Jones: Was Murphy Promised Judge's Seat?
Oklahoma Republican Party Chairman Gary Jones (right) said today that Governor Brad Henry, Senate Democrat leaders, and former judge Robert Murphy should provide the public a full accounting about whether former Murphy was promised a judicial appointment if he loses the race for the open Senate District 21 seat.
A few weeks ago Murphy resigned his elected position as Associate District Judge to seek the Senate District 21 seat, but now Murphy has filed paperwork with the Judicial Nominating Commission to be reinstated to his former position.
"Murphy’s attempt to get his judgeship back while in the middle of a State Senate campaign is a very fishy development. It doesn’t pass the smell test," stated Jones. "The people have a right to know whether Bob Murphy was promised his judgeship back after losing the State Senate race. The governor, Senate Democrat leaders, and Mr. Murphy owe the people a complete disclosure and a full accounting of what commitments were made to convince Murphy to run for the State Senate," he said.
If Murphy is selected as a finalist from among the applicants for the judgeship by the Judicial Nominating Commission, Henry could then appoint Murphy to fill the vacant judgeship that Murphy resigned in June, Jones said.
With Murphy now seeking a judgeship in addition to running for a Senate seat, Jones also urged Murphy to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest by returning contributions made to his Senate campaign by trial lawyers.
"In his prior statements to the press, Bob Murphy has said, ‘we need a state senator who isn't beholden to any special money interests.’ But since that time Murphy has done the opposite, getting almost 70% of all of his funds from the trial lawyer lobby," said Jones. "I'm sure there are members of the trial bar who would be concerned about refusing to donate money to Murphy’s Senate campaign given the very real possibility that he will be presiding over their cases again after the election."
Murphy, Jones said, is "no stranger to conflicts of interest. While serving as Associate District Judge, Murphy was removed by the Oklahoma Supreme Court as the presiding judge in the criminal trial of convicted Oklahoma City bombing conspirator Terry Nichols for allowing a conflict of interest to develop between himself and a law firm.
"You would think that once you were disqualified publicly by the Oklahoma Supreme Court for an apparent conflict of interest, you would do your best to never allow for any allegations of that to be made in the future," said Jones. "Accepting trial lawyer money in such huge amounts when you very well could be presiding again over their court cases doesn't cut it."
A few weeks ago Murphy resigned his elected position as Associate District Judge to seek the Senate District 21 seat, but now Murphy has filed paperwork with the Judicial Nominating Commission to be reinstated to his former position.
"Murphy’s attempt to get his judgeship back while in the middle of a State Senate campaign is a very fishy development. It doesn’t pass the smell test," stated Jones. "The people have a right to know whether Bob Murphy was promised his judgeship back after losing the State Senate race. The governor, Senate Democrat leaders, and Mr. Murphy owe the people a complete disclosure and a full accounting of what commitments were made to convince Murphy to run for the State Senate," he said.
If Murphy is selected as a finalist from among the applicants for the judgeship by the Judicial Nominating Commission, Henry could then appoint Murphy to fill the vacant judgeship that Murphy resigned in June, Jones said.
With Murphy now seeking a judgeship in addition to running for a Senate seat, Jones also urged Murphy to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest by returning contributions made to his Senate campaign by trial lawyers.
"In his prior statements to the press, Bob Murphy has said, ‘we need a state senator who isn't beholden to any special money interests.’ But since that time Murphy has done the opposite, getting almost 70% of all of his funds from the trial lawyer lobby," said Jones. "I'm sure there are members of the trial bar who would be concerned about refusing to donate money to Murphy’s Senate campaign given the very real possibility that he will be presiding over their cases again after the election."
Murphy, Jones said, is "no stranger to conflicts of interest. While serving as Associate District Judge, Murphy was removed by the Oklahoma Supreme Court as the presiding judge in the criminal trial of convicted Oklahoma City bombing conspirator Terry Nichols for allowing a conflict of interest to develop between himself and a law firm.
"You would think that once you were disqualified publicly by the Oklahoma Supreme Court for an apparent conflict of interest, you would do your best to never allow for any allegations of that to be made in the future," said Jones. "Accepting trial lawyer money in such huge amounts when you very well could be presiding again over their court cases doesn't cut it."
Labels: Bob Murphy, Gary Jones
posted by Mike McCarville @ 2:46 PM
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