Key Moves To Strip Edmondson Of Council Role
Republican Rep. Charles Key today fired a shot across the bow of Democrat Attorney General Drew Edmondson, saying he has filed a bill that would strip the attorney general from membership on the Oklahoma District Attorneys Council.
Key's news release said the bill would "reform the Oklahoma District Attorneys Council, removing it from under the Office of the State Attorney General and making the council an independent body with expanded membership.
"I believe that it is imperative that we have complete independence between the Office of the Attorney General and the District Attorneys Council. As it is configured today, the attorney general sits in the council as a voting member," said Key, R-Oklahoma City. "Under my proposal, the attorney general is removed from the entire process."
House Bill 3230, by Key, not only removes the District Attorney's Council from the attorney general's office but also increase the council's membership to include a certified public accountant and a member of the press appointed by the governor, a professor of law appointed by the speaker of the House, a county commissioner appointed by the Senate president pro-tempore, and a retired judge appointed by the chief justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court.
"By bringing professionals from accounting, media, legal education, local government and the bench, I believe these various perspectives will strengthen the DA's council," said Key.
Key said House Bill 3230 would allow DA's council be more active in pursuit and prosecution of corruption: "All we have to do is look at the key role that the federal government has repeatedly played in rooting out fraud in state government, such as at the Oklahoma Health Department in 2000 and the state auditor, state inspector and Gene Stipe today, and ask these questions: Where were the DAs and attorney general? Why is it that local DAs are not on the forefront in fighting corruption in state government?" said Key. "It is time to separate the influence of the attorney general from the DAs."
Key's bill, he said, would also make the District Attorneys Council's budgeting process independent from the attorney general. "This measure speaks to the need to provide complete independence for the district attorneys across Oklahoma from the office of the attorney general as well as provide greater representation from the public," said Key. "The citizens of Oklahoma elect each district attorney from their respective district to serve them to the best of their ability, and I believe that it is a good public policy for these independently elected officials to be able to govern themselves independent of the influence of the attorney general. We ought to be able to clean our own house."
Key's news release said the bill would "reform the Oklahoma District Attorneys Council, removing it from under the Office of the State Attorney General and making the council an independent body with expanded membership.
"I believe that it is imperative that we have complete independence between the Office of the Attorney General and the District Attorneys Council. As it is configured today, the attorney general sits in the council as a voting member," said Key, R-Oklahoma City. "Under my proposal, the attorney general is removed from the entire process."
House Bill 3230, by Key, not only removes the District Attorney's Council from the attorney general's office but also increase the council's membership to include a certified public accountant and a member of the press appointed by the governor, a professor of law appointed by the speaker of the House, a county commissioner appointed by the Senate president pro-tempore, and a retired judge appointed by the chief justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court.
"By bringing professionals from accounting, media, legal education, local government and the bench, I believe these various perspectives will strengthen the DA's council," said Key.
Key said House Bill 3230 would allow DA's council be more active in pursuit and prosecution of corruption: "All we have to do is look at the key role that the federal government has repeatedly played in rooting out fraud in state government, such as at the Oklahoma Health Department in 2000 and the state auditor, state inspector and Gene Stipe today, and ask these questions: Where were the DAs and attorney general? Why is it that local DAs are not on the forefront in fighting corruption in state government?" said Key. "It is time to separate the influence of the attorney general from the DAs."
Key's bill, he said, would also make the District Attorneys Council's budgeting process independent from the attorney general. "This measure speaks to the need to provide complete independence for the district attorneys across Oklahoma from the office of the attorney general as well as provide greater representation from the public," said Key. "The citizens of Oklahoma elect each district attorney from their respective district to serve them to the best of their ability, and I believe that it is a good public policy for these independently elected officials to be able to govern themselves independent of the influence of the attorney general. We ought to be able to clean our own house."
Labels: Charles Key, District Attorney's Council, Drew Edmondson
posted by Mike McCarville @ 3:12 PM
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