McMahan's Alleged Abuse Of Power Likely Focus Of House Impeachment Proceedings, Sources Say
Federal allegations that Auditor and Inspector Jeff McMahan misused and abused the powers of his office to help abstract company owner Steve Phipps likely will be the focus of an investigation by a House committee to be formed next week, sources tell The McCarville Report Online.
The House panel will decide if impeachment proceedings are warranted.
"It's a slam dunk" that the committee will proceed, said one House member. House Speaker Chris Benge, Tulsa Republican, placed Rep. Mike Reynold's House Resolution 1051, which calls for the formation of a committee to look into allegations against McMahan, a Democrat, on Wednesday's House floor calendar.
Late this morning, Benge issued a statement in which he said if the resolution passes next week, he intends to name an eight-member committee made up of four Republicans and four Democrats. The committee will have two co-chairs, one from each party.
“We need to take the politics out of this situation as much as possible,” said Benge. “Considering impeachment of a statewide-elected official is very serious, and we plan to move forward in a bipartisan manner so the charges can be fully reviewed without bias.”
The course laid out in the resolution mirrors the process followed during the investigation of former Insurance Commissioner Carroll Fisher, who resigned in 2004 before an impeachment trial was held.
If the committee comes back with a recommendation to remove McMahan from office, and the entire House approves the articles of impeachment, the Senate would then hold a trial. Members could act on taking the first step toward impeachment proceedings against McMahan as early as next Monday.
While the nine-count federal indictment of McMahan and his wife, Lori, also alleges the laundering of thousands of dollars into McMahan's 2002 campaign, it is the allegations that McMahan conspired with Phipps and McMahan's abstract division head, Tim Arbaugh, to eliminate an abstract company competitor and help Phillips in a legal battle with his then-partner, former State Senator Gene Stipe, that are viewed as those most likely to detail the extent of McMahan's alleged corruption and abuse of power. Phipps is now a convicted felon, one of many snared in the scandal.
GOP House members who have reviewed the federal indictment cite sections 25, 28, 29, 30, 31 and 32 as the possible focus of the House probe. "Taking funny money is serious enough," said one House insider. "Abusing the official power of your office to financially assist a corrupt provider of straw donations is even more serious. There's a clear, and continuing, quid pro quo. The evidence the feds got is overwhelming and they've got witnesses as well. McMahan is a disgrace."
The House panel will decide if impeachment proceedings are warranted.
"It's a slam dunk" that the committee will proceed, said one House member. House Speaker Chris Benge, Tulsa Republican, placed Rep. Mike Reynold's House Resolution 1051, which calls for the formation of a committee to look into allegations against McMahan, a Democrat, on Wednesday's House floor calendar.
Late this morning, Benge issued a statement in which he said if the resolution passes next week, he intends to name an eight-member committee made up of four Republicans and four Democrats. The committee will have two co-chairs, one from each party.
“We need to take the politics out of this situation as much as possible,” said Benge. “Considering impeachment of a statewide-elected official is very serious, and we plan to move forward in a bipartisan manner so the charges can be fully reviewed without bias.”
The course laid out in the resolution mirrors the process followed during the investigation of former Insurance Commissioner Carroll Fisher, who resigned in 2004 before an impeachment trial was held.
If the committee comes back with a recommendation to remove McMahan from office, and the entire House approves the articles of impeachment, the Senate would then hold a trial. Members could act on taking the first step toward impeachment proceedings against McMahan as early as next Monday.
While the nine-count federal indictment of McMahan and his wife, Lori, also alleges the laundering of thousands of dollars into McMahan's 2002 campaign, it is the allegations that McMahan conspired with Phipps and McMahan's abstract division head, Tim Arbaugh, to eliminate an abstract company competitor and help Phillips in a legal battle with his then-partner, former State Senator Gene Stipe, that are viewed as those most likely to detail the extent of McMahan's alleged corruption and abuse of power. Phipps is now a convicted felon, one of many snared in the scandal.
GOP House members who have reviewed the federal indictment cite sections 25, 28, 29, 30, 31 and 32 as the possible focus of the House probe. "Taking funny money is serious enough," said one House insider. "Abusing the official power of your office to financially assist a corrupt provider of straw donations is even more serious. There's a clear, and continuing, quid pro quo. The evidence the feds got is overwhelming and they've got witnesses as well. McMahan is a disgrace."
Labels: Articles of Impeachment, Gene Stipe. Jeff McMahan, Lori McMahan, Steve Phipps
posted by Mike McCarville @ 10:29 AM
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