Jolley Criticizes Judicial Nominating Commission Member's Donation To Bob Murphy
Stillwater Democrat Bob Murphy's decision to seek elective state office and appointive judicial office at the same time has created a conflict of interest for one of his donors, Republican Clark Jolley (pictured) claims today.
Jolley says that Norman attorney Jim Loftis, a member of the Judicial Nominating Commission, has contributed $650 to Murphy’s campaign for the State Senate. UPDATE: Jim Loftis said this afternoon he will recuse himself from any vote on the Stillwater judicial vacancy.
Jolley called on Loftis to avoid "the clear conflict of interest" caused by Murphy's dual office-seeking by recusing himself from the Judicial Nominating Commission’s candidate nomination process for the vacant Associate District Judge position in Payne County.
Campaign records show that Loftis, one of six attorney members on the Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC), contributed $650 to Democrat Bob Murphy’s State Senate campaign on July 14, Jolley said.
Murphy resigned his position as Associate District Judge in June to run for the State Senate, but is now trying to re-attain his old judgeship after filing paperwork with the Judicial Nominating Commission on August 1. As a result, Murphy is seeking both offices simultaneously.
“Mr. Loftis is a contributor to Bob Murphy’s Senate campaign, while also sitting in a position to act on Bob Murphy’s candidacy for the vacant Payne County judgeship. Unfortunately, Mr. Murphy's decision has created a clear conflict of interest for Mr. Loftis,” said Jolley, R-Edmond, an attorney.
Jolley said conflicts of interest are not new to Murphy, as he was removed as presiding judge in the trial of convicted Oklahoma City Bombing co-conspirator Terry Nichols for allowing a conflict of interest to arise between himself and an Oklahoma City trial firm.
”Although Mr. Loftis has done nothing wrong, the right and honorable result of Mr. Murphy's dual office-seeking is for Mr. Loftis to immediately recuse himself from the Judicial Nominating Commission’s nomination process for the Payne County Associate District Judge position,” Jolley stated. “And, given that former and possibly future Judge Murphy has raised nearly 70 percent of his campaign funds from trial lawyers who may one day be trying cases before him again, it’s clear these and other potential donors could feel pressure from Murphy as the campaign progresses.”
Jolley noted that no other of Murphy’s funds appear to have come from members of the Judicial Nominating Commission.
Jolley says that Norman attorney Jim Loftis, a member of the Judicial Nominating Commission, has contributed $650 to Murphy’s campaign for the State Senate. UPDATE: Jim Loftis said this afternoon he will recuse himself from any vote on the Stillwater judicial vacancy.
Jolley called on Loftis to avoid "the clear conflict of interest" caused by Murphy's dual office-seeking by recusing himself from the Judicial Nominating Commission’s candidate nomination process for the vacant Associate District Judge position in Payne County.
Campaign records show that Loftis, one of six attorney members on the Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC), contributed $650 to Democrat Bob Murphy’s State Senate campaign on July 14, Jolley said.
Murphy resigned his position as Associate District Judge in June to run for the State Senate, but is now trying to re-attain his old judgeship after filing paperwork with the Judicial Nominating Commission on August 1. As a result, Murphy is seeking both offices simultaneously.
“Mr. Loftis is a contributor to Bob Murphy’s Senate campaign, while also sitting in a position to act on Bob Murphy’s candidacy for the vacant Payne County judgeship. Unfortunately, Mr. Murphy's decision has created a clear conflict of interest for Mr. Loftis,” said Jolley, R-Edmond, an attorney.
Jolley said conflicts of interest are not new to Murphy, as he was removed as presiding judge in the trial of convicted Oklahoma City Bombing co-conspirator Terry Nichols for allowing a conflict of interest to arise between himself and an Oklahoma City trial firm.
”Although Mr. Loftis has done nothing wrong, the right and honorable result of Mr. Murphy's dual office-seeking is for Mr. Loftis to immediately recuse himself from the Judicial Nominating Commission’s nomination process for the Payne County Associate District Judge position,” Jolley stated. “And, given that former and possibly future Judge Murphy has raised nearly 70 percent of his campaign funds from trial lawyers who may one day be trying cases before him again, it’s clear these and other potential donors could feel pressure from Murphy as the campaign progresses.”
Jolley noted that no other of Murphy’s funds appear to have come from members of the Judicial Nominating Commission.
Labels: Bob Murphy, Clark Jolley, Jim Loftis, Judicial Nomination Commission
posted by Mike McCarville @ 1:17 PM
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