee for the Supreme Court had just withdrawn, and my vice president had shot someone," President Bush said Wednesday night during the annual gathering of Washington correspondents.. "Ah," he said, "those were the good ol' days."

The Ties That Bind

Originally posted March 18th ~ Jeff McMahan's claims that he knows Steve Phipps only casually are wilting under scrutiny. Here are the public facts at this time: 1 - Phipps' son sang the jingle McMahan used in his 2002 campaign; 2 - McMahan was a guest of honor at a Phipps' Christmas party where he was hypnotized as part of the entertainment; 3 - Gene Stipe at one point described Phipps as McMahan's campaign manager; 4 - Phipps and Stipe were described as McMahan's "money machine" in the 2002 campaign; 5 - Phipps was an active fundraiser for McMahan in 2002 and, some claim, early in the 2006 campaign as well; 6 - Democratic consultant Pat Hall, McMahan's 2002 primary campaign operative, was listed as a paid consultant for Phipps' Rural Development Foundation according to the latest FBI affidavit filed in the Stipe-Phipps investigation; 7 - The Oklahoman reported on March 29th that McMahan had taken three trips with Phipps and two of them may have violated Ethics Commission rules since Phipps paid for them; rules prohibit an official from accepting anything of value from a person or entity he regulates. McMahan regulates abstrators; The Tulsa World reported on May 30th that, after earlier indicating he hardly knows Phipps, McMahan admitted Phipps conducted "one or two" fundraisers for him in 2002. Sources familiar with McMahan's 2002 campaigns say Phipps held many fundraisers for McMahan.

McMahan's attempts to distance himself from abstractor company owner Phipps have intensified as the federal investigation of Phipps and Stipe has developed. McMahan fired the head of his abstract division, Tim Arbaugh, for being an alleged straw donor; Arbaugh's friends say he is McMahan's scapegoat and did nothing that McMahan was not fully aware of and encouraged. Developing....

HENRY STRIKES $6.8 BILLION IN SPENDING

Governor Brad Henry today used his line-item veto to strike down $6.8 billion in new state spending, saying legislative leaders employed a flawed, closed-door process to craft a flawed budget product that did not represent the best interests of Oklahoma taxpayers.

The action sets up a confrontation with Senate Democrats and Republicans and House Republicans, who crafted and passed the budget bill without Henry's input; he was on vacation as the budget was written. Senate President Co-Pro Tempore Mike Morgan, D-Stillwater, reacted in disbelief that Henry had vetoed most of the budget bill. He said Henry was not cut out of the budget process and was invited numerous times to participate.

After announcing his vetoes, the governor called for leaders of each House and Senate caucus to begin immediate budget negotiations with the executive branch. “I do not use my veto authority lightly, but given the flawed process and the flawed product it created, I had no other choice but to strike down the spending bill to protect taxpayers’ best interests,” said Henry. “I know tempers are short and emotions are running high, but instead of wasting valuable time with tit-for-tat statements and political gotcha games, I would urge all legislative leaders to come together and immediately begin budget negotiations with the executive branch and their fellow lawmakers. I ask legislative leaders to put aside the political rhetoric and look on this as an opportunity to work together in a true bipartisan fashion.

“With everyone at the table this time, I’m certain we can produce a budget that better addresses the needs of Oklahoma," Henry said.

After viewing the 148-section bill, Henry said he determined that the legislation did not do a good enough job of using available revenue to meet state priorities. For example, the governor said prisons and education, including the Oklahoma Teachers Retirement System, did not receive the resources needed to operate efficiently and effectively.

“If I had approved this as the blueprint for the final budget, our prison system would be in danger of coming under federal control and public safety would be jeopardized. Students at our colleges and universities would be facing double-digit tuition hikes, and teachers would once again be left wondering whether their pay would ever reach the regional average as promised or whether they would have a pension when they retired,” said the governor. “That’s unacceptable. By working together, I’m convinced we can build a better budget with available revenue.”

The governor’s vetoes struck down approximately $6.8 billion of new spending in the general appropriations portion of House Bill 1234 and a $1 million supplemental appropriation to the Legislative Services Bureau. The governor did approve approximately $92 million in emergency funds for a variety of state interests including public schools, prisons, career technology centers and college scholarship programs, among other things. Henry also approved HB 1233, which authorizes a cash transfer to pay for the supplemental appropriations. “Schools, prisons and other critical need areas are getting the emergency funds they must have to operate. Unfortunately, this legislation does not provide adequate funding for corrections and public safety, so we will have to address their additional emergency needs very quickly,” said the governor.

This is not the first time a state chief executive has chosen to veto an omnibus state budget bill early in the legislative session. In 2001, then-Gov. Frank Keating vetoed major portions of a general appropriations bill, citing the same concerns echoed by Gov. Henry today – that a flawed process excluded the governor’s office and many lawmakers and produced a substandard budget product. In 2001, legislative leaders predicted Gov. Keating’s veto in late March would lead to a government shutdown, but no such emergency ever materialized. In fact, the governor and legislative leaders successfully worked together to craft a new budget bill in the final two months of session, and the Legislature even adjourned a day early with lawmakers giving the session high marks for its accomplishments.

Henry believes the same thing can happen this year. “Predictions of a government shutdown are nonsense, as Gov. Keating and previous legislators have demonstrated in the past. With more than two months left in the legislative session, there is plenty of time to address state priorities and write a budget that addresses the needs of all Oklahoma taxpayers,” said the governor.

Tulsa World Online: Mike Easley Resigns To Avoid Prosecution For Embezzlement

From TulsaWorld.com ~ ABLE Supervisor Mike Easley resigned his job Tuesday and has repaid the state $4,000 as part of an agreement with the attorney general's office, records show.

The deferred prosecution agreement bars him from working for the state or in law enforcement. It states Easley will repay the state $4,044 in restitution.

Easley had been fired from the Alcoholic Beverage Laws Enforcement Commission in April 2006 after an investigation into his use of a state car and payroll claims. The Oklahoma Merit Protection Commission ordered him reinstated Dec. 14, saying ABLE had not presented sufficient evidence to support his firing.

The deferred prosecution agreement signed by Easley states that the attorney general "has sufficient evidence to charge Michael Easley with embezzlement by officer ... including misuse of state property, misuse of state time, and improper reimbursement requests."

"We have resolved the Mike Easley matter in a manner that best meets the interests of justice and judicial economy," said Attorney General Drew Edmondson.

Easley was stopped by a state trooper on the Muskogee Turnpike Oct. 19, 2005, while using his emergency lights. Easley told troopers he was late to teach a class at Bacone College in Muskogee. Time sheets showed that Easley claimed to be working for ABLE during days when he was teaching courses at Bacone and Northeastern State University's Broken Arrow campus.

Easley is a 19-year veteran of ABLE and is special agent in charge of the northern district. He is the brother of Kevin Easley, a former state senator who is now chief executive officer of the Grand River Dam Authority. Their mother is Sen. Mary Easley of Tulsa.

The Hill: Inhofe Seeks To Block Gore Concert

By Elana Schor, The Hill ~ Fresh from his face-to-face tussle with former Vice President Al Gore, Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) is vowing to stall Gore’s hotly anticipated Capitol concert to draw attention to global warming.

Inhofe’s belief that climate change is “the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people” is common knowledge in the capitol, and environmental groups cheered the new prospects for carbon-capping legislation when he ceded the Environment and Public Works Committee gavel this session. But Inhofe’s parliamentary powers can block indefinitely the resolution that would permit Gore to choose the capitol’s West Front for the U.S. leg of his seven-continent Live Earth concert tour — a collaboration between Gore and promoter Kevin Wall, who masterminded previous blockbuster charity concerts Live Aid and Live 8.

“There has never been a partisan political event at the Capitol, and this is a partisan political event,” Inhofe said yesterday.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) attempted late last week to pass the authorizing measure for Live Earth by unanimous consent. But Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) raised an objection on the floor, seeking more time for his side to look at the resolution.

Inhofe appeared to see little room for an accommodation that could allow the concert to go forward. “There’s no compromise. Either we change the rules or we don’t.”

Inhofe added that other members share his concerns, including unnamed Democrats as well as Sen. Bob Bennett (R-Utah), ranking member of the Rules Committee, which has jurisdiction over the concert resolution.

Democrats “may not be willing to stand up to Al Gore, but many of them found it just as objectionable as Republicans do,” he said.

Bennett’s office did not return a request for comment by press time.

Inhofe’s latest challenge to Gore comes after their forceful exchange during last week’s hearing in the environment committee, when Chairwoman Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) stepped in to stop Inhofe from dictating terms of response to the 2000 presidential nominee. Gore declined to sign a personal energy usage pact proffered by Inhofe.

The Mall is already booked during the July 7 date slated for Live Earth, so the exigent need to secure use of the Capitol led Rules Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) to support unanimous passage, Rules staff director Howard Gantman said. “They have made it clear that they’re opposed to it,” Gantman said of the GOP. “They’re blocking passage of the bill. As far as next steps, if Republicans wanted to discuss their opposition, we would do so.”

Chad Griffin, an adviser to Live Earth, was taken aback by Inhofe’s objections to using the Capitol to promote environmental health. The West Front was used to inaugurate Earth Day in a 1990 event, for which Gore, a former senator, sponsored the authorizing resolution. “This is a totally non-partisan event,” Griffin said, noting that Reid cosponsored the concert resolution with Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine).

The Capitol concert would be free of charge, incurring a $5 million cost to Live Earth. Promoters would recoup that amount if they were forced to choose another venue, Griffin said. Reid added language to the resolution ensuring that the Capitol Police would be reimbursed in advance for their estimated $1.5 million in security costs.

“It was a priority for Live Earth that the taxpayers not pay a single dime” for the show, Griffin said. “Given that, we remain optimistic.”

Snowe, a longtime supporter of carbon emissions curbs who co-chairs an international climate-change group, said yesterday that she was surprised the concert idea had become controversial among her colleagues. She expressed hope that concert organizers would not be forced to move the U.S. performance out of Washington if the Capitol proves impossible.

“That would certainly provide an unfortunate message on behalf of the U.S., that somehow we’re languishing in our desire to combat the problem,” Snowe said. “We should be a leader in this endeavor.”

Reid remains optimistic that the climate-change fight can come to the Capitol dome, spokeswoman Liz Oxhorn said.

Inhofe: Iraq Withdrawal Date 'Unconscionable'

Senator Jim Inhofe today expressed deep discontent about last night’s Senate vote (48-50) to preserve an arbitrary Iraq withdrawal deadline currently within the Iraq Supplemental Spending Bill (H.R 1591).

“I am deeply concerned about the withdrawal provision in the emergency supplemental funding bill,” Inhofe said. “Furthermore, it is unconscionable to jeopardize our soldiers’ well-being by playing politics with vital military funding, including dollars for implementing BRAC. The Democrat leadership has yet to come up with a plan to win the War on Terror, so they have settled on a plan for surrender – a defeat which will have devastating consequences for our troops and embolden our enemies worldwide.

“As I have stated before, I have faith in the generals and soldiers on the ground that are running this war. We don’t need the 535 ‘Generals’ in Congress telling our troops how to win this fight. By establishing a timeline for withdrawal, like the Democrats have done in this resolution, we are essentially telling the enemy how much longer they must wait before they can take over. Telegraphing our plans to the enemy is no way to win any conflict.”

The supplemental spending bill would impose a timeline for full withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq by March 2008. By establishing an arbitrary date for withdrawal, Democrats are ignoring the advice of the Iraq Study Group and our commanders on the ground in Iraq, among others.

Taylor Hides Identities Of Top Cop Finalists

The Tulsa World reports today that, "External candidates to be Tulsa's next top cop must apply by Wednesday, but don't expect Mayor Kathy Taylor to identify them publicly or even name the finalists. Her spokeswoman, Kim MacLeod, said Tuesday that Taylor intends to conduct the police chief search the way she would any other job search and not disclose the candidates' names -- a change from the city's past practices when hiring police chiefs. Meanwhile, City Councilor Rick Westcott, an attorney and former police officer, said Tuesday that his interpretation of the City Charter is that the mayor is required to hire one of the three qualified internal candidates who applied but ultimately were rejected."

Taylor's search for a new chief is being watched closely by 2nd Amendment advocates, who believe she is searching for a chief who will advocate the gun control policies of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Taylor was a charter member of Bloomberg's coalition of mayors that supports gun control measures but she's not publicized her membership in Tulsa. She has attended numerous meetings of the group in New York, Chicago and Washington.

Budget Slapdown Continues; Coffee Erupts, Accuses Henry Of 'Mismanagement'

Senate Republican leaders today questioned Governor Brad Henry’s line-item veto of funding for an independent performance audit of the Department of Corrections, which the governor described as his “first” line-item veto of HB 1234, the bipartisan general appropriations bill overwhelmingly approved by the Legislature last week.

The governor line-item vetoed an attempt to reform state government with an independent outside audit and transformational study of the Department of Corrections, the GOP leaders said.

“What is the governor trying to hide with this veto?" asked Senate Co-President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee, R-Oklahoma City. "Is Gov. Henry afraid that an independent performance audit might uncover his mismanagement of a critical public safety agency? Independent performance audits at public school districts have proven very effective at improving efficiency and saving taxpayers’ money. We believe independent performance audits can have the same positive impact on the Department of Corrections and other state agencies."

“Perhaps the governor is worried that a more efficient Department of Corrections would interfere with his plans to implement the early release program that he outlined in his State of the State Address?” queried Coffee.

“Today Gov. Henry has taken a stand against fiscal responsibility. We hope that he does not decide to take a stand against bipartisanship, too, with additional line-item vetoes the bipartisan general appropriations bill. If additional vetoes occur, the governor will poison the bipartisan atmosphere at the Legislature and will set the stage for a possible government shutdown,” stated Sen. Mike Johnson, R-Kingfisher, the co-chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Henry Makes First Line-Item Veto

Governor Brad Henry announced his first line-item veto of budget funding Tuesday, saying he will use his veto pen to strike down $1 million in supplemental funds earmarked for the Legislature’s Legislative Services Bureau. The action sets the scene for a confrontation with Republican and Democrat legislative leaders who prepared the budget.

The governor said the appropriation duplicates the work of existing state authorities and contains no accountability measures to ensure it will be spent responsibly. “For those reasons, this appropriation is not in the best interest of Oklahoma taxpayers,” said Henry.

While the budget legislation did not stipulate what lawmakers would do with the funds in question, legislative leaders have said they want to hand the money off to a private vendor of their choosing to conduct a study of the financially strapped Department of Corrections. Henry said it is critical for the state to conduct regular performance reviews of state agencies such as DOC, but state law assigns that duty to the State Auditor and Inspector, the Oklahoma Legislature and the Office of State Finance. Paying a private consultant an additional $1 million to do the same work assigned to other state authorities would be duplicative and a waste of taxpayer money, according to the governor.

“We must hold agencies accountable for every dollar they spend so we can get the best bang for taxpayers’ bucks,” said Henry. “That’s why we fund a state auditor, a state finance office and legislative committees and staffs. That’s why we passed a zero-based budgeting law that charges the Legislature with doing an in-house, top-to-bottom financial review of every state agency on a regular basis.

“If they’ve complied with the zero-based budgeting statute and done their regular oversight duties, legislative leaders should already have the information and data they need to determine an appropriate course of action for corrections and any other agency."

Henry noted that after he signed Oklahoma’s zero-based budgeting law in 2003, one of the first agencies audited by the Legislature’s zero-based budgeting committee was the Department of Corrections.

In addition to duplicating already existing state programs, Henry said the line-item appropriations measure is short on details and provides no accountability measures to ensure the $1 million will be spent responsibly. “Before the state writes a $1 million check to some unknown person or entity, we need details on how the money will be spent and what accountability controls will be in place. Section 140 of the budget bill contains no such safeguards or supporting information,” said the governor. “And even if someone can make the case that another audit should be done on top of the work that the state auditor and Legislature do, $1 million seems to be an unusually high price tag for a performance audit. This is simply not a wise or efficient use of taxpayer dollars.”

Henry is in the process of reviewing a $7 billion budget bill approved by the Legislature last week. In recent days, the governor and a number of legislators have raised concerns about House Bill 1234 and the process that created it. While the governor has already said he intends to sign emergency funds for schools and prisons in the bill, he has not announced how he will act on the rest of the legislation. The governor has until midnight Wednesday to approve the bill or use his line-item veto to strike down portions of it.

Dorman Wants Lottery Change

Tired of seeing lottery shortfalls create budget problems for public schools and college students, Rep. Joe Dorman wants lawmakers to reform the budgeting process, he said today.

"The lottery is an unpredictable source of revenue that has come up short more often than not in recent months," said Dorman, D-Rush Springs. "Clearly, we cannot build anticipated lottery funds into the budget without a strong risk of future crisis."

Dorman plans to author an amendment that will require the state to set aside all lottery funds collected for one year and then appropriate that money in year two. Under the plan, lawmakers would only spend lottery money actually collected the previous year instead of trying to anticipate future collections. Currently, lawmakers include anticipated lottery revenue projections in the state budget.

Although the lottery was once expected to provide up to $150 million per year, it is now generating just over $80 million per year. A mid-year revision in lottery projections recently eliminated funds for $1,100 of the $3,000 pay raise given all public school teachers last year. It also shortchanged college students depending on a state scholarship program funded by lottery cash.

"My constituents want to know why we're banking on lottery cash that may never materialize, and it's a good question," Dorman said."Under my plan, no education program will have to be cut because of a fluctuation in the lottery's performance. We'll only spend money that we have in hand, and not 'projections' that might as well be Monopoly money."

Caucus Calls On Cherokees To Restore Freedmen

Members of the Oklahoma Legislative Black Caucus today called on the Cherokee Nation to reverse its decision to eject Freedmen from tribal rolls.

"We have always been supportive of tribal sovereignty and the Cherokee Nation, but we oppose the way they are treating the Freedmen," caucus members said in a joint statement. "The Black Caucus is united and committed to working with the Freedmen to regain their proper place on tribal rolls."

In a vote conducted in early March, members of the Cherokee Nation voted overwhelmingly to strip the decedents of former slaves (known as "Freedmen") of their place on tribal rolls. The Freedmen have been citizens of the Cherokee Nation for more than 140 years thanks to the terms of a treaty signed by the Cherokee Nation in 1866 that admitted former slaves as tribal members.

The Black Caucus has introduced resolutions in the House and Senate celebrating the unique heritage and rich contributions of the Cherokee Freedmen to the State of Oklahoma and the Black Caucus has approved a resolution denouncing the actions of the Cherokee Nation.

When members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives honored leaders of the Cherokee Nation during a brief ceremony Tuesday morning, members of the Black Caucus expressed their objections by walking out. "The Cherokees' action was wrong - it's that simple," caucus members said in a joint statement. "They need to honor their treaty and recognize the rights of the Freedmen."

Blackwell Opposes Lottery Funds Change

House Speaker Pro Tempore Gus Blackwell vowed today to oppose a plan that would slash the amount of lottery funds going to state schools.

"Whether you voted to create the lottery or opposed it, everyone should agree that lottery funds are earmarked for education," said Blackwell, R-Goodwell. "Because a majority of people voted this into law, I am sworn to uphold that law and oppose any effort to divert that money. And Governor Henry, as the state's biggest lottery booster, must ensure its operations start living up to the promises he made to children, families and teachers."

Oklahoma law requires that education programs receive 35 percent of lottery proceeds beginning in the third year of operation. However, Oklahoma Lottery Commission Executive Director Jim Scroggins recently said lawmakers should divert a significant portion of that money and use it to increase the size of lottery prizes. The law already requires that at least 45 percent of lottery revenue be used for prizes with another 20 percent designated for administrative costs.

If Scroggins' plan goes into effect, Blackwell said, millions of dollars will be cut from school budgets to prop up the floundering lottery.

Because state law requires lottery money to be divided among numerous education programs, Oklahoma's K-12 schools get just under 16 percent of gross lottery revenues.

"Think about it: Our K-12 public schools get less than 16 cents out of every $1 spent on a lottery ticket, and Director Scroggins thinks that's too much," Blackwell said.

Most of the lottery states that border Oklahoma provide just 24 percent to 29 percent of gross revenue for state programs, including education. Scroggins has suggested those states should be a model for Oklahoma.

OEA To Host Thursday 'IdeaRaiser'

The next IdeaRaiser for Oklahoma’s 100 Ideas Initiative will be hosted by the Oklahoma Education Association on Thursday, March 29 at 6 p.m. at Westfield Elementary School, 17601 N. Pennsylvania in Edmond.

The 100 Ideas Initiative is a non-partisan project designed to solicit the best ideas for Oklahoma’s second century. IdeaRaisers are public meetings designed to encourage input and discussion about those ideas and suggestions. To date, six IdeaRaisers have been held at locations throughout the state, and more are scheduled in the coming months.

100 Ideas Executive Director Thad Balkman said Thursday’s event has great potential for some fantastic ideas related to education and its importance. “I think this IdeaRaiser, much like our higher education event earlier this year, can bring some great minds together to come up with some groundbreaking solutions in addressing education related issues and improving our overall education system,” said Balkman. “The OEA has been very helpful in organizing this event and we are looking forward to a productive evening.”

The public is invited to attend Thursday’s IdeaRaiser. Reservations can be made via e-mail to rsvp@100ideasok.org or by calling 1-888-465-2007.

80% Back Thompson White House Run

Former Tennessee Senator Fred D. Thompson has strong support for a White House run among those who voted in The McCarville Report Online's poll. Thompson, an actor who left the Senate after one partial term and one full term to pursue his Hollywood career, ended our poll with 80 percent of voters in his corner, a level of support that remained fairly constant over the 14 days of the poll.

Calvey Tries Out Democrat Ammunition

Army Captain Kevin Calvey blogs from Iraq that he's tried out the kind of ammunition Democrats in Congress want to provide the troops. Pretty salty photo. To read Kevin's blog, check on the link at right.

Thompson Tops Georgia GOP Presidential Poll

From Hasting Wyman's Southern Political Report ~ State Sen. David Shafer, R-Duluth, who is leaning toward Mitt Romney in the ’08 contest, reports on his blog that he got a bit of a surprise at the Gwinnett County GOP convention over the weekend.

They held a straw poll there (no campaigns were represented), and the winner turned out to be actor- lawyer and former U.S. Sen. Fred Dalton Thompson.

Newt Gingrich was second. Rudy Giuliani was third, Shafer reports. Romney, McCain, Huckabee and Brownback placed fourth through seventh, in that order. He didn’t give us the raw vote total, but according to the Gwinnett Daily Post there were about 130 delegates in all. Shafer said the man from Tennessee got more votes than all the others combined. Here’s what Shafer wrote about the result: “I have always liked Fred Thompson, but his stunning and seemingly spontaneous victory took me completely by surprise. I am not sure what it means, but his nascent candidacy certainly bears greater scrutiny."

Randall Erwin Says Cash Not Kickbacks

The Tulsa World's Mick Hinton reports that a former state lawmaker says he accepted $6,800 from longtime Senator Gene Stipe's business partner, but he insists the payments, all made in cash, were not kickbacks. Randall Erwin said he is puzzled why the Federal Bureau of Investigation never contacted him before coming out with kickback allegations contained in affidavits for search warrants made public in early March.

Poll Shows Thompson A Player In Presidential Race

Fred Thompson, a movie star turned U.S. Senator turned TV star, has been publicly considering entering the 2008 Presidential Sweepstakes to fill what some see as a void in the Republican primary field and the first Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey involving Thompson shows the former Senator from Tennessee essentially tied with the Democratic frontrunner, Senator Hillary Clinton. It's Thompson 44% Clinton 43%. Thompson trails another leading Democrat, Illinois Senator Barack Obama, by 12 percentage points, 49% to 37%. When matched against Thompson, Obama outperforms Clinton among men, women, white voters, and unaffiliated voters. He even attracts more crossover support from the GOP.

Rudy Brings Campaign To Oklahoma

Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani brings his campaign to Oklahoma Thursday with a fundraiser at the Oklahoma History Center. There are few details yet about the 5:30 p.m. event.

Oklahoman Finds More Straw Donors To McMahan, Henry, Mass; McMahan Cites Donor Forms

The Oklahoman reports today it has identified more straw donors to the campaigns of Auditor & Inspector Jeff McMahan, Governor Brad Henry and former legislator Mike Mass.

Investigative reporters Nolan Clay and Tony Thornton report that about a dozen donors to the McMahan and Henry campaigns contributed about the same amounts they were paid by companies tied to abstract company owner Steve Phipps and former Senator Gene Stipe. The companies, Phipps, Stipe and others are now the focus of a federal investigation.

Clay and Thornton report they were able to identify the previously-unnamed donors by matching the names on "internal financial records" they obtained to campaign donor lists.

McMahan said his campaign obtained "contributor statements from everyone who contributed" and he thus assumed the donations to his campaign were legal.

Read more at www.newsok.com or by obtaining a copy of Sunday's edition of The Oklahoman.

Child Care Tax Credit A Novel Approach

The National Conference of State Legislatures reports that many states give tax credits for child care expenses of families with two working parents, but extending that to stay-at-home parents as is proposed in Oklahoma is a novel approach.

“At this point, we’re not aware of other states with laws like this one,” said Bert Wausanen at the NCSL’s Denver headquarters.

The idea first surfaced a couple of years ago in a joint letter-to-the-editor by Brandon Dutcher of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, a conservative think-tank, and David Dunn, research and projects director for the Oklahoma Family Policy Council, a nonprofit group associated with the national Focus on the Family organization of James Dobson.

Read more in the Joplin Globe or on Dutcher's blog.

The Gadfly On The Wall

Edwards Taps Pat Maloney: Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards has added Oklahoman Pat Maloney as his Iowa political director. Maloney joins the campaign from 21st Century Democrats where he was national field director in 2006. Maloney, a native of Cushing, was political director for the 2004 Oklahoma Democratic Coordinated Campaign. He's returning to Iowa for the second time, having previously organized southwestern Iowa for Edwards in the 2003-04 caucuses before working as deputy field director in Oklahoma and Texas.

Iraq Diaries: Captain Kevin Calvey is doing a fine job with daily postings from his legal perch in Baghdad, a perch that obviously also includes patrol interludes armed with an M-16 and his 9mm pistol. Grandson Colby Stuck, a Navy Seabee, is now in country but clamped down by security with very limited ability to communicate. You'll find our link to Kevin's blog on the right side of this page. Kevin's shown in this photo test-firing an AK47.

Hot Springs: Ann and I visited Hot Springs, Arkansas earlier this week. For me, it was the first time I'd been there since David Russell and I made the trek for a governor's conference in 1969. David was then legal counsel to Governor Dewey F. Bartlett; I was his press secretary. David, of course, is now a U. S. District Judge. Bathhouse Row hasn't changed much; renovation of some of the older buildings indicates a renewed "old elegance" look for the city.

Lady Sooners: Coach Sherri Coale's Lady Sooners take on Ole Miss at 1:30 p.m. Sunday in the Sweet Sixteen round of the NCAA Tournament. The game's on ESPN2.

Hat Tip: To The Oklahoman's investigative reporting team for another revealing campaign funny money story in the Sunday edition.

Social Mores: Speaking of The Oklahoman, Saturday's edition has a chilling story by staffer Judy Gibbs Robinson. Her story is about the decline of the family in the black community. She writes, "Statistically speaking, marriage and parenting no longer go hand-in-hand in the black community, where more than two-thirds of all births are to unwed mothers. While the marriage rate fell 17 percent in the United States from 1970 to 2001, the decline for blacks was twice that." Any doubt that Bill Cosby is right?

New Orleans Residents Arming Themselves

NEW ORLEANS ~ Sixty-four-year-old Vivian Westerman rode out Hurricane Katrina in her 19th-century house. So terrible was the experience that she wanted two things before the 2006 season arrived: a backup power source and a gun. "I got a 6,000-watt generator and the cutest little Smith & Wesson, snub-nose .38 you ever saw," she boasted. "I've never been more confident."

People across New Orleans are arming themselves -- not only against the possibility of another storm bringing anarchy, but against the violence that has engulfed the metropolitan area in the 19 months since Katrina, making New Orleans the nation's murder capital.

For thoughtful commentary on the plight of New Orleans, go to the blog Urban Elephants.

The number of permits issued to carry concealed weapons is running twice as high as it was before Katrina -- this, in a city with only about half its pre-storm population of around 450,000. Attendance at firearms classes and hours logged at shooting ranges also are up, according to the gun industry.

Gun dealers who saw sales shoot up during the chaotic few months after Katrina say that sales are still brisk, and that the customers are a cross-section of the population -- doctors, lawyers, bankers, artists, laborers, stay-at-home moms.

"People are in fear of their lives. They're looking for ways to feel safe again," said Mike Roniger, manager of Gretna Gunworks in Jefferson Parish.

Citizens, the tourism industry, police and politicians have been alarmed by the wave of killings in New Orleans, with 162 in 2006 and 37 so far this year. A Tulane University study put the city's 2006 homicide rate at 96 slayings per 100,000 people, the highest in the nation.

National Guardsmen and state police are patrolling the streets of New Orleans. In neighboring Jefferson Parish, which posted a record 66 homicides in 2006, the sheriff sent armored vehicles to protect high-crime neighborhoods.

In New Orleans, police have accused the district attorney of failing to prosecute many suspects. Prosecutors have accused the police of not bringing them solid cases.

Some people are losing faith in the system to protect them.

Earnest Johnson, a 37-year-old chef who lives in Kenner, bought his first gun recently and visits a shooting range regularly. "Things are way worse than they used to be," he said. "You have to do something to protect yourself."

Kevin Cato, a 41-year-old contractor, bought a .45-caliber handgun for protection when he is working in some of the city's still-deserted areas. "But it's not much safer at home," Cato said. "The police chased a guy through my yard one time with their guns out."

In New Orleans, the number of concealed-carry permits issued jumped from 432 in 2003-04 to 832 in 2005-06.

In Jefferson Parish, 522 permits were issued in 2003-04, and 1,362 in 2005-06.

Mike Mayer, owner of Jefferson Indoor Range and Gun Outlet in suburban Metairie, said that despite the dropoff in population, sales are up about 38 percent overall since Katrina.

Just how many guns are out there is anybody's guess. Gun buyers in Louisiana are not required to register their weapon or obtain a concealed-carry permit if they keep the gun in their house or car.

In a measure of how dangerous New Orleans is becoming, guns are finding their way into criminal hands at an alarming rate. The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' "time-to-crime" analysis of the interval between the legal sale of a gun and the time it is seized in a crime investigation is five years on average around the nation, said ATF spokesman Austin Banks. In New Orleans, time-to-crime is six months, he said.

This sometimes happens because of "straw purchases," in which a buyer obtains a gun for someone not legally eligible to purchase one. Many guns also are stolen from homes and cars.

While many are buying guns for protection, only two defensive killings of criminals by civilians took place in New Orleans in 2006, according to police. No charges were filed against the shooters.

Westerman, an artist who lives in the city's Algiers neighborhood, is prepared to use deadly force. "I'm a marksman now. I know what I'm doing," she said. "There are a lot of us. The girl next door is a crack shot."

Daxon Challenges Henry On Vacation Details

Oklahoma Republican Party Chairman Tom Daxon said Friday he is asking the governor's office to disclose specific and detailed information about the chief executive's Spring Break vacation, where he traveled and stayed, how much the trip cost, and who covered the costs of his trip.

Daxon said that during this crucial week at the state Capitol – while legislative leaders have announced and overwhelmingly passed a bipartisan state budget agreement – the governor has apparently been out of state on vacation.

"This week has been an important time for the people's business," said Daxon. "And while the governor has been out of pocket, his financial guru Scott Meacham has been making threats about using the veto pen to shoot down the bipartisan budget. I'm hoping the governor will return next week and that cooler heads will prevail. He should also address questions about where he has been."

All week, Daxon said, the governor's staff members have refused to answer detailed questions about the governor's trip. Friday's edition of the Tulsa World reported the governor's staff was "mum" on the chief executive's whereabouts.

And earlier in the week, the governor's communications director, Paul Sund, responded acrimoniously when Senate Co-President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee mentioned that the governor appeared to be out of state on a Spring Break trip. "Paul Sund has flippantly swatted away questions about the governor's trip by saying such inquiries are 'cheap shots.' I think the governor and his family, like many other families, should be able to take a vacation, especially during the Spring Break period," said Daxon. "But I also think the public has a right to know about his whereabouts when others are speaking on his behalf."

Daxon noted that Sund's refusal to answer questions about the governor's vacation comes close on the heels of "Sunshine Week" – a national event during which most media outlets focus on the need for openness from government officials. "I'm sure the governor's communications staffers will claim that I'm just posturing by asking these questions," said Daxon. "While I acknowledge that I'm in a partisan position as the Republican state party chair, I'm also asking serious questions that deserve respectful and detailed answers."

Rifle Association Opposes Senate Bill 95

The Oklahoma Rifle Association opposes Senate Bill 95, which will impact hunters. Talk show host Ron Black will discuss the bill with Dale Schuster of the ORA on Sunday night at 7 on KEBC-AM 1340 during his "Oklahoma Outdoors" show.

Cargill Cautions Henry On Budget Veto

House Speaker Lance Cargill (R-Harrah) today issued the following statement, as the governor considers whether to sign the budget bill that passed overwhelmingly through the Legislature this week:

"This budget agreement is a sincere attempt by both chambers to put the business of the state first. Both sides had to make compromises, but in the end, we all feel we have a strong framework in place for the operation of essential government services."

The budget process is in no way complete, Cargill noted. He said allocating nearly $7 billion in funding is a huge task - but with agreements in place on the largest expenditures and most pressing needs of the state, "we now are in a good position to negotiate the remainder of the budget and also determine how agencies should use their funds. I am proud of the working relationships that House and Senate leaders have developed this year in light of the delicate power sharing situation that exits. A veto threatens the common ground that we have found and will put us all in the position where the session will be dominated by our budget differences. It is in everyone's best interests to avoid a giant confrontation over the budget, as developed last session.

"We can have a much more productive session with a broad budget agreement in place, from which we can make adjustments. We know that the Governor has not had an opportunity to examine the details of the bipartisan budget agreement. We are absolutely committed to working with the Governor once he has reviewed our proposal, and in discussing any issues or concerns. I would personally hope that he accepts this offer and approves the agreement so we can continue to move forward on the budget and not return to square one."

Henry Says He May Use Line Item Veto

Governor Brad Henry says he may use his line item veto on the $6.9 billion appropriations bill. It's the latest in the head-knocking between Henry and Republicans in the House and Republicans and Democrats in the Senate. They agreed on the next budget while Henry was out of state on spring break vacation; he questioned their action through Treasurer Scott Meacham and the war of words has continued since. Now, it appears Henry is poised to go through the appropriations bill line-by-line, setting up a continuing confrontation. House Democrats have taken Henry's side, saying they were frozen out of the process and claiming many needed items are not included; Henry has taken a similar position.

Receiver To Take Control Of Stipe-Phipps Firms

A court-appointed receiver will operate companies affiliated with Phipps Enterprises as the legal battle over the firms, including abstract companies, continues between former State Senator Gene Stipe and his partner, Steve Phipps.

The two are locked in a civil lawsuit over the companies while at the same time both are targets of a federal investigation that so far has alleged they were involved in a conspiracy to funnel illegal donations into campaigns and were part of a conspiracy to funnel state money into Phipps' operation.

Federal Freedmen Ouster Probe Supported

Rep. Mike Shelton today praised the Congressional Black Caucus for seeking a federal investigation of the Cherokee Nation vote to oust tribal members descended from former slaves.

"Like many Oklahomans, I have been very disturbed by the Cherokee Nation's actions, which apparently violates their own treaty with the federal government," said Shelton, D-Oklahoma City. "I am pleased the members of the Congressional Black Caucus agree and are seeking this investigation. I stand with them and encourage them to remain steadfast in this fight."

Earlier this month, members of the Cherokee Nation voted overwhelmingly to strip the decedents of former slaves (known as "Freedmen") of their place on tribal rolls. The Freedmen have been citizens of the Cherokee Nation for more than 140 years thanks to the terms of a treaty signed by the Cherokee Nation in 1866 that admitted former slaves as tribal members.

Stipe's Web Has New Strands

Former State Rep. Mike Mass was secretly indebted for nearly seven years to former State Senator Gene Stipe through a $32,870 home mortgage and just a month ago, Stipe's brother, Francis, bought the mortgage on a second Mass home, The Oklahoman reports today. "The two mortgages are significant because, if FBI agents' affidavits are correct, Mass has information that could send Gene Stipe to prison," the paper's Tony Thornton reports. Read more at www.newsok.com or by picking up a copy of The Oklahoman.

Legislative Leaders Announce Budget Accord

UPDATE: House Speaker Lance Cargill, reacting to statements from the governor's office, issue this news release: "We will not hold up critical education, health and public safety funding while we negotiate the governor's pet projects." Vital services first. Pet projects later. "After passage of this critical funding bill and after we have met the core obligations of government service, we can sit down to discuss further financial projects without using vital services as a negotiating tool. "Funding for schools, hospitals and public safety should not be used as leverage and held hostage by the governor to achieve funding for his pet projects."

COFFEE REACTS: Senate President Co-Pro Tempore also reacted to the statement from the governor's office: “The Legislature has a constitutional duty to appropriate money, and we have worked very hard to develop this carefully balanced, bipartisan budget agreement. When Gov. Henry returns from his Spring Break vacation, we are confident he will like what he sees in this historic agreement,” said Coffee, R-Oklahoma City.

UPDATE: Governor Brad Henry, excluded from discussions that prompted the budget agreement, said he is disappointed and because he doesn't know the details, doesn't know how he will act on it. Republican leaders in the Oklahoma Senate praised a historic, bipartisan budget agreement announced today. The Senate is tied at 24 Republicans and 24 Democrats this year, giving Senate Republicans an equal say in developing the budget for the first time in history.

The agreement was announced Monday by Senate Co-President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee (R-Oklahoma City), Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan (D-Stillwater), and Speaker of the House Lance Cargill (R-Harrah).

Coffee said the agreement proves that bipartisanship can work at the Oklahoma Legislature. "In recent years we have seen double-digit spending increases and a special session on the budget. In contrast, this year we have a historic, early agreement on a bipartisan budget that meets the 'Fund Education First' deadline, fully funds state government, provides tax relief to Oklahoma families and small businesses, and shrinks overall spending compared to last year," stated Coffee.

"Reaching a budget agreement in mid-March gives the Legislature a realistic chance to finish the people's business a little early this year - a move that could potentially save the taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars," Coffee added.

Senate Appropriations Committee Co-Chairman Mike Johnson, R-Kingfisher, said Senate Republicans succeeded in their efforts to prioritize needs, hold the line on overall spending, and produce a fiscally responsible budget.

"Senate Republicans grew frustrated watching spending grow by double digits year-after-year. Now that Republicans have equal numbers in the Senate, we're proud to have helped craft a fiscally responsible budget that meets critical state needs while reducing overall spending," said Johnson. "Sen. Crutchfield, Rep. Benge, and I put aside our political differences and worked together to develop a common sense budget framework."

Senate Finance Committee Co-Chairman Mike Mazzei, R-Tulsa, said the tax relief provisions are critical to helping grow Oklahoma's economy. "Reducing our income tax rate is the number one economic development tool we have in the shed. Our agreement to accelerate existing income tax cuts will help make Oklahoma more competitive sooner. We have included a back-to-school sales tax holiday to help parents make their dollars stretch farther. Exempting many small businesses from the franchise tax makes them more competitive in the marketplace," Mazzei said.

Major details of the agreement include: A tax relief package that includes a back-to-school sales tax holiday, an acceleration of existing income tax cuts by a year, the elimination of the franchise tax for small businesses owing $250 or less (about 24,000 businesses), and a childcare tax credit for stay-at-home parents; a $6.8 billion budget for FY 2008 that shrinks government by 3 percent and makes the budget about $238 million less than the total amount of spending in the current fiscal year, and represents the earliest budget agreement since 1972; a $92 million supplemental funding package for FY 2007 and public schools will receive $60.3 million of this amount with $20.5million going for flex benefits, $21 million for fixed payroll costs associated with the $3,000 teacher pay raise; and $18.8 in reimbursements for ad valorem exemptions for businesses; the Department of Corrections will receive nearly $10 million in supplemental funding and the Legislature will continue to monitor the DoC budget to determine if additional supplemental funding is necessary; the Regents for Higher Education will receive $5.5 million in supplemental funding for OHLAP to help cover the overestimation of lottery revenues; full funding for OHLAP (in addition to receiving $5.5 million in supplemental this year, the Regents for Higher Education will receive $11,000,000 to fund the growth in the OHLAP scholarship program next year); funding for education reforms (the agreement meets the Fund Education First deadline for the first time, and includes $5.6 for ACE Initiative remediation programs, and $2,000,000 to fund additional Academic Achievement Awards; increased reimbursement rates for health care providers (to help insure access to quality health, Medicaid reimbursement rates will be increased to the Medicare rate for physicians, anesthesiologists, and hospitals); and $10 million in one-time funds for the state's Civil Emergency Management Fund.

Lady Sooners Bounce Marquette, 78-47

The Lady Sooners sent Marquette home at the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament in Austin tonight with a dominating, 78-47 win spurred by a huge game by Courtney Paris. The star center extended her double-double streak to an astounding 60 games. Every Sooner on the bench played in the final minutes of the game. The Sooners have a week off before advancing to the Sweet 16. Boomer Sooner!

Richardson: Jim East To Head Oklahoma Campaign

Democratic presidential candidate Bill Richardson, governor of New Mexico, has named Tulsan Jim East as his volunteer Oklahoma campaign director.

East, former newspaper reporter and assistant to Tulsa Mayor Susan Savage, is now a corporate government relations executive. He's the husband of Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland; they are shown here at Richardson's Oklahoma City fundraising event on Sunday.

Image courtesy Tim Reese, Democrats of Oklahoma Community Forum

Gumm Lauds Back-To-School Sales Tax Holiday

Following is a statement by Senator Jay Paul Gumm, D-Durant, author of the “Back-to-School” sales tax holiday, about the proposal being part of the general budget agreement announced by legislative leaders: “Oklahoma families are a big winner in the budget agreement announced today. The ‘Back-to-School’ sales tax holiday is a tax cut that will make a real difference in people’s lives and help keep Oklahoma’s economy strong. We talk a lot about ‘family values’ at the Capitol, but this is a tax cut that truly values families.”

Giuliani Plans OKC Event On March 29th

Rudy Giuliani will be in Oklahoma City on March 29th for an event at the Oklahoma History Center, an email sent by Audbrey McClendon announces.

McClendon, head of Chesapeake Energy, said he, investor Clay Bennett and Larry Nichols of Devon Energy are co-hosts of the event on behalf of the Giuliani Presidential Campaign Exploratory Committee. Those wishing to attend are asked to contact Christine Walton at christinewalton@joinrudy2008.com.

Miss America, Legislators Promote Internet Safety

Newly crowned Miss America Lauren Nelson met with state legislative leaders Monday to promote legislation placing increased restrictions on those who prey on children online.

"Internet safety is a timely issue that's not always at the forefront of our thinking, so my job as Miss America is to promote awareness and education of this issue," said Nelson, a Lawton native whose personal platform issue as Miss America is Internet safety and protecting children online.

House Bill 1714, by Rep. Paul Wesselhoft, would allow the courts to prohibit registered sex offenders from accessing certain communication Web sites like MySpace and requires them to list any current e-mail addresses they are using.

Hometown Newspaper Defends McMahan

From the Tecumseh Countywide News, in an editorial outlining the Gene Stipe-Steve Phipps campaign finance scandal and the actions of Governor Brad Henry, Congressman Dan Boren and Attorney General Drew Edmondson in ridding themselves of Stipe- and Phipps-related donations: "And then there’s Jeff McMahan. He has a double problem. First of all, he’s the only one of the four who actually was in a heated (read that expensive) campaign last year. Secondly, one of his employees (okay, former employee as of Tuesday) was accused of channeling a straw donation to Rep. Boren. When you take those things together and throw in the obvious need for that office to be above reproach at all times, you get an automatic recipe for distress.

"For our part, Mr. McMahan has always enjoyed our total confidence. He still does. He is doing all he can do. He fired Tim Arbaugh, the offending employee, even though that might give him trouble of another kind.

"But he can’t give any campaign funds to charity because he doesn’t have any left. He has been in two statewide campaigns and both have been close. His office is checking to see if it would be legal and proper to raise some more and give it away as a kind of offset. Things are on hold until that question is answered."

Richardson Visit 'Successful'

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson's presidential fundraising visit to Oklahoma City on Sunday is being described as "successful," although no amount is being mentioned.

Richardson's event, held at the home of attorney Sid Musser near the State Capitol, attracted a large number of Democrats, including former Governor David Walters and former Oklahoma City Councilman Mark Schwartz. Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland attended, as did Democratic Party leaders Lisa Pryor and Ben Odom.

Image courtesy Tim Reese, Democrats of Oklahoma Community Forum

Hasting Wymans Surveys The GOP 'Southern' Field

By Hasting Wymans, Southern Political Report ~ Southern Republicans continue to jump into -- or dip a toe in -- the 2008 presidential waters. US Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) made his candidacy official on Monday, announcing from Washington, DC, that he is a candidate for the GOP presidential nomination.

Paul, though a long shot at best, is no stranger to presidential politics. In 1988, Paul garnered some 432,000 votes -- or about ½ of 1% -- as the Libertarian Party’s nominee for president. He will not resign his House seat to run, however, suggesting the highly principled ideologue has not entirely lost sight of practical politics. Paul, who is 71, has made news in recent years for his opposition to the war in Iraq, not the typical position for Southern Republicans.

A more likely prospect for the Republican nomination if he runs, though still a dark horse, is former US Sen. Fred Thompson (R-TN). Thompson served eight years in the Senate before retiring in 2002. Although he made his professional reputation early in life as an attorney -- he was the Minority Counsel to the Senate’s Watergate Committee in 1973-74 -- Thompson is better known of late for his role as the District Attorney in the television series Law & Order, one of a number of dramatic roles in film and television that the Nashville politico has played. While Thompson’s voting record in the Senate was fairly conservative, he has more of the feel of a mainstream Republican in the mold of his fellow Tennessean former Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker. So whether he can fill the gap on the GOP’s right left by the leading ex-moderates -- John McCain, Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani -- in the Republican race remains to be seen.

If both Thompson and Paul run, there are likely to be five Southern Republicans in the 2008 White House sweepstakes.

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee has been conducting a highly visible campaign, criss-crossing those states -- especially in the South -- with early primaries and hitting the television talk shows.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, while not formally in the race, is a sure-thing for the 2008 contest, says InsiderAdvantage CEO Matt Towery, who served as Gingrich’s campaign chairman from 1992 until he resigned from Congress. In a recent column, Towery wrote that he is “100 percent positive that Gingrich will enter the battle for the GOP nomination… The real issue for Team Gingrich on a presidential announcement is not if, but when."

Former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore announced last December and filed with the Federal Election Commission in January, but little has been heard from him since then. He did, however, make the rounds at the recent the American Conservative Union Political Action Committee conference in Washington, and has hired a New York consultant.

Ironically, however, it is the Yankees in the race who continue to be the favorites of Southern Republicans. New Yorker Giuliani is leading in the polls, even in Dixie; McCain, from Arizona, is usually second, with former Massachusetts Romney third or fourth. So far, Gingrich is the only Southerner to show popular strength among Dixie voters, usually running third or fourth.

Tulsa World: McMahan Now Admits Ties To Phipps

By Mick Hinton and Randy Krehbiel, Sunday Tulsa World ~ State Auditor and Inspector Jeff McMahan (left) on Friday admitted that he had ties to the man suspected of helping former Sen. Gene Stipe funnel illegal straw donations to favored candidates.

Two years ago, McMahan said his only connection to Steve Phipps (right) of Kiowa was that his son had sung a jingle used in McMahan's 2002 campaign for auditor.

At the time, Stipe said Phipps was McMahan's campaign manager.

Stipe and Phipps are former business partners who are locked in a civil lawsuit.

McMahan now says he recalls two fundraisers put on by Phipps and Tim Arbaugh, a former employee in the auditor's office. "I believe there were two fundraisers in Guthrie," McMahan said. "We had dinner and then (contributors) would go to the theater for a play." McMahan said the fundraiser tickets cost $100 a person. The auditor said donors were required to sign a form saying they had made the contribution themselves. "I'm not aware of anyone getting a ticket for nothing. Unless there was someone who contributed $500, they probably had (extra) tickets."

Last week, the auditor fired Arbaugh. The termination was prompted by allegations in a federal search warrant asserting that Arbaugh was a $2,000 "straw donor" to U.S. Rep. Dan Boren. Arbaugh was reimbursed the $2,000 by Phipps, the court document alleges.

"I don't know what kind of relationship Phipps and Arbaugh had," McMahan said. "I knew that they had been friends, but I always was very careful in checking whether there was any favoritism on abstract plants (businesses) connected to Phipps."

McMahan said he has never received a straw donation. However, Rita Benson, who prepared tax forms for Phipps' company, testified in Pittsburg County District Court on Tuesday that she was a "straw donor" to McMahan and Boren. "Steve Phipps paid me the check for the money I donated," she said.

Benson's testimony came a week after FBI agents seized records at Stipe's McAlester office. An affidavit released March 7 alleges that Stipe and three other former Democratic lawmakers conspired to funnel $2.27 million in state funds to companies linked to Phipps and Stipe. Records show that a dozen contributors to Boren's 2004 congressional race were connected to the abstracting industry. They also gave about $30,000 to McMahan's campaign in 2002. In his 2002 race for assessor, McMahan took fundraising for an auditor and inspector race to new heights. In his first race, McMahan raised about $360,000. Four years later, he raised $499,000 in contributions for a post that pays $109,250. McMahan's predecessor, longtime auditor Clifton Scott, said his last campaign in 1998 cost in the neighborhood of $100,000.

McMahan relied heavily on donations from abstract company personnel in 2002 and 2006, according to state campaign finance reports. His contributors included a substantial number of people associated with abstract companies connected to Stipe and Phipps. Stipe's connection to those companies became public two years ago, when the former senator sued Phipps, saying that he was not getting his fair share from their businesses. This was when Stipe's connection to several abstracting companies became public for the first time.

Gary Jones, who lost to McMahan in 2002 and 2006, said he did not take any donations from abstractors. Jones called last week for regulation of abstractors to be removed from the auditor's office. "Basically, the auditor controls it lock, stock and barrel, and this way if they controlled one person, they could control their monopoly," Jones said.

McMahan said he has never been able to "get my arms around" the abstractor aspect of his office. It was something that came with the office, having been placed within a state agency by law. "They have to get their certificates of authority to operate here. We also license abstractors. We have somewhere between 800 and 1,000 renewed yearly," McMahan said.

But starting a new abstract company is nearly impossible. A 1984 law requires the compiling of a complete "abstract plant" -- all land records for the county in which an abstract company plans to operate -- before a new applicant can be certified. Consequently, McMahan said, 30 to 40 of Oklahoma's 77 counties have only one abstractor's office. Jones said it costs about $1 million to copy all the records and meet other requirements to set up a new office. He said in the last 20 years, only one new abstractor has been granted a certificate. McMahan said a new abstract plant has been built in LeFlore County. He said he thought four more have applied and only one of those has been denied.

Jones contends that Phipps met with three former lawmakers, Mike Mass of Hartshorne, Randall Erwin of Nashoba and Jerry Hefner of Wagoner, in Arbaugh's basement office. Although he doesn't have any firsthand knowledge, Jones said that is where they worked out the deal that the lawmakers would designate more than $2 million in state appropriations to benefit Phipps' enterprises in return for kickbacks.

"I don't know anything about those secret meetings. I have looked through my itinerary and don't find anything referring to that," McMahan said. The auditor said that about a year ago he talked to the FBI, although he was not subpoenaed. "Close to a year ago, they just stopped by my office," he said.

Edwards Claims Oklahoma Legislator Support

The John Edwards for President campaign announced today that 30 Democrats in the Oklahoma State Legislature have endorsed him for President. Among those endorsing Edwards are Oklahoma State Senate President Co-Pro Tempore Mike Morgan, State House Minority Leader Danny Morgan, 10 State Senators and 20 State Representatives.

LA Times: Thompson Right Out Of Central Casting

(From the Los Angeles Times) WASHINGTON ~ Conservatives often ridicule Democrats for espousing the "culture of Hollywood." But in the latest sign of Republican discontent with the field of 2008 presidential hopefuls — and in a familiar plot twist — some of those same activists are eyeing an actor as the party's potential savior. Fred Thompson, the former GOP senator from Tennessee who once played a White House chief of staff on the big screen and who appears now as a politically savvy prosecutor on TV's "Law & Order," is positioning himself to answer the call and, perhaps, follow the script that saw Ronald Reagan jump from Hollywood to the White House.

Thompson is scheduled to visit Capitol Hill in a few weeks, a trip designed to dovetail with efforts by three well-connected Tennessee friends to line up support for drafting him into a GOP campaign that so far has left many core Republican leaders discouraged.

One of those friends, former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, has called for a Thompson candidacy in postings on his political action committee's blog. Meanwhile, Howard Baker, another former Senate majority leader who also served as a White House chief of staff under President Reagan, and Rep. Zach Wamp (R-Tenn.) have been recruiting congressional endorsements.

Thompson "is in the process of getting his personal affairs in order so this has a chance of happening," said Wamp, who spoke at length this week with Thompson.

Wamp said that about 40 House members were interested in meeting with Thompson. Frist told supporters Friday that Thompson was interested in hearing their reactions.

"Now is the time for big ideas … big, true conservative ideas that rise above the fray," Frist wrote on his website. Noting that he spoke with Thompson on Thursday night, Frist said, "Fred is listening. He will carefully consider running over the next several weeks."

Plenty of obstacles remain for Thompson — or any would-be candidate — given that other presidential aspirants already have secured major endorsements and hired strategists, while investing millions of dollars to build networks in the early-voting primary states.

But the effort coalescing behind Thompson underscores the extent to which leading conservatives are dissatisfied with a GOP race in which former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, a moderate on abortion and gay rights, has become the front-runner in polls.

The leading alternatives to Giuliani have not quelled the disenchantment — top conservatives remain wary of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney suffers from his one-time embrace of moderate views on some social issues.

Romney has disavowed those positions and stressed his commitment to conservative causes. He won a straw poll at a recent conference of conservative activists in Washington — but even after busing supporters to the event, he came out on top with just 21% of the vote.

"That's not what I would call a ringing endorsement," said David A. Keene, chairman of the American Conservative Union, which organized the gathering. "People are looking at the field and saying consumers are not going to buy the product," Keene said. "At a certain point, you can put a new one on the market and clean up."

Grover Norquist, the anti-tax activist who introduced Romney at the conservative conference, said an opening remained for a viable alternative. "You can write the scenario where any one, or every one, of the [leading GOP contenders] weakens, and a strong candidate can jump in," he said.

Norquist, along with some other conservative leaders, is frustrated that popular former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush — the president's brother — has ruled out a candidacy. "I'm a big fan of the Jeb Bush scenario, but he's just decided 'no, no, no,' and Bush fatigue may be stronger than I thought it was," Norquist said.

Another prospective answer to the prayers of some conservatives is former House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia. His recent admission of an extramarital affair while he pressed for impeachment proceedings against President Clinton was seen partly as an effort to inoculate himself from future criticism of his personal life. But Gingrich has made no direct moves toward organizing supporters or, perhaps most important, raising money.

Lady Sooners Take SE Missouri State 74-60

The Lady Sooners defeated Southeast Missouri State 74-60 Saturday to notch their first NCAA Tournament victory. Little Jenna Plumley hit six 3-pointers and scored 20 points. Courtney Paris, double-teamed throughout the game, had her 59th double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Senior Leah Rush slammed 3-pointers as well and bedeviled the opponent with her fall-away jumpers.

The Gadfly On The Wall

Roland PD RIP: It is of passing interest to me that I'll no longer have to fret the presence of police cars from the town of Roland sitting on Interstate 40 in eastern Oklahoma waiting to add to the town's revenues. The Roland PD has been told to cease and desist...quit sitting on the interstate highway waiting to write tickets. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says there's no need. Does the phrase "speed trap" resonate?

Home Place: Garfield County has been named one of the 10 best places to live in rural America. It ranked No. 8 in The Progressive Farmer's recap. No surprise here. Born in Enid but having left there as an infant, my connections to this part of God's Country have been sporadic in recent years. Visits, however, convince one the publication got it right.

Ouch: Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor's daughter was arrested early Friday morning on misdemeanor complaints of driving her 2006 BMW under the influence and running a stop sign, records show. Elizabeth Catherine Frame, 24, was released from the Tulsa jail early Friday on $1,100 bond.

Seized Cash: I confess continued unease about reports of law enforcement officers seizing cash from motorists they stop. This week, there's the story about a million-plus dollars in cash having been found in a car in western Oklahoma and how law enforcement is gleefully splitting up the money. The flimsy reason for this is that it is suspected drug proceeds. As I understand it, no charges were filed against anyone. The theory seems to be that anyone carrying any significant sum of cash acquired it illegally. (In this case, that may be true, but how can we know without criminal charges being filed?) I am reminded of the older couple in Florida a few years back who were found to have $17,500 in cash on them when their vehicle was stopped because a taillight was out. The money was confiscated because, it was reasoned, that much money must be tied to an illegal act. Turns out the couple had just sold their mobile home in Alabama and were on their way to buy another in southern Florida. It took them six months to get their money back because even though they weren't charged with any crime, the state of Florida had the cash and wasn't about to give it back until a judge ordered it to do so.

Credit Cards: I was chagrined the other night as I watched ABC's "Nightline" special on credit card debt (and misuse) in the U. S. when efforts to pedal credit cards to wet-behind-the-ears college students was discussed and the University of Oklahoma was featured. There was a credit card kiosk complete with folks wearing OU shirts and handing out same to students who signed up. The university no doubt benefits financially from credit card solicitations among its students. That doesn't make it prudent, or right.

On Target: If you're a 2nd Amendment defender (as I am) and want to keep up with the latest news on the subject, there's no better place for up-to-date news than Gun Law News. The site includes a daily update from blogs and news sites and usually includes a complete recap of issues related to the right to keep and bear arms.

Feel Good Bills: We've had a spate of "feel good" bills this session. Rep. Mike Shelton has one, to fight gangs. No argument here that may be needed, but the biggest need is for parents to take control of their kids' lives. We can pass all the new laws we want to supplant or bolster the ones we now have; bottom line is there will be no significant improvement without the involvement of parents and mentors and the affirmation of family values that discourage gang membership.

Bill & Barack: Confess I feel for Bill Richardson. The New Mexico governor, pondering a race for the Democratic nomination for president, is in town Sunday, but almost all of the news media attention has focused on Barack Obama, in the state on Monday. One TV station is so enamored it will carry his visit "live." The Oklahoman this morning headlined Obama with photo and gave Richardson a one-line mention way down in the story. Obama is the "rock star" of the field despite his limited government experience. Richardson is simply a solid moderate politician the main stream media thus far has given scant attention. The Gadfly suggests that is because Richardson isn't liberal enough for the MSM.

Presidential Primary Shuffle: California has moved its presidential primary date up to earlier in the year. Others states, like Oklahoma, are considering doing the same. If it keeps going, as one radio wag said earlier in the week, we'll have New Hampshire voters going to the polls still hung over from New Year's Eve parties.

Salute! With Seabee grandson Colby Stuck on station in Iraq, I'm reminded once again of how much we owe those who have worn our uniforms, among them cousin Jerry McCarville, shown here as a lieutenant colonel from Darlington, Wisconsin, while commanding the 4017th Combat Training Squadron at Castle Air Force Base, California.

Keating Backs Holland On Insurance Issue

UPDATE: Former Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating, now head of the American Council of Life Insurers in Washington, has written a letter supporting Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland's position on insurance company investments. Keating's letter puts him in opposition to several Republicans in the State House.The McCarville Report Online obtained a copy of Keating's letter, which reads in part:

"On behalf of the American Council of Life Insurers, I would like to thank you for your past and continuing efforts in working to adopt legislation that is based on model laws. I applaud your latest efforts to update Oklahoma's investment laws to conform to the investments of Insurers Model Act adopted by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

"ACLI expresses its support for the changes to Oklahoma law that would regulate the types and amount of investment of insurer assets in construction loans. The limits set forth in H 1958 reflect exactly the limits prescribed in the investments of Insurers Model Act. This Model Act was adopted in 1996 by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and was the product of four years of concerted effort to create a modern and comprehensive investment law for all insurers. The effort included all segments of the insurance industry, state and federal regulators, Wall Street, investment bankers and consumers.

"The Model Act created a set of realistic limits that reflect the level of investments currently being held by a majority of our nation's insurers. After much study done by regulators and such interested parties as the Mortgage Bankers Association and the Investment Company Institute and ACLI the limit set forth in H 1958 was selected as representative of the amount of investment risk insurers should assume to balance their interests in assuring stable capital bgrowth while protecting their assets to pay promised benefits. In fact, our present research (current as of December 31, 2005) shows that our companies investments in such construction and land development loans amounted to 2.6 billion dollars which represents 0.1% of our companies general account assets."

The letter puts the former Republican governor at odds with GOP Rep. Greg Piatt of Ardmore, who pushed for an investment percentage 10 times that which Holland recommended.

(Originally posted March 6th) ~ Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland warned the House Economic Development and Financial Services Committee that an amendment proposed by Republican Rep. Greg Piatt, R-Ardmore, and apparently supported by the House GOP leadership, opens "the door for companies that are marginal to come into Oklahoma."

The amendment, supported by the Gene Phillips family insurance companies lobbyist Bobby Stem, sets a 20 percent cap on how much money insurance companies can invest in real estate construction loans. Holland wants the limit set at 2 percent. She said real estate construction loans are "speculative and risky," and that only three insurance companies, all tied to the Phillips family, want the change.

The committee's action, and Holland's comments, drew more than usual attention since the Republican that Holland defeated, former Rep. Bill Case, is now a member of Stem's lobbying firm. Case had considerable support from Enid attorney Stephen Jones, who has been linked to the Texas group "Just The Facts America" that tried to defeat Democrat Holland last year. Jones is among the state's most generous political donors, giving most often to Republicans.

Another reason for the attention is that former Insurance Commissioner Carroll Fisher is accused of accepting money and gifts from Phillips, his family and business associates; Fisher awaits trial in a bribery case that's an extension of the criminal investigation that drove him from office.

Inhofe Headed Iraq Debate

WASHINGTON, D.C. – At the request of Senate leadership yesterday, Senator Jim Inhofe represented the Republicans during the Senate floor debate over the Democrat resolution on Iraq. Inhofe coordinated what ultimately resulted in a bipartisan rebuke of the Democrat resolution that called for greater Congressional micromanagement of the War in Iraq by setting an arbitrary timeline for withdrawal. Republicans also succeeded in putting the Senate on record affirming funding to support our troops serving in Iraq.

FEMA Does It Again; Henry Reacts

Governor Brad Henry expressed disbelief and disappointment today after hearing of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s denial of the state’s appeal for individual assistance for those recovering from January’s ice storms.

“Obviously, I am extremely disappointed,” Henry said. “It is stunning that they would deny our request when they have granted individual assistance in the past under similar circumstances.”

FEMA earlier this month denied the state’s original request for individual assistance and the governor immediately appealed the decision. Public assistance has been granted for 44 affected counties.

“The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management, our state’s entire congressional delegation and I have all stressed to FEMA our need for individual assistance in the affected counties, backing up our request with hard figures documenting damages suffered by individuals” the governor said. “That FEMA would continue to deny Oklahomans needed assistance is unconscionable, and I will continue to do all I can to get help for those most affected by the ice storms.”

National Review Lauds OCPA Database Push

National Review has lauded the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs for its work in establishing a searchable online database of state contracts and grants.

Here's the publication's report: "One state-based think tank, the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA), has adopted another national idea to the state level and thus started a trend of its own. Inspired by the work of Sens. Tom Coburn (R., Okla.) and Barack Obama (D., Ill.) on the creation of a searchable online database of federal contracts and grants, OCPA began to push the state legislature to do something similar for taxpayers in Oklahoma. Last October, in an op-ed calling for a state-funding website, Coburn and OCPA vice president Brandon Dutcher wrote, 'Many taxpayers… may be aware that their tax dollars have paid for things like rooster shows and ghost employees and $100 car washes, but these things are just the tip of the iceberg.'

"Since then, the idea has met little resistance from state politicians in either party. On March 1st the state senate unanimously approved the creation of the database, and governor Brad Henry, a Democrat, picked up the idea and included it in his State of the State address this year. The idea is gaining popularity in other states as well. OCPA spokesman Brian Hobbs says, 'We pitched the idea at a Center-Right Coalition meeting. It created a buzz there, and word traveled fast.'

"Legislation enacting state versions of the spending database have been introduced in Maryland, Minnesota, and of course, Tennessee."

Henry Donates Another $7,500 To Charity

Governor Brad Henry has given away another $7,500 in campaign funds to further distance himself from former Senator Gene Stipe.

Henry said he was donating the money, given to his 2002 and 2006 campaigns by Stipe and by Stipe's abstract company partner, Steve Phipps, and his Phipps Enterprises. The Federal Bureau of Investigation alleges Stipe and Phipps were part of a conspiracy to funnel money into numerous campaigns.

Earlier this week, Henry donated $35,000 to charity; that's the sum federal investigators have linked to straw donors. Congressman Dan Boren gave a similar amount to charity for the same reason.

Tim Pope Fined $4,500 For Robocalls

Former State Rep. Tim Pope has been fined $4,500 for placing robocalls in last year's election. Enid attorney Stephen Jones, representing Pope (who was accused of breaking a federal law on the use of pre-recorded telephone messages) plans to appeal the fine levied by U.S. District Judge Robin Cauthron.

The judge did agree with Pope and Jones in ordering the fine, which could have gone as high as $10 million if Cauthron had determined Pope was responsible for 20,000 illegal calls, as originally alleged by Attorney General Drew Edmondson.

About half of the calls with a message attacking an Oklahoma County commissioner were answered, according to court papers, so state prosecutors suggested a fine of $100 per call.

Pope and Jones argued that a smaller fine was appropriate, since only nine people complained to the attorney general's office about the January 2006 calls. Cauthron sided with Pope in assessing a $500 fine for each complaint.

McCain Due In State May 21st

U. S. Senator John McCain brings his presidential aspirations to Oklahoma on May 21st when he will address the Oklahoma Legislature.

Republican Rep. Trebor Worthen said McCain accepted an invitation from House Speaker Lance Cargill to speak.

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney also has accepted an invitation to speak to the Legislature.

Poultry Waste Control Measure Clears House

Poultry feeding operations, waste utilization businesses and nutrient management units would be legally required to adhere to the terms of a 2003 agreement between the City of Tulsa and the poultry industry under legislation approved by the House today.

House Bill 1490, by Rep. Dan Sullivan, (pictured) creates the Eucha-Spavinaw Nutrient Management Act. The bill incorporates the provisions of the state's settlement agreement (between the poultry industry and the City of Tulsa) into state law.

"I believe we can have clean water in Northeastern Oklahoma and have a thriving poultry industry at the same time," said Sullivan, R-Tulsa. "The work that has been put into this bill demonstrates that two groups with widely divergent views can come together and develop a workable solution that meets the needs of all concerned."

The bill would prevent the City of Tulsa from having to undergo any additional legal expenses to enforce the settlement agreement. If violations do occur, the law would provide the city injunctive relief to stop the problem until a determination has been made as to the nature or extent of the violation.

The legislation also makes the settlement agreement apply to any individuals or businesses that move into the watershed who were not parties to the original agreement. The city filed a lawsuit in December 2001 claiming the poultry defendants were responsible for 170 million pounds of phosphorus and nitrogen-rich chicken waste that goes into the city watershed each year through creeks and streams that flow into Lake Eucha, which in turn feeds Lake Spavinaw.

Lake Spavinaw is one of two drinking water sources for Tulsa; the other is Lake Oologah. The sides agreed to settle the case on the day the trial was scheduled to begin.

The agreement requires those businesses to implement a nutrient management plan for reducing poultry litter accumulating in Oklahoma watersheds. The poultry defendants and their growers cannot apply poultry litter to land in the watershed until they receive their nutrient management plans.

The settlement called for a phosphorus-risk index to govern the conditions under which animal waste or fertilizer may be applied to land in the watershed. The Eucha-Spavinaw Phosphorus Index (ESPI) was developed by a team from Oklahoma State University and the University of Arkansas and adopted by the court in February 2004.

House Bill 1490 passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives on a 98-1 vote on Thursday. The bill now proceeds to the state Senate for consideration.

Legislative Leaders Say Budget Agreement Near

The leaders of both chambers in the Oklahoma Legislature issued the following joint statement regarding ongoing discussions over the state budget: “We have made tremendous progress in budget negotiations and are very close to an agreement. We expect to make an announcement early next week regarding the details of a bipartisan agreement on numerous budget-related issues.”

Club For Growth Honors Inhofe

U. S. Senator Jim Inhofe today was presented with the Club for Growth’s annual Defender of Economic Freedom Award created to honor members of Congress who have a strong voting record on economic growth issues.

“With his score of 94, Senator Inhofe is clearly a courageous defender of American taxpayers,” said Club for Growth president Pat Toomey. “As 1 of only 22 congressional members to earn this award, Senator Inhofe demonstrates a strong commitment to increasing economic freedom and improving the standard of living for all Americans.”

House Approves Anti-Stalking Measure

Legislation to make victims protective orders available 24/7 to individuals who need immediate protection from an abuser or stalker has passed the House. House Bill 1575, by Rep. Ron Peters, allows victims of stalking, harassment, or domestic abuse to receive temporary protective orders, even when the court is not open for business, through available law enforcement.

Small Business Measure Clears House Vote

State lawmakers voted today to support Oklahoma's small businesses by simplifying and, in some cases, eliminating corporate and franchise taxes. House Bill 1386, by Rep. Randy Terrill, would both reduce and reform Oklahoma's corporate income tax. Currently, the state imposes a flat tax of 6 percent on all corporations. Terrill wants to implement a graduated scale that reduces the tax for most businesses, particularly small companies.

Alternative Energy Sources Bill Passes House

Oklahomans wishing to utilize alternative energy sources in their home may soon get tax benefits under a bill that passed the House today. House Bill 1387, by Reps. Randy Terrill and Bill Nations, would provide significant tax credits to consumers who install solar or wind energy equipment at their homes. The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.

Senate Hits First Tie Vote

The State Senate had its first tie vote today, 23-23, on a minimum wage amendment. One Republican was absent and Senate Co-President Pro Tem Mike Morgan didn't vote the first time around. He subsequently did, and the amendment passed 24-23. The bill, however, did not get the required 25 votes and thus, did not pass.

That action came after Lt. Governor Jari Askins, Democrat, was called to vote and break the tie; but before that could occur, Morgan voted and the vote on the whole bill followed.

Another Mayor Dumps Bloomberg Anti-Gun Group; Tulsa's Kathy Taylor Remains Member

From The New York Sun ~ A fourth mayor has withdrawn from Mayor Bloomberg's coalition against illegal guns, officials said.

Mayor Mary Wolf of Williamsport, Pa., said in an interview yesterday that she withdrew from Mayors Against Illegal Guns because she thought it was attempting to erode all gun ownership, not just illegal guns.

Bloomberg and Mayor Menino of Boston formed the coalition last year to lobby for laws that would prevent guns from illegally ending up in the wrong hands. Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor (pictured here, center right, at a coalition meeting at Gracie Mansion), was a founding member of the group and remains a member.

In a letter to Bloomberg, Ms. Wolf wrote, "I have learned that the coalition may be working on issues which conflict with legal gun ownership, and that some actions on your behalf are dubious."

Some of those actions, she said, include the city's civil lawsuits against gun dealers in five states whom private investigators videotaped making illegal "straw sales."

The other mayors who have left the coalition are Jared Furhriman of Idaho Falls, Idaho, Mark Begich of Anchorage, Alaska, and Kevin Jackson of Rio Rancho, N.M.

A spokesman for Bloomberg, Jason Post, said in a statement that the gun lobby was distorting the facts about the coalition. "All mayors in this coalition share a common concern about illegal guns and a common desire to move beyond the tired old politics of exaggeration and mischaracterization that has unfortunately dominated the illegal gun debate in the past," he said.

The owner of a firing range and gun dealership in Williamsport, Frank Tripoli, said he learned more about the coalition's activities through the National Shooting Sports Foundation, a trade group representing 3,600 retailers, distributors, manufacturers, publications, and other organizations. "We live in a community that is a hunting, fishing, and shooting sports-focused group of people," he said. "I think a lot of people wrote to the mayor."

Armed Citizen Shoots Armed Carjacker

Albuquerque, New Mexico ~ An Albuquerque father shot in front of his 10-year-old daughter during a gunfight with an accused carjacker is making a remarkable recovery.

Hector Camarillo’s condition has been upgraded from critical to satisfactory.

KRQE News 13 has now learned Camarillo told police he had to shoot to protect himself and his daughter, according to an Albuquerque Police Department criminal complaint.

Camarillo, who said the carjacker shot first, was hit by one bullet. However he had his own pistol and shot the suspect three times.

Police allege Alex Maldonado, 19, was behind the violent crime spree that began with another carjacking and ended in the shooting. He is hospitalized and faces charges of carjacking and attempted murder.

Jones Calls For Auditor Office Reforms, Claims McMahan's 'Straw Donors' Gave $80,000

Gary Jones today called on the Legislature and the governor to implement immediate reforms in the Oklahoma State Auditor’s office to "help prevent scandals like the current one involving straw donors and the funneling of state funds to Gene Stipe and his partner Steve Phipps."

And appearing on the "Tailgate Political Hour" on radio station KTLR Wednesday afternoon, Jones alleged the total Auditor & Inspector Jeff McMahan received from illegal donors will be $80,000 or more. He said the lower total now being discussed simply represents a matching of names of straw donors to the campaigns of Governor Brad Henry and Congressman Dan Boren to McMahan's donor list and is not a complete picture of money funneled into McMahan's campaign.

Jones, the Republican nominee for the office in 2002 and 2006, said a first reform would be to remove the abstract division from the authority of the state auditor’s office. "The auditor should not be regulating, they should be auditing," he said. "Since the law was changed giving the state auditor control over abstractors they have become the primary funding source for campaign contributions to their hand-picked auditor candidate. This would also stop the practice of approving or disapproving abstract permits in exchange for campaign contributions."

Jones said employees in the office should be merit employees, freeing "them from pressure to contribute and campaign in order to keep their jobs. This would also allow employees of the office to assist in any investigations that might be forthcoming now or in the future."

Jones said he proposed these changes during his campaign and while there may be the need for further reform, these two changes would address concerns as to how and why the scandal developed in the first place.

"Creating a professional working environment where employees feel they can report wrongdoing even when it involves their boss is important especially when you are dealing with the taxpayer’s money," Jone said.

Obama, Richardson Hit State Next Week

Two potential Democratic candidates for president, Barack Obama and Bill Richardson, are in the state next week.

Richardson is due at a fundraiser on Sunday at the home of Sid Musser in northeast Oklahoma City. Special guests are Barry Switzer, Oklahoma City Councilman Pete White and former Councilman Mark Schwartz.

Obama is due at events in Tulsa and Oklahoma City on Monday. A 4:30 p.m. event will be held at the Farmers Market in Oklahoma City and Democrats in charge say they expect upwards of a thousand persons to attend.

North Carolina Businessman Shoots Home Invaders

Fayetteville, North Carolina ~ Two men have been arrested in connection with a home invasion of their employer in Fayetteville that left both suspects with gunshot wounds.

Cumberland County sheriff’s detectives arrested Paul Euston Kent Jr., 20, of 5384 Wichita Drive in Fayetteville (pictured) and Carlos Francisco Mozzo, 18, of 317 Summerhill Road in Fayetteville, and charged them with attempted first-degree burglary and robbery with a deadly weapon.

Investigators said the men allegedly entered the home of James Wiggins, 66, of 3411 Cumberland Road shortly after 8:00 p.m. Both suspects were wearing black ski masks, dark clothing and had a handgun in their possession, authorities said. Wiggins told detectives his dog began to bark and he spotted the men approaching the home. Wiggins went to his bedroom, retrieved his gun and began shooting at the men when the backdoor of his home was forced open, investigators said. Kent suffered a gunshot wound to the lower portion of his right eye. He was treated and released from Cape Fear Valley Medical Center and was placed in the Cumberland County Detention Center under $50,000 bond.

Mozzo’s injuries included a gunshot wound to a leg and one to the midsection of his body. He was transported to Duke Hospital, where he underwent treatment for the non-life threatening injuries.

Armed Florida Homeowner Shoots Serial Invader

Manatee, Florida ~ A string of home invasions that started in Manatee County ended when a homeowner shot one of the suspects in Clewiston.

Two 20-year-olds, a man and woman, were arrested and are suspected in the Saturday home invasion in Manatee County, where a 92-year-old man was beaten and pepper-sprayed, and another one in Polk County, where an 85-year-old woman was beaten.

According to the Clewiston Police Department, Luke Irons, of St. Petersburg, and Chrisanthe Apergis, of Seminole, armed with a BB pistol and a tire iron, forced their way into the home of two elderly homeowners at about 7 p.m. Sunday. The suspects struggled with the victims, a 74-year-old man and a 64-year-old woman. The man broke free, grabbed a handgun and fired twice at Irons, hitting him both times, according to a police report.

Irons and Apergis fled the home, but Irons collapsed in the driveway, where the police found him.

The two are suspected in the Manatee County crime, as well as the similar home invasion in Lakeland on Sunday. The Lakeland Police Department found the car of the 92-year-old Manatee County victim, a green Chevrolet Cavalier, at the scene of the Lakeland crime. The vehicle of the Lakeland victim, a 1999 Lincoln Town Car, was found at the Clewiston home invasion.

Manatee County sheriff's investigators on Monday were in Clewiston, a small agricultural town on the banks of Lake Okeechobee, taking statements for charges to be filed in Manatee County incident, according to Dave Bristow, spokesman for the sheriff's office.

"We extremely pleased there were captured," Bristow said. "They picked on the vulnerable by preying on the elderly."

Lottery Shortfall Confronts Common Schools

Governor Brad Henry's lottery for education has again come up short. This time, schools face a $37 million cut in state funding because lottery income is far short of the projected $123.9 million expected; the estimate is now just $83.3 million. The forecast for the 2008 fiscal year calls for revenue of about $86.2 million.

Fred Thompson's Bandwagon Is Rolling

By Tim Darnell, Hasting Wyman's Southern Political Report ~ As first reported yesterday on SPR - and as was discussed during Sunday's edition of C-Span's Washington Journal - supporters of Tennessee's Fred Dalton Thompson are mapping out a plan to draft the sometime actor into a presidential run.

UPDATE: Former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist on Monday added his voice to those urging Fred Thompson to run for president. Frist, a Tennessee Republican who abandoned his own presidential ambitions in November, wrote on his blog that Thompson is "a genuine leader."

UPDATE: U.S. Rep. John J. Duncan Jr., R-Knoxville, endorsed Mitt Romney for president less than two months ago, but he says he instead will back Tennessee's Fred Thompson if he joins the fray. "If (former Sen.) Fred Thompson gets in there, then I definitely would support him," Duncan, a Republican, said in an interview. "He's been a long-time friend. I know him a whole lot better than I know (former Massachusetts) Gov. Romney."

AND THIS: From Wednesday's edition of Evans & Novak: "The hype over former Sen. Fred Thompson has some substance to it, as the actor-politician has already begun approaching experienced campaign hands in key states. Thompson already evokes the obvious comparison to Ronald Reagan because of his profession. Thompson effectively embraced the Republican right when he ran for and entered the U.S. Senate. From the perspective of the Republican Party's conservative base, he stacks up well against each of the 'Big Three' leading Republican candidates. His voting record (lifetime American Conservative Union rating: 86%) in the Senate is more conservative than that of Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain (lifetime ACU rating: 82%), none of his position-switches are nearly as bad or as recent as those of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R), and nothing in his background is as negative as that of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R). Given enough money, Thompson could make a good run at it by tearing down the conservative credentials of the 'Big Three' and then building himself up as a tax-cutting, pro-life former senator. His acting role on 'Law & Order' does not hurt, either."

Also, Thompson is likely to assess his chances of a presidential bid around the beginning of May, reports The Politico. SPR has already noted that Thompson has served as a substitute host on radio legend Paul Harvey's daily broadcast. This enables him to directly reach an audience in the nation's heartland, an area outside of the South in which he is perhaps best known.

Last year, ABC News Radio named Thompson special program host and senior analyst, leading to speculation he might be the heir apparent to the 88-year-old Harvey.

Also yesterday, another radio icon, Rush Limbaugh, said he was getting more e-mails about a potential Thompson candidacy than he had gotten about any other announced GOP contender. Thompson obviously sees a potential opening in the field of Republican hopefuls as a no-nonsense, charismatic conservative who would offer reassurance at a time when voters are craving security, according to friends.

As for those who question whether the nation is ready for another actor in the White House, it should be noted that Thompson's career in the public sector is more successful and extensive than his film career. And he arguably has far more experience and credentials in government and politics than did that other famous Hollywood actor turned president, Ronald Reagan.

Damage Control: McMahan Fires Arbaugh

Embattled Auditor & Inspector Jeff McMahan has fired Tim Arbaugh, the head of his abstract division, identified as an illegal straw campaign donor in a federal affidavit.

McMahan reportedly informed Arbaugh of his firing in a one-paragraph letter sent late Tuesday.

The firing came as the campaign finance scandal focused on former Senator Gene Stipe and his abstract company partner, Steve Phipps, continued to shine light on McMahan and donations to his campaigns.

Gumm Bill Protects Gun Manufacturers

State Senator Jay Paul Gumm has won full Senate approval for a measure to give liability protection to gun manufacturers. Gumm said the language was based on a similar law in South Dakota’s statutes.

“This simply says that if a bad person takes a gun and shoots somebody, the gun manufacturer cannot be held liable for the criminal actions of that individual,” said Gumm. “It holds the manufacturer harmless.”

Gumm said the liability protection would not apply to manufacturers who build a defective product. “Again, we are strictly talking about guns being used by a criminal to hurt someone. This makes sure the liability rests where it belongs—with the person who fires the gun and not the manufacturer.”

The Democrat senator from Durant said his language was included as an amendment to Senate Bill 507 by Senator Cliff Branan, R-Oklahoma City. SB 507 gives liability protection to volunteers providing transportation for charitable or non-profit organizations. “I want to thank Senator Branan for allowing me to place this amendment in SB 507,” Gumm said. “I can tell you right now that we are in negotiations with a leading gun manufacturing company interested in bringing some very good-paying jobs to Oklahoma. I believe this legislation will help us make an even more favorable impression. If we are successful in these talks, it’s going to be good economic news for our state.”

SB 507 now moves to the House of Representatives.

McMahan Doesn't Have Money To Refund

State Auditor & Inspector Jeff McMahan apparently couldn't refund almost $40,000 in questionable campaign contributions even if he wanted to, examination of his December 31st campaign finance report indicates.

McMahan, under fire as part of a Federal Bureau of Investigation probe into the alleged illegal campaign donation scheme of former Senator Gene Stipe and his abstract company partner, Steve Phipps, received the sum from those identified as straw donors to other campaigns. The FBI alleges the illegal donations were orchestrated by Stipe and Phipps.

Governor Brad Henry and Congressman Dan Boren have donated to charity more than $71,000 funneled into their campaigns by the alleged straw donors. Both said they had no idea the donations were made by persons who were reimbursed by others.

McMahan, facing demands from Republican State Chairman Tom Daxon and his 2002/2006 opponent Gary Jones that he resign, says he won't resign and he's given no indication he's inclined to rid his campaign fund of possibly tainted money.

An examination of McMahan's latest campaign finance report perhaps offers reasons he won't donate the money to charity; he doesn't have it. His report shows cash on hand as of December 31st of just $21,739. In addition, the report shows McMahan has debts of $22,500, including a $10,000 loan from himself. He also lists $12,500 in other loans, the loans apparently guaranteed by three Tecumseh residents. They are Terry O'Rorke ($2,500), Dustie Butner ($5,000) and Richard Gilbert ($5,000).

The bulk of McMahan's campaign contributions in 2002 and again in 2006 came from two sources: Abstractors (which he regulates) and employees of his own office. Many of the alleged straw donors identified by the FBI in affidavits are tied to abstract companies. McMahan's own abstract division manager, Tim Arbaugh, has been identified as a straw donor by the FBI.

Native American Caucus Names Leaders

Members of the Native American Caucus of the Oklahoma Legislature will be led by a bipartisan duo this year, officials announced today. Rep. Lisa J. Billy (R-Purcell) and Rep. Jerry McPeak (D-Warner) have been elected caucus co-chairs for the 51st Legislature.

Rooney Hits Nail On The Head

CBS commentator Andy Rooney says giving "moral waivers" to military recruits is a recipe for disaster. Agreed. Blooger Mark Shannon has the scoop.

Boren, Henry Run From Funny Money; Jeff McMahan Keeps It, Says He Won't Resign Office

Congressman Dan Boren and Governor Brad Henry have moved to shed themselves of apparent funny money shoveled into their campaigns by illegal straw donors, but Auditor & Inspector Jeff McMahan is keeping his and says he won't resign.

Those are the latest developments in the growing scandal focused on former State Senator Gene Stipe, his abstract company partner Steve Phipps, and others the Federal Bureau of Investigation alleges conspired to funnel money into political campaigns.

Boren, saying he had no idea illegal donations had been made to his campaign, donated $35,600 to charity. Henry, saying he had no idea illegal donations had been made to his campaign, donated $35,000 to charity. McMahan, who received at least $40,000 from those identified as straw donors to other campaigns, said a call by Republican State Chairman Tom Daxon that he resign is political and he won't resign. He said he will take "any appropriate action necessary" to deal with the head of his abstract division, Tim Arbaugh, who is listed as an illegal $2,000 donor to Boren's campaign and as the donor of $787 to McMahan's campaign.

McMahan's office regulates abstractors. Many of those alleged to be straw donors work in abstract companies controlled by Stipe and Phipps and it is known that Phipps was a fundraiser for McMahan in his 2002 campaign, and many of the alleged straw donors were among the most generous givers to McMahan. While McMahan has indicated he barely knows Phipps, a videotape from December 2002 shows McMahan participating in a Phipps Christmas party. The videotape was made public by McMahan's Republican opponent, Gary Jones.

The campaign finance scandal erupted (again) when The Oklahoman's investigative reporting team revealed the contents of an FBI affidavit filed in conjunction with a federal grand jury probe of Stipe and Phipps and others involved in numerous entities owned or operated by Stipe and Phipps in southeastern Oklahoma. Implicated in the arranging of some entities controlled by them to receive state funds are three former legislators, including Mike Mass, involved with Stipe in a previous campaign scandal.

Wesselhoft Salary Reform Bill Moves In House

Having given the "skunk master" award last year to a bill tying statewide office holders' salaries to judicial pay, Rep. Paul Wesselhoft today said it was time to sever the salary relationship.

Last year Wesselhöft gave the first annual Skunk Master Award to the bill he said most exhibited the smell of waste, greed or hypocrisy. The Moore Republican created the award for the worst (smelliest) legislation of the year because he had grown weary of an ever-increasing state budget. The first bill to receive the award authorized a 21-percent pay raise for all judges of the Supreme Court, Court of Civil Appeals, and District Court Judges, which automatically increased by 21 percent the pay of all state-wide elected office holders such as the governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general.

Wesselhöft promised House members and Oklahoma citizens to introduce a bill this year to sever state-wide elected officials' pay from judicial salary increases suggested by the Board on Judicial Compensation, the seven-member panel that advises the governor, House speaker and Senate president pro tempore on pay increases for judges. He did just that with House Bill 1085, which passed the full House unanimously on Monday.

Fred Thompson To Enter GOP Presidential Race?

Former U. S. Senator Fred Thompson of Tennessee, now an actor, may enter the race for the Republican presidential nomination and it appears he would have significant Oklahoma support if the initial reaction is any measure.

Thompson, a conservative with a solid record on most issues conservatives count as important, reportedly is being urged to run by another former Tennessee senator, Howard Baker, and other former officials as well as some current officials.

Word that Thompson may be a serious candidate seemed to bolster some conservatives, as Tim Darnell noted in Hasting Wyman's Southern Political Report: "The fast-breaking story that came out of Tennessee last week - that former U.S. Sen. Fred Dalton Thompson is considering a White House run - has the nation's conservative community exicted and intrigued."

Thompson has appeared in numerous movies, including The Hunt For Red October, and is a regular featured player on NBC's Law & Order series.

Would you support Thompson? Vote now in our online poll on the right side of this page.

A website supporting Thompson recorded more than 2,200 online signatures of those supporting him within minutes of being posted. A second site asks for emails supporting Thompson.

Thompson on the issues: Strongly opposes abortion as a woman's right; strongly opposes protecting sexual orientation by civil rights laws; favors teaching family values in public schools; opposes more federal funding for health coverage; favors privatizing Social Security; strongly favors letting parents choose schools via vouchers; favors the death penalty; strongly favors citizens' absolute right to gun ownership; favors decreasing overall taxation of the wealthy; favors support & expansion of free trade; strongly favors more spending on armed forces; opposes replacing coal & oil with alternatives; favors enforcing laws against drug use; favors allowing churches to provide welfare services.

Financial Literary For Students Bill Passes House

To help Oklahoma students avoid bankruptcy in their college years and thereafter, members of the state House of Representatives voted today to require financial literacy instruction of all Oklahoma high school students.

House Bill 1476, the Passport to Financial Literacy Act, by Rep. Ann Coody, R-Lawton (pictured) would allow school districts to decide whether the components of personal financial literacy instruction would be incorporated into one or more existing courses of study or into a new course. Students could be instructed in the elements of personal financial literacy throughout grades seven through twelve.

Senate Passes Henry Biofuels Measure

The Oklahoma Senate today passed Governor Brad Henry’s initiative to make Oklahoma a global leader in renewable energy. By a 45-1 vote, senators approved Senate Bill 510, which establishes the Oklahoma Bioenergy Center (OBC) to coordinate research and development of biofuels at Oklahoma State University, the University of Oklahoma and the Ardmore-based Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation. Henry said Oklahoma’s expertise in energy and agricultural issues makes it ideally suited to be a leader in biofuels.

Tax Reformers Honor Randy Brogdon

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Americans for Tax Reform announced today its decision to name Oklahoma Senator Randy Brogdon "Friend of the Taxpayer."

Brogdon is the sponsor of the Taxpayer Transparency Act, a bill that would require the Office of State Finance to create a website which would allow taxpayers to track government expenditures. The searchable database is modeled after the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (S.2590) sponsored by U.S. Senator Tom Coburn (OK) and would among other things include relevant information on government grants, contracts, subcontracts, tax refunds, rebates or credits, and expenditures from the Constitutional Reserve Fund. The bill, which would mandate the creation of the website by January 1, 2008, passed the Oklahoma State Senate unanimously on March 1st.

Safe Families Measure Passes House

Legislation encouraging faith-based groups and other volunteer organizations to take a stronger role in rehabilitating Oklahoma inmates passed a vote of the House of Representatives Monday with broad bipartisan support.

House Bill 2101, the Transformational Justice Act, authored by House Speaker Lance Cargill, would encourage state prisons to partner with faith-based, community and voluntary organizations to help inmates rejoin society and reduce the rate of repeat offenders.

The measure, which is part of the Safe Families Platform of the 2007 House Republican Year of Ideas Agenda, received a vote of approval from the House by a vote of 95 to 1.

Daxon Calls For McMahan's Resignation

Republican Party Chairman Tom Daxon (pictured) called today for the resignation of Auditor & Inspector Jeff McMahan after a federal investigation alleged he received illegal campaign donations. Appearing on Oklahoma City radio station KTOK's "First News With Reid Mullins" this morning, Daxon said there is the "appearance...and fact" that wrong-doing occurred in the financing of McMahan's 2002 and 2006 campaigns. He said that confidence in the auditor and inspector's office is at stake and McMahan should resign. For KTOK's continuing coverage, tune to AM-1000.

Daxon followed up his radio statement with this prepared news release: "Former State Auditor and Inspector and current Chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party, Tom Daxon, today called on Jeff McMahan, current State Auditor, to fire his lieutenant Tim Arbaugh and then resign himself. Arbaugh is the head of the Abstract Division of the State Auditor’s Office. Both McMahan and Arbaugh are embroiled in the Gene Stipe straw donor scandal.

“'An office like State Auditor and Inspector must be above reproach and beyond even the hint of financial scandal,'” said Daxon, who served in the post from 1979-1983. “'Not only is there now a cloud over the office, but the charges go to the very heart of the State Auditor’s responsibilities—protecting the public from crooks. McMahan needs to fire Tim Arbaugh and then McMahan himself needs to resign.'”

McMahan’s office regulates the abstract business in Oklahoma. Several of the people alleged to be straw donors work in the abstract companies owned by Stipe and business partner Steve Phipps, who is also under investigation. The FBI says Arbaugh was a straw donor for Stipe. The FBI also says McMahan has received money from numerous straw donors connected to Stipe.

“'It appears the crooks set out to get their own man in the Auditor’s office by financing McMahan’s campaign,'” Daxon continued. “'McMahan’s responses to his involvement in the scheme have not been credible. The only way to restore public confidence in the auditor’s office is for McMahan and his lieutenant to go.'”

House Passes Business Court Bill

House GOP legislation to improve efficiency of Oklahoma's judicial system by creating special business courts received approval from the state House of Representatives Monday.

House Bill 2106 would create a specialized court docket to handle commercial and corporate disputes.

Tulsa Today Details Jones' Role In FBI Probe; Spotlight Now On Jeff McMahan?

David Arnett's Tulsa Today gives a behind-the-scenes look at the origins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation probe that alleges former State Senator Gene Stipe and others conspired to funnel money into a federal campaign, and state campaigns, in past years. Arnett's interview with former State Republican Chairman Gary Jones, defeated by Auditor & Inspector Jeff McMahan in 2002 and again last year, outlines Jones' role in helping prompt the investigation. As part of it, it's been revealed that straw donors funneled tens of thousands of dollars into McMahan's campaigns, and other campaigns.

Kathy Taylor: Her Bloomberg Involvement Examined By Tulsa Blogger

Tulsa blogger Michael Bates has an excellent post in which he examines the controversy over Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor's involvement in New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's gun-grabbing coalition of mayors, an issue TMRO also has followed closely.

Iraq: Colby's Diary

IN TRANSIT TO IRAQ ~ (Note: Navy Seabee Colby Stuck is the 20-year-old grandson of Mike and Ann McCarville. He has just completed training at a Seabee base in California. Security considerations prevent the disclosure of Colby's mission, his location and exact descriptions of his duties. In Colby's group, cellular telephones and cameras are not allowed; laptop computers are allowed, but are checked regularly by security services.)

When I arrived in California for training before being deployed to Iraq, I was scared. Once our training was underway, that changed to just nervousness about what the future holds. Our instructors have been first-rate; we have been given the best training that's available, whether it's on weapons or CBR situations. The training has been interesting and as we've gone through it, our trust in our instructors and each other has grown. The instructors have provided all the help anyone has asked for and we have been motivated to do our best.

Everyone misses home and family; you learn to put home in the back of your mind and concentrate on the task or mission at hand.

I'm excited to be in the position I'm in, to help others and be a part of our forces that work to bring peace.

Security is very tight. We are not allowed to take our c-phones or cameras with us. Laptops are allowed, but only under certain conditions and they are subject to being checked regularly. Even our exact departure times and schedules are "need to know" only. Everything is very top secret. We had a bag shakedown to make sure we had only what we were supposed to have.

I am uncertain as to how much communications I will have, but I will let you know what I can when I can.

For another view of what's going on in Iraq, read Captain Kevin Calvey's regular blog by clicking on his name under "Links" on the right side of this page.

FBI 'Smoking Gun' Affidavit Revealed By Oklahoman; Boren, McMahan Got Alleged Illegal Donations Via Stipe, Phipps, Associates

In what can be described as a "smoking gun" affidavit, the Federal Bureau of Investigation alleges that former State Senator Gene Stipe and others conspired to make illegal donations to Congressman Dan Boren, Auditor & Inspector Jeff McMahan, and possibly others. Boren, the document indicates, probably was not aware of the illegal donation. Boren confirmed that and said any money given to his campaign illegally will be donated to charity.

The Oklahoman's investigative reporting team revealed the document today; the document claims Stipe engaged in illegal activity even while under house arrest for arranging illegal donations to an earlier federal campaign.

The affidavit seems to reinforce allegations made last year by Republican auditor and inspector candidate Gary Jones, who questioned fundraising in McMahan's campaigns of 2002 and 2006. The affidavit claims that at least one person gave McMahan $3,200 in 2002 and was reimbursed in a scheme involving McMahan friend Steve Phipps, Stipe's business partner in the abstracting company empire they own. The affidavit also alleges that Tim Arbaugh, the head of McMahan's abstracting division, himself was the conduit for an illegal donation. McMahan said today that Arbaugh denies the allegation.

The affidavit is the latest "smoking gun" development in the scandals that have swirled around Stipe and his associates in recent years. This investigation is providing information to a federal grand jury now empaneled in Muskogee. The FBI affidavits are filed as part of that proceeding.

COLORADO SPRINGS - The U. S. Olympic Training Center is the site this week of the Junior Olympic Shooting Competition and I witnessed a lot of impressive air pistol shooting today by a bunch of young folks.

Competitors from all across the country are here, including 16-year-old grandson Kevin Aliff of Newalla, who trains at Miles Hall's H&H Gun Range in Oklahoma City. In the first round of competition, Kevin shot a 510 (just a point off his personal best in competition of 511). Six competitors, however, recorded scores in the 550s, the high being 558.

In an earlier round before Kevin shot today, I watched a young man wearing a black T-shirt that had written on the front DAMN STRAIT. I surmised "straight" was spelled that way so it would fit on the front of the shirt. Then, when the scores from that round were posted, I got it: Jesse Strait, the young man wearing the shirt, shot a 553 to place 3rd in his large group. Damn straight, indeed! - Mike McCarville

House Passes Military Tax Exemption Bill

The State House today passed House Bill 1446 by Rep. Fred Jordan, R-Tulsa, that would exempt Oklahoma military servicemen and women from the state income tax.

The measure reportedly would impact about 20,000 Oklahomans who serve in uniform.

At present, only the first $1,500 in military pay is exempt from the state tax.

FBI Raids Stipe McAlester Office

The story that keeps on giving...the Gene Stipe and Friends saga...apparently continues. For details on the last federal law enforcement action, and local comment on it, go to the Google bar above and enter "McAlester Water Cooler."

Taylor's Search For Tulsa Top Cop Turns Ugly

Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor's search for a new police chief has turned ugly, with three rejected Tulsa officers prepared to file merit grievances because Taylor has ignored them to seek a chief from outside the city.

Deputy Chief Bill Wells, Major Paul Williams and Major Rob Turner are being represented by an attorney with Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 93.

Taylor's search for a new chief is being watched carefully given her membership in New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's coalition of mayors that favor gun control in their cities. While Taylor has been silent on the issue in Tulsa, she has attended coalition meetings in New York, Washington and Chicago in support of the group's agenda.

It has been speculated that Taylor wants an anti-gun chief in Tulsa and the three present officers are all advocates of gun ownership by private citizens. That is why, the speculation goes, she bypassed the three local officers and continues a nationwide search.

Tuesday Election Coverage

For news and comment on Tuesday's municipal elections, check out Ron Black's blog.

Henry Makes Surprise Iraq Visit

Governor Brad Henry, his office disclosed today, has just made an unannounced visit to Iraq in the company of several other governors. The announcement said Henry met with military officials in Bahgdad. Sometime today, he will return to Kuwait, staging site for the trip, before departing for the U. S.

House Votes Today On Immigration Reform

The Oklahoma House is slated to vote on Bill 1804, the Oklahoma Taxpayer & Citizen Protection Act of 2007, at approximately 1:30 p.m. today. The measure has been called the most meaningful reform effort in the nation by the Immigration Reform Law Institute (IRLI). For late details.

Ethics Reform Proposal Now Bipartisan Effort

As a House committee on Monday advanced an ethics reform proposal, House and Senate leaders signed on as co-authors of House Bill 2110 in an effort to craft a final bipartisan plan. House Speaker Lance Cargill (R-Harrah) and House Democrat Leader DannyMorgan (D-Prague) said the bill is a work in progress that will change as bipartisan discussions continue.

GOP Measure To Cut Boards Goes To House Floor

A House Republican plan to immediately eliminate nearly 20 state boards, committees and task forces garnered committee approval Monday, and now goes to the House floor for a vote.

"It's time to eliminate needless government that serves no purpose,"said Speaker Lance Cargill (R-Harrah), author of House Bill 2111. "It's our job to make state government as efficient as possible. By trimming the fat and cutting non-essential boards and commissions, we can focus resources on the most vital state government functions."

House Bill 2111 passed the House General Government and Transportation Committee on Monday. The measure is part of a comprehensive effort by Cargill and House Republicans to focus on government accountability and efficiency.

The House has already passed House Bill 2100 - a measure that would establish an independent panel to review state agencies every eight years, with the first set of recommendations presented to the Legislature by December 1, 2008.

Cargill said that while conducting a state budget and agency review in January, House GOP leaders found 18 task forces, boards and councils that had either completed their work or have been inactive for some time. In some cases the list of task forces included entities that had been inactive for years, such as the "Joint Legislative Oversight Committee for the Review of Coordination of Efforts for Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy/Sexually Transmitted Disease" that had not met for a decade. Some, such as the "Task Force on Men's Health," have never met. Others, like the "Alzheimer's Research Advisory Council," duplicate work already performed in other areas of state government, Cargill said.

Peterson's Competitive Bid Bill Approved

Lawmakers voted Monday to require competitive bidding for a wider range of construction projects and eliminate sweetheart deals that drive up the cost to taxpayers. House Bill 1648, by Rep. Pam Peterson, would require that construction projects initiated by public/private partnerships be subject to the Oklahoma Competitive Bidding Act.

"This bill protects taxpayers from the 'good ol' boy' deals that have plagued our highway and road construction projects for decades," said Peterson, R-Tulsa. "The only people disadvantaged by this bill are those who want to gouge taxpayers."

Due to a loophole in the Oklahoma Competitive Bidding Act, government entities are currently allowed to award construction projects to a single vendor if the private company "partners" with the state by loaning start-up money for the project. The state usually agrees to repay the private entity at very high interest rates.

Henry: State Will Appeal FEMA Ruling

Governor Brad Henry said today he is disappointed and frustrated that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has denied individual assistance to eastern Oklahoma counties hit hard by January ice storms. Although FEMA had already granted public assistance for 42 impacted counties, the agency determined that individual assistance was not warranted. Henry said the state will appeal FEMA’s decision.

Fisher Freed, But Barred From Work

Former Insurance Commissioner Carroll Fisher will be released from the Oklahoma County jail today, but he can no longer work outside his home, where he must remain unless going to a doctor, visiting his attorney or getting exercise. Fisher was arrested last Wednesday for violating the terms of his appeal bond, and jailed until today. Prosecutors said Fisher traveled without permission from his parole supervisor and sometimes failed to wear an ankle bracelet tracking device as required by the court. Fisher was convicted in February 2006 of embezzlement and perjury and sentenced to three years in prison but had been free while appealing the conviction.

Gang Intervention Task Force Bill Advances

Legislation creating a statewide gang task force has passed out of a House subcommittee. House Bill 1995, by Rep. Anastasia Pittman, D-Oklahoma City, would create the Oklahoma Statewide Gang Intervention Task Force to develop strategies for reducing gang activity and youth violence through prevention and intervention programs.

"Gang violence is reaching epidemic levels in Oklahoma City," said Pittman. "In my district, it's cost the lives of four young people in just two months. The state needs to become much more aggressive and intervene before more lives are lost."

Pittman said that as gang activity has increased, the Legislature has actually reduced funding for anti-gang programs from $1.4 million in FY 2003 to $1.19 million today. "This is a sad statement when you consider that gang-involved youth are four times more likely to end up in prison than non-gang involved youth," Pittman said. "With limited funding the state of Oklahoma needs to coordinate and utilize these funds as efficiently as possible. That is what HB 1995 will do."

If the bill becomes law, the Task Force will attempt to determine how much state funding is needed for anti-gang programs and issue reform recommendations by February 1, 2008. The bill also requires the Office of Juvenile Affairs to utilize new funding appropriated for the Delinquency and Youth Gang Intervention and Prevention Act for the expansion of current gang intervention and prevention contracts and the creation of new gang contracts. The bill would grant the Statewide Steering Committee oversight of the contracts and require entities receiving gang contracts to create local steering committees that work with community leaders, neighborhood associations, service providers, local school officials, law enforcement and other stakeholders to help facilitate the implementation of the program.

Pittman's bill passed out of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee and now proceeds to the full House Judiciary & Public Safety Committee.

Henry Repeats: No Interest In Senate Race

Governor Brad Henry says U. S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid encouraged him to run for U.S. Senate in a meeting last week in Washington. Henry met with Reid while attending the National Governors Association Winter Meeting. Reid, D-Nevada, was "very interested" in Henry's running for the U.S. Senate against either Republican Jim Inhofe in 2008 or Tom Coburn later, Henry said. Henry said that while he appreciates the interest, he has "no intention" of getting involved.

Al Sharpton's Small World

Al Sharpton's world is a small one. The divisive, controversial, always-there-when-the-cameras-arrive Sharpton always seems to be shopping...shopping for a new, outrageous claim to make against anyone with whom he disagrees, shopping for Democrats who will do as he says, when he says it, and shopping for others like him who, despite his civil rights legacy, seem to embrace exclusion rather than inclusion.

Here's Sharpton's latest, describing Barack Obama: "Just because you are our color doesn't make you our kind."

Ron Black Back On The Air

Ron Black, former talk show host at WKY radio before it flipped to Spanish music, will be back on radio this weekend as the host of two new shows.

Black reports he will co-host "Energy Matters" with Corporation Commissioner Denise Bode Sundays from 6 to 7 p.m. on KTOK-AM 1000, and host "Oklahoma Outdoors" Sundays from 7 to 8 p.m. on KEBC-AM 1340.

Black, a Republican campaign consultant who worked with Bode in her congressional campaign, has posted details about the new shows on his blog.

Gingrich Wins Presidential Straw Poll

Republican Newt Gingrich beat Democrat Bill Richardson, 54-39 percent, in The McCarville Report Online's 2008 presidential straw poll. Gingrich won TMRO's Republican straw poll and Richardson won the Democratic straw poll. Gingrich, former speaker of the U. S. House, is not a declared candidate. Richardson, governor of New Mexico, has launched an exploratory campaign and is expected in Oklahoma later this month as he tests the waters.

The Gadfly On The Wall

Laster Named Next Senate Democrat Leader: Senator Charlie Laster of Shawnee has been elected as the next president pro tem of the Senate by fellow Democrats. Whether that's his actual title depends on who controls the Senate after next year's elections. Laster is now the co-floor leader under President Co-Pro Tem Mike Morgan.

Hollywood's Agenda: Grandson Kevin and I settled down the other afternoon to catch a movie we'd not seen, Tornado. It begins with a statement that global warming is producing more tornadoes. It ends with the same doomsday message emblazoned across the screen. This, we view shortly after Al Gore gets an award for his "the earth is about to end" movie. It is clear from both events that Hollywood is promoting the global warming theory. We'll check back with Hollywood in a hundred years or so to see if its inhabitants, and Gore, are right.

Coffee Defends Cargill: The only faux pas GOP House Speaker Lance Cargill might have made last week when he urged lobbyists to give him money was the site he selected for the meetings, the head of the Senate Republicans said. Cargill, R-Harrah, called in several key lobbyists in 15-minute intervals at the Oklahoma City office of two Republican operatives who ran several GOP campaigns. "If (Cargill) had gone to Panera Bread and scheduled those 15-minute meetings instead of at somebody's office, you guys (reporters) probably wouldn't have heard about it, and I don't think it would be an issue," said Senator Glenn Coffee, co-president pro tem of the Senate. Coffee, R-Oklahoma City, said the speaker did nothing illegal. - Mick Hinton, Tulsa World

Dank's Bill: Rep. David Dank's bill toughening state law on sexual predators is advancing in the House. Far as I'm concerned, no law could be tough enough. Bravo, Rep. Dank!

Buchanan's Problem: Jerry Buchanan wants to be the chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party. He's now the chairman of the Tulsa GOP. Problem: Bloggers revealed this week he donated to three Democrats in the Legislature in 2002-2003 before he became a party official. Not a hanging offense to most, but to the GOP folks who attend get-togethers and vote on the chairman, it's close.

Tough Dude: This is one tough dude. He's cousin Ivan "Skip" McCarville, who found service in the World War II Royal Canadian Navy too boring, so he switched to the Royal Canadian Army and hit the ground in France and Germany. Skip's shown here with his wife, Marguerite, at war's end. How did he keep that cap from falling off his head?

Henry Names Rick Dunning To OU Board Of Regents

Governor Brad Henry today announced the appointment of Rick Dunning to the University of Oklahoma Board of Regents.

Dunning, a Republican, is president and CEO of Indian Exploration Company, LLC, based in Oklahoma City. He attended the University of Oklahoma School of Geology and founded Indian Oil Company at age 27. He is a member of the Oklahoma Judicial Nominating Commission, appointed by Henry in 2003, and is active in the Oklahoma State Arts Council, the Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness, and other community organizations. Dunning and his wife, Jennifer MacIvor Dunning, are the sole benefactors of the Keystone Adventure School and Farm, an art-based, multi-aged elementary school and working farm. The Dunnings have six children.

Dank's Sex Offenders Bill Due House Action

Legislation increasing required prison sentences for sex offenders is headed for a vote on the House floor. The measure is part of the House GOP's Safe Families legislative platform.

House Bill 1816, authored by Rep. David Dank, R-Oklahoma City, would increase the penalty for sex offenses against children under 12 to a minimum sentence of 25 years and not more than life imprisonment. No minimum sentence currently exists for such offenses.

"We must make sure, for our children and our grandchildren, that Oklahoma is a safe place to grow up," said Dank. "It's a fact that far too many sex offenders come back to our communities and have the opportunity to prey on the innocent."

Dank's bill is modeled after Florida legislation commonly referred to as "Jessica's Law" that has already been enacted in states across the nation. The law was named after Jessica Lunsford, a 9-year-old Florida girl who was kidnapped and killed by a registered sex offender who had been living near her.

Charter Schools Bill Advances To Full House

Legislation strengthening charter schools in Oklahoma is headed for a vote of the full state House of Representatives.

House Bill 1589, by Rep. Tad Jones, R-Claremore, encourages the development of charter schools by allowing the Oklahoma Department of Education, cities and certain higher education entities to sponsor charter schools. The measure passed a vote of the House Education Committee. Under current state law, only individual school districts and CareerTech boards may sponsor charter schools.

"Charter Schools allow teachers and administrators to be more innovative and apply fresh, new ideas for teaching our students. And they also provide parents and students with more choices and a broader range of opportunities," said Jones, who chairs the House Education Committee.

Burrage Sees The Light, Says He'll Abstain

Claremore Senator Sean Burrage says he will abstain from future votes on a bill that declares that animal waste is not hazardous, the Tulsa World reports today.

Burrage, D-Claremore, got crossways last week with Attorney General Drew Edmondson, who's also a Democrat, after Burrage cast a vote for Senate Bill 703, which passed a Senate panel by a 7-1 vote. (Burrage also drew criticism from State Democratic Party Chair Lisa Pryor.)

Burrage's law firm represents Tyson Foods Inc., one of the poultry companies that Edmondson has sued, alleging that excess chicken litter spread as fertilizer is polluting eastern Oklahoma watersheds.

Inhofe Honored As 'Legislator of the Year' By U. S. Fish & Wildlife Department

U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe, ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, has been named the U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s "Legislator of the Year" for his role in passing the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Act, which was approved by Congress and signed into law in 2006. The Partners Program has been a successful voluntary partnership program that helps private landowners restore fish and wildlife habitats on their own lands. Inhofe’s bill secured statutory authority for the Partner’s Program for the first time and provided additional funding and added stability for the program.

Adkins Testifies On Carbon Emissions Regulations

A rush to pass burdensome federal regulations on carbon emissions could lead to severe financial consequences for the nation, the state House's Energy chairman testified on Thursday in Washington, D.C.

"There does not seem to be agreement on the issue of climate change, and yet there seems to be a great rush to action," said Rep. Dennis Adkins (R-Broken Arrow). "Without the facts, I think it would be very possible to pass federal legislation or legislation in the states that might cost people substantially."

Adkins, chairman of the Oklahoma House Committee on Energy and Technology, testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. Senators in the committee held a hearing Thursday on state, regional and local perspectives on global warming. Adkins pointed to advances in renewable energy in states like Oklahoma, where utilities are becoming leaders in wind power. But he said while states like Oklahoma continue to lead the way in areas like biofuels and wind power, these can only provide limited power supply for the nation.

"Oklahomans realize we need a diverse energy supply making use of clean coal, natural gas and renewable sources with limited constraints on development and economic impacts," said Adkins. "But regardless of investments in renewable fuels, these will only provide a small part of total electric power to our nation."

Adkins made it clear in his testimony that he is not a scientist or an expert in the debate over climate change. As a state lawmaker, he told senators he is concerned about burdensome regulations that could harm the economy without actually addressing climate change. "I do not wish to be misunderstood and simply labeled a naysayer, but a rush to pass legislation addressing climate change may simply put more burden on the economy without solving climate change," said Adkins.

Adkins contended that regulations could drive up the cost of energy prices across the nation, creating a hidden tax in the form of higher home utility bills, higher gasoline prices, and increased costs of consumer products and services. "We should carefully weigh the proposed benefits of any action to the impact it will have on our citizens' pocketbooks and our economy, as well as the environment," he said.

GOP Chairman Candidate Jerry Buchanan Gave To Three Democrats, Members Of House, Senate

Tulsa County Republican Chairman Jerry Buchanan, now a candidate to become chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party, faces controversy today after the revelation he made donations to Democratic candidates five years ago.

Word of the donations first surfaced in emails and then on a Democratic blog, Democrats of Oklahoma Community Forum.

An associate of Buchanan's confirmed that he made the donations prior to being elected Tulsa County chairman. The associate said the Democrats are all close friends or fraternity brothers of Buchanan. He added that Buchanan has not donated to Democrats since being elected to the party leadership post.

The donations included those in 2002 and 2003 to Democratic Senator Johnnie Crutchfield, to Senator Jay Paul Gumm, and to Rep. John Carey.

Democratic Party Chair Lisa Pryor's Fundraising Appeal Raises Questions About In-kind Donations

Oklahoma Democratic Party Chair Lisa Pryor has asked party supporters to donate $10,000 immediately to reduce a party debt of almost $100,000 via an "agreement with a vendor to accept half of its original bill." The disclosure raises questions about in-kind contributions that apparently can only be answered by the Oklahoma Ethics Commission or the Federal Election Commission.

Two state officials asked about the circumstances said they would have to know more about the settlement agreement and what entity is involved. One noted the donation limitation and prohibition against corporate donations at the state level. The debt, however, is tied to a federal campaign and thus, FEC regulations apparently would determine how the debt settlement is handled.

Pryor's message to party faithful: "In the next two days we have an historic chance to reduce the debt of the Oklahoma Democratic Party by almost $100,000. We have reached an agreement with a vendor to accept half of its original bill. So every dollar you donate to the ODP counts double in the next two days. Since becoming Chairman in 2005, I have worked diligently to pay off the debt inherited from the previous administration and the 2004 election cycle. With your help, we have chopped and chopped over the last two years and now can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. If we can raise $10,000 in the next two days, we will put to bed all debt save for the last $50,000. That is a remarkable feat and it is because of dedicated Democrats like you that we were able to be fiscally responsible and pay down that half a million dollar debt. Help the ODP by donating today. I've worked hard and the work is not yet finished. I ask you to give what you can. Every penny you contribute will help Oklahoma Democrats. This is an exciting time to be a member of the Oklahoma Democratic Party. As Democrats, we had great nationwide success in 2006, and it is only the beginning of what we can accomplish here in Oklahoma. From our goals regaining control of both the State House and State Senate to reclaiming a seat in the U.S. Senate, we have much to do in the next few months. We need your participation and energy at the local levels to achieve our goals. Together, we must continue our push forward. Thank-you for your support, Lisa Pryor, Chairman"

The party ended the 2004 election cycle with a debt of about $500,000, most of it tied to Brad Carson's unsuccessful campaign for the U. S. Senate. The party's finance reports showed debts owed to several corporations; one of the largest bills was for cellular telephone usage.

Henry's Dropout Bill Passes Senate

Governor Brad Henry’s plan for reducing high school dropouts is on its way to the State House after receiving approval from the State Senate today.

The measure passed 31-14 on a motion to reconsider.

Senate Bill 519 by Sen. Kathleen Wilcoxson, R-Oklahoma City, would prohibit students under the age of 18 from dropping out of school and encourage them to work toward graduation instead. Henry said he hopes to reduce Oklahoma’s dropout rate and increase the number of high school graduates.

Jail Inmate Housing Cost Measure Passes House

Counties could save money on the cost of housing inmates if a bill by state Rep. Daniel Sullivan navigates the legislative process.

House Bill 1496, which passed the House 100-1, would increase the credit provided to inmates assigned to work at county jails to be imposed on the payment of a fine or court cost from $25 to $50. The current cost to the county to house an inmate is at least $35 per day, leaving taxpayers to pick up the difference, said Sullivan.

"Housing inmates has always been a burden on the taxpayers," said Sullivan, R-Tulsa. "County jail facilities have limited revenue sources as it is, so we need to make sure they are able to do their jobs without unnecessary costs. This bill will assure that it is the criminal who is being punished by being in jail rather than the taxpayers in the county."

The measure was the result of an interim task force that studied jail medical costs and ways to reduce counties' jail operations costs.

Fisher Jailed For Violating House Arrest Rules

Former Insurance Commissioner Carroll Fisher is in jail for violating the conditions of his house arrest as he appeals his embezzlement and perjury convictions.

Oklahoma County District Judge Kenneth Watson ordered Fisher to jail for leaving his Tulsa home without an ankle bracelet used to monitor his location, and for leaving the monitor in his car while he worked at a furniture consignment business.

The judge said Fisher will not be allowed to work when he returns to house arrest, probably next week.

Fisher apologized to the judge in court Wednesday before he was handcuffed and taken to jail.