Roth's Ethics: Will Murphy Take The Gloves Off?

With Corporation Commissioner Jim Roth having raised the issue of ethics in his campaign against Republican Dana Murphy, some of Murphy's backers are urging her to throw the ethics question back at Democrat Roth because of his vote against a coal-powered plant opposed by his campaign co-chairman, top fundraiser and maximum donor Aubrey McClendon of Chesapeake Energy Corp.

"She's got the issue," said one frustrated GOP official. "It's documented...the close relationship between Roth and McClendon and it goes back to Roth's campaigns for Oklahoma County commissioner and includes that road and bridge project Roth did for McClendon that you've outlined. I can't imagine why Murphy hasn't raised the issue...she's probably waited too late now."

Following the recent disclosures about Roth's alliance with McClendon, some asked why he didn't abstain from voting on the coal-powered plant sought by several utility companies. Roth refused to discuss the issue with a reporter for KTOK at the time, has not returned calls from The McCarville Report Online and has remained silent since.

"If the roles were reversed," fumed another GOP leader, "and Murphy was the one who taken money from McClendon, built him a road and bridge to benefit his business, made him her campaign co-chairman and then voted his way on a project that would have cost him and his company money, the media would be all over it and they'd be screaming about the lack of ethics. Why the hell they're protecting Roth is beyond me, unless it's because he's a Democrat."

Like Murphy, Republican State Chairman Gary Jones has been silent on the Roth-McClendon connection and Roth's vote on the coal-powered plant.

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