CARGILL RESIGNS AS HOUSE SPEAKER
House Speaker Lance Cargill resigned that post today just a week before the 2008 Legislature convenes.
Cargill, at 36 the youngest House speaker in the nation, took the action following another embarrassing revelation, this one that he failed to pay taxes on his Harrah law firm in timely fashion. That followed an earlier revelation that he had failed to file his personal income taxes in timely fashion.
Those reports followed the revelation that Cargill and other top Republicans attended a Mike Huckabee fundraiser at the Dallas home of controversial businessman Gene Phillips, key figure in the scandal that drove former Insurance Commissioner Carroll Fisher, a Democrat, from office. A House committee last year approved a measure that would benefit Phillips' business interests; the bill died however, in the House.
Cargill also faces an Ethics Commission probe into how checks payable to one GOP political action committee wound up deposited into the account of another entity.
"It was just too much," one GOP House member said. "Constant negative stuff and it just didn't end."
House Speaker Pro Tem Gus Blackwell of Goodwell will take over until a new election for speaker is held, sources said. A leading candidate, they added, is Rep. Susan Winchester of Chickasha. The leader of House Democrats, Rep. Danny Morgan of Prague, said, "“Our thoughts are with Representative Cargill and his family today. I am sure that this is a very trying time and we will keep him and his family in our prayers. There are good men and women who serve in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. We look forward to working together with them to restore integrity to the House and pass legislation that is important to all Oklahomans.” Rep. David Dank, R-Oklahoma City, told The Oklahoman that Cargill's troubles were of his own making. "It is unfortunate that it had to come to this, but Speaker Cargill brought his troubles on himself," Dank said. "The people of Oklahoma have a right to expect exemplary conduct of those they send to the state Capitol, and he failed that basic test."
Cargill was pressured by his own party to step down, Dank said. "Oklahomans should know that his resignation came after considerable pressure from members of his own party," he said. "We are determined to advance a true reform agenda during the upcoming session, including passage of the ethics and campaign finance reform bill I have introduced to address many of the same issues that led to Speaker Cargill's resignation. I look forward to working with the new House leadership to make that bill a reality."
Cargill, at 36 the youngest House speaker in the nation, took the action following another embarrassing revelation, this one that he failed to pay taxes on his Harrah law firm in timely fashion. That followed an earlier revelation that he had failed to file his personal income taxes in timely fashion.
Those reports followed the revelation that Cargill and other top Republicans attended a Mike Huckabee fundraiser at the Dallas home of controversial businessman Gene Phillips, key figure in the scandal that drove former Insurance Commissioner Carroll Fisher, a Democrat, from office. A House committee last year approved a measure that would benefit Phillips' business interests; the bill died however, in the House.
Cargill also faces an Ethics Commission probe into how checks payable to one GOP political action committee wound up deposited into the account of another entity.
"It was just too much," one GOP House member said. "Constant negative stuff and it just didn't end."
House Speaker Pro Tem Gus Blackwell of Goodwell will take over until a new election for speaker is held, sources said. A leading candidate, they added, is Rep. Susan Winchester of Chickasha. The leader of House Democrats, Rep. Danny Morgan of Prague, said, "“Our thoughts are with Representative Cargill and his family today. I am sure that this is a very trying time and we will keep him and his family in our prayers. There are good men and women who serve in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. We look forward to working together with them to restore integrity to the House and pass legislation that is important to all Oklahomans.” Rep. David Dank, R-Oklahoma City, told The Oklahoman that Cargill's troubles were of his own making. "It is unfortunate that it had to come to this, but Speaker Cargill brought his troubles on himself," Dank said. "The people of Oklahoma have a right to expect exemplary conduct of those they send to the state Capitol, and he failed that basic test."
Cargill was pressured by his own party to step down, Dank said. "Oklahomans should know that his resignation came after considerable pressure from members of his own party," he said. "We are determined to advance a true reform agenda during the upcoming session, including passage of the ethics and campaign finance reform bill I have introduced to address many of the same issues that led to Speaker Cargill's resignation. I look forward to working with the new House leadership to make that bill a reality."
Labels: Gus Blackwell, Lance Cargill, Susan Winchester
posted by Mike McCarville @ 3:23 PM
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