Edmondson Reports Having Raised $973,211

Democrat Drew Edmondson reported today he's raised a total of $973,211 in his race for the Democratic nomination for governor, including $244,518 in the 2nd Quarter.

Edmondson, now the attorney general, reported that he spent $115,309 on consultants, staff, polling and related items.

He reported he has cash on hand of $623,995.

View his complete report and donors at https://www.ok.gov/ethics/crs/c1r/view_c1r.php?reg_id=110013&action=public&report_num=57413.

Fallin Reports Having Raised $454,444

Republican Mary Fallin reported today she's raised $454,444 in her quest for the GOP nomination for governor.

The 5th District congresswoman's report to the Ethics Commission shows she raised $345,878 in the 2nd Quarter and spent $151,412 on staff, consultants, polling and other campaign expenses.

Fallin ended the period June 30th with $283,351 in cash on hand.

View Fallin's report and donors at https://www.ok.gov/ethics/crs/c1r/view_c1r.php?reg_id=110051&action=public&report_num=57077.

Bob Stoops Talks OU Football On The Verdict

OU football coach Bob Stoops is the next guest on The Verdict, which airs Sunday morning at 9 on Cox Channel 7 in Oklahoma City and Cox Channel 3 in Tulsa.

"Bob Stoops: Has It Really Been Eleven Years?" features the coach with hosts Mick Cornett and Kent Meyers.

The show also airs on Monday at 9:30 a.m., Tuesday at 10:00 a.m., and Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. on the same channels.

Ryan Leonard Reports $155,000 Raised

Oklahoma City Republican Ryan Leonard reported today that his campaign for the GOP nomination for attorney general has raised $154,735, including more than $122,000 in the second quarter. Leonard plans to formally kick off his campaign this fall.

Among Leonard's top donors are former Governor Frank Keating, his father-in-law; former Tulsa Mayor Jim Hewgley, Jr.; Retired Major General Lee Baxter; Senator James Halligan; Pre-Paid Legal Founder/CEO Harland Stonecipher, a Democrat; former Congressman Bill Brewster, a Democrat; former Attorney General G.T. Blankenship; Ike Glass; Renzi Stone; former Republican National Committeeman Lynn Windel; and former Oklahoma City Mayor Andy Coats, a Democrat.

Former State Senator Scott Pruitt, now the managing partner of the Oklahoma RedHawks baseball team, has indicated he may seek the GOP nomination as well.

Luttrell Named To National Native Panel Post

Rep. Ken Luttrell, Ponca City Democrat, has been named vice chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee of the National Caucus of Native American State Legislators.

He is a member of the Cherokee tribe and serves on the tribe's Economic Development Committee.

Luttrell's appointment was announced by Washington Rep. John McCoy, chairman of the caucus.

The Energy and Natural Resources Committee works with the federal, tribal and state governments to develop policies which focus on economic development, conservation, alternative energy, green industry jobs and cooperation and joint ventures between tribes, states and private companies.

Obama Gets Low Marks In Gates Controversy

From Rasmussen Reports ~ In an effort to defuse a national controversy, President Obama is hosting a black Harvard professor and the policeman who arrested him at the White House today, but just 30% of U.S. voters give the president good or excellent marks for his handling of the situation over the past week. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 44% believe Obama has done a poor job dealing with the situation in recent days.

DOJ Backs Off 'Offical English' Challenge

From The Washington Times ~ Oklahoma's bipartisan congressional delegation this week accused the Obama Justice Department of trying to strong-arm the state into rejecting an English-only referendum by saying it could cost Oklahoma federal funding.

In a stern letter to Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr., the lawmakers - six Republicans and one Democrat - said Justice officials were meddling in Oklahoma affairs when they issued a pre-emptive April warning letter, well before any potential violation of law would take place.

"The Civil Rights Division letter was dubiously timed at the peak of legislative debate rather than in response to a particular state action," the delegation wrote to Mr. Holder on Tuesday, questioning whether Oklahoma was being singled out and asking what funds would be jeopardized.

But the Justice Department says Oklahoma lawmakers themselves have already cleared up the problem by changing the referendum in April to remove any conflicts with federal law.

"The proposal appropriately allows languages other than English when required by federal law and, as long as recipients comply with those laws, federal funds are not at risk," said Justice spokesman Alejandro Miyar.

The Oklahoma Legislature voted in April to ask state voters next year to vote on requiring official state actions be conducted in English and preventing individuals from suing to have state services provided in languages other than English.

In her April warning letter, Loretta King, the acting assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division, said limiting services could amount to discrimination against persons based on their national origin. She said state programs could lose federal subsidies if they run afoul of discrimination laws.

Mr. Miyar said the letter was designed to let Oklahoma officials know an early version of their legislation might have conflicted with federal law. A week after the letter was sent, the Legislature approved a different version that doesn't conflict with federal laws, and he said that has cleared up any problem.

Still, the Oklahoma lawmakers, led by Republican Sen. James M. Inhofe, said that by acting even before lawmakers had passed their measure, much less before voters had approved the referendum, the administration was acting outside of the civil rights rules the Supreme Court laid out in a 2001 ruling.

"This was not a letter aimed at enforcing actually occurring violations," the lawmakers said.

The lawmakers questioned why Oklahoma received a warning when other states have similar language requirements. State Rep. Randy Terrill, a Republican and sponsor of the referendum, said the letter was an effort to "blackmail" the state.

"The DOJ's argument is legally unsound and tries to equate English-language laws with national-origin discrimination. No court in the country has ever issued a ruling that supports the DOJ's specious legal claims," he said.

Mr. Miyar said Oklahoma's original bill had singled out a Clinton administration executive order as lacking binding authority on states, and Ms. King's letter was intended to alert Oklahoma that other federal laws also apply.

"This was the only English-only bill that we had seen in which Executive Order 13166 was specifically mentioned - and that's the reason it was important to clarify to Oklahoma that Title VI is the federal law that asserts the requirement for recipients to provide reasonable access to [limited English proficiency] individuals," Mr. Miyar said.

Outrage Voiced Over DOJ's Threat To Penalize Oklahoma If 'Official English' Approved; Terrill Says It's 'Abusive...unjustified...an intrusion'

U. S. Attorney General Eric Holder's Department of Justice has threatened Oklahoma with a loss of federal funding if voters approve an "Official English" constitutional amendment in what's being characterized as an outrageous attempt to intimidate citizens of Oklahoma.

'We will not be blackmailed'

Rep. Randy Terrill, R-Moore, ardent supporter of the measure and a crusader against illegal immigration, told KTOK's Reid Mullins this morning he was "incredibly surprised" by the letter and its contents. He said the attack on Oklahoma appears to be unprecedented.

Terrill said he's curious what "triggered the letter." He said the letter is "abusive...unjustified...an unwarranted intrusion" into the affairs of the state.

"Can the federal government tell a state what to do?" Terrill asked, while saying it can not.

“Absolutely appalling, it is outrageous, it clearly constitutes a threat. “It is abusive and singles out the state of Oklahoma and therefore is unjustified and an intrusion into the sovereignty of the state of Oklahoma.

“My message would be simple—the federal government needs to get its nose out of our business," Terrill added. "We will not be blackmailed. We will not be intimidated. We will not be extorted.”

Members of the state's congressional delegation sent a letter to Holder seeking justification and clarification for the letter, from the Department of Justice, sent to Attorney General Drew Edmondson.

"It is entirely unacceptable for the federal government to try to strong-arm the state by threatening to remove federal funding,'' Republican Senator Jim Inhofe said.

In the letter, Inhofe and other members of the state's delegation also stated that the letter to Edmonson was "dubiously timed'' at the peak of the debate over the issue.

"We find it extremely disconcerting that the State of Oklahoma has been targeted,'' the delegation wrote.

Citing a Supreme Court ruling that speaks to such "unprecedented intrusion" by DOJ, the lawmakers also asks Holder to explain what triggered the letter. They also cite similar laws passed in other states.

"Have these states, or any of the dozens of states, cities and counties with official English policies, been accused by the Department of Justice to be in violation ... or formally threatened with funding termination?" they asked.

The letter also was signed by Senator Tom Coburn; Republican Reps. John Sullivan, Frank Lucas, Tom Cole and Mary Fallin, and Democrat Dan Boren.

The DOJ etter advises Edmondson that "implementation of this [English-only] amendment may conflict with Oklahoma's obligations to protect the civil rights of limited English proficient (LEP) persons."

Dated April 14 from Acting Assistant Attorney General Loretta King, the letter states, "As you know, recipients of federal financial assistance must comply with various civil rights statutes, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964…which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin."

The letter continues, "State agencies and other entities in Oklahoma that receive federal financial assistance thus would be precluded by federal law from abiding by an English-only requirement where it conflicts with their obligations under Title VI."

The congressional delegation's letter to Holder points out that several other states have passed similar legislation and asks if they too have been "accused by the Department of Justice to be in violation with Title VI, or formally threatened with funding termination."

The delegation letter asks for an explanation for what prompted the DOJ to write the state of Oklahoma on this issue and seeks explanation for what funds would be eliminated should Oklahomans pass the English only amendment.

Blogger Launches 'Draft Scott Pruitt For AG' Site

A supporter of former State Senator Scott Pruitt has created a website urging there be a "Draft Pruitt For Attorney General" movement.

The supporter, Charlie Polston, writes that Pruitt has "the legal credentials for the job."

The site includes a link for those wishing to sign up to support Pruitt, now the managing partner of the Oklahoma Redhawks baseball team.

View the site at http://pruitt4okag.blogspot.com/2009/07/change-isnt-going-to-happen-in.html.

Ryan Leonard, Oklahoma City Republican, is an announced candidate for the nomination.

Board Of Health Member Faces Meth Charges

Lawton pharmacist Haskell Lee Evans Jr., a member of the State Board of Health, has been indicted for allegedly selling drugs used to make the illegal stimulant methamphetamine.

Governor Henry and Attorney General Drew Edmondson called on Evans to resign his state post.

Evans was named in four felony and three misdemeanor counts in a multicounty grand jury indictment unsealed Tuesday in Comanche County.

The four felony counts accuse Evans of recklessly selling meth precursors, while the three misdemeanors are for failure to report information to the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics.

Rob Johnson Seeks Senate District 22 Seat

Former Rep. Rob Johnson of Kingfisher said today he's a candidate for the Republican nomination for the open State Senate District 22 seat that encompasses portions of Canadian, Kingfisher, Logan and Oklahoma Counties.

Johnson served four years in the Oklahoma House, where he was known for his conservative stances on taxes, spending and moral issues. He narrowly lost the Republican nomination for the Corporation Commission to Dana Murphy in 2008. He lives in Kingfisher with his wife Michelle and their two daughters, Kensington and McKellyn. Rob and Michelle have been married twelve years.

Free Michael Behenna Petition Nears 4,000 Signers

An online petition asking politicians and the Secretary of Defense to ensure there's a new trial for Edmond Army Lt. Michael Behenna has gathered almost 4,000 signatures.

Behenna, a 101st Airborne leader convicted of killing an Al Qaida member in Iraq, is serving a 20-year sentence. Evidence favorable to Behenna was withheld by military prosecutors during his trial and was not made public until the trial was over.

The petition was written by Behenna's fiance and has drawn signatures from across the country.

If you'd not yet signed the petition, go to www.defendmichael.com or click on the "Free Michael Behenna" site on the right side of this page.

The Gadfly On Their Cases

Obamagates: If George Bush had said what Barack Obama said about the Cambridge arrest...the liberal media would be skewering him non-stop. The media reportage on the incident has been shameful; inaccurate in the extreme, uninformed and judgmental without the facts. The same applies to Obama and some black cable news commentators and guests who, like Professor Gates, unfairly played the race card.

Will They Take It Back? The cable news network "experts" (black and white) who asserted as fact that a "white woman" called Cambridge police to report two "black men" (their "proof" that racial profiling began with the 911 call) breaking into a house were wrong. The woman who called police is Portugese by descent and did not describe the two men she saw as "black," she and the police chief say. So much for that assertion of "racial profiling."

Palin: Among those who don't have a clue what the former governor of Alaska is up to, count me. Resigning half-way through her first term...talking in circles about her future...politically baffling. She's right on in her criticism of the national news media.

GOP: The party isn't dead as some liberal news outlets, commentators and Democrats would have us believe. Even self-inflicted wounds eventually heal (ala Democrats in 1994).

Democrats: Obama's national health care "plan" is in trouble and it is Blue Dog Democrats who hold the dice in this crap shoot.

Approval/Disapproval: Don't get too excited about Obama's falling approval ratings. I didn't get worked up when his ratings were sky high; ditto as they fall. Every president's rating fluctuates with events (and mistakes). Give it two more years, then see where it is. I suspect it will be lower than it is today. History ultimately will judge.

Hardly Racist: 'The gentleman says he lives here'

http://www.breitbart.tv/cambridge-officerdispatch-audio-he-is-not-cooperative/.

Holt Reports $55,665 Raised In SD30 Race

Republican State Senate candidate David Holt reports today he's raised $55,665 in his bid to replace Senate President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee in Senate District 30.

Holt reports he has just under $50,000 in cash on hand. The donations came from 167 donors. The total does not include donations made after June 30.

Holt is seeking the open seat currently held by Coffee, who is term-limited in 2010. The district covers parts of Northwest Oklahoma City, Bethany, Warr Acres, and the Village.

Holt serves as a member of the Oklahoma County Republican Party Executive Committee, on the boards of the Northwest Chamber and the Putnam City Schools Foundation, and is active in numerous other community organizations. He currently serves as chief of staff to Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett (with whom he is pictured), previously served in the White House of President George W. Bush, under U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert and Lt. Governor Mary Fallin, and several members of Congress from Oklahoma.

Holt officially launched his candidacy June 2. More information on Holt’s Senate campaign can be found at www.VoteDavidHolt.com.

The Gadfly Mourns Ron Meyer

Damn: Friend and former client Ron Meyer, the owner of Phoenix Fabrications in northeast Oklahoma City, died Saturday morning when his treasured, single-engine 1976 Beechcraft Bonaza crashed on the Northwest Expressway during an emergency landing attempt.

Meyer’s wife, Nam, and three others were aboard the plane for a flight to Enid from Wiley Post Airport. All were injured and one is in critical condition; Mrs. Meyer is reported in fair condition at a hospital.

Ron and Nan are pictured here with the Vietnamese girl they were in the process of adopting.

Media Bias And Obama's 'Teachable Moment'

The furor President Obama created with his comments about the arrest of a black professor by a white police officer in Massachusetts has been reported extensively by the nation's broadcast and cable news networks and some of the reportage has been biased in the extreme, much of it asserting as fact that it was a case of racial profiling. There's since been some back-pedaling as more details have emerged and NewsBusters has a complete compilation of the skewed reports and attempts to correct them.

Fallin Seeks Pentagon Review Of Behenna Case

Congresswoman Mary Fallin today used the case of Army 1st Lieutenant Michael Behenna of Edmond to stress the importance of due process in the military justice system.

Fallin asked Pentagon officials to reevaluate whether due process had been satisfied.

The question came during a hearing of the House Armed Services Committee, of which Fallin is a member.

“We need to make sure the Uniform Code of Military Justice is applied fairly in every case and that men and women in uniform are afforded every opportunity for a fair trial,” Fallin said. “I am grateful for Lieutenant Behenna’s service to our nation and will continue to monitor his situation and insist due process is satisfied.”

In March, Behenna was convicted of unpremeditated murder while serving in Iraq and sentenced to 25 years in prison. Earlier this week, he was denied a new trial but plans to continue through the appeals process. His sentence was reduced to 20 years by the commanding general of the 101st Airborne.

Behenna's civilian attorney has filed an appeal with the U. S. Army Court of Appeals, citing the misconduct of prosecutors in withholding evidence favorable to Behenna from his attorneys and the court martial panel.

To watch Fallin discuss her due process concerns in the Behenna case, click here.

Henry Sets HD55 Special Election Dates

Governor Henry today set the dates for special elections in the House District 55 area in western Oklahoma.

The special elections were called after Rep. Ryan McMullen resigned to become state director of rural development with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Henry set the filing period for the post August 3-5. The primary election will be September 8 and the general election will be October 13.

The district includes all of Washita County and parts of Kiowa, Caddo and Canadian Counties.

New Sex Charge Leveled Against Rowland

A new charge of sexual harrassment against former state investigator Kevin E. Rowland was unveiled in Oklahoma County today.

Rowland now stands accused of groping a male employee who worked for him at the state medical examiner's office. In an indictment unsealed yesterday, he faces charges of inappropriate contact with a female office worker.

The state multicounty grand jury on Monday indicted Rowland twice. He is charged in the second indictment with one felony count of sexual battery.

Grand jurors alleged Rowland, 44, touched the private parts of a male investigator "while making a sexually explicit statement in reference to" the employee's private parts.

Police Unions: Obama Should Apologize

The Cambridge and area police unions voiced their support Friday for Sgt. James Crowley and called for an apology from President Obama for saying officers "acted stupidly" for arresting black Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. at his home.

"His remarks were obviously misdirected but made it worse yet by suggesting somehow this case should remind us of a history of racial abuse by law enforcement," Dennis O'Connor, president of the Cambridge Police Superior Officers Association, said at a news conference.

O'Connor also referred to statements made by Governor Deval Patrick -- the state's first black governor -- who called the arrest "every black man's nightmare."

"Whatever may be the history, we deeply resent the implications and reject any suggestion that in this case or any other case that they've allowed a person's race to direct their activities. However we hope they will reflect upon their past comments and apologize to the men and women of the Cambridge Police Department," O'Connor said.

ME's Offices Locked Down; Threat Real?

By Jerry Bohnen/NewsRadio 1000 KTOK ~ The State Medical Examiner's offices in Oklahoma City and Tulsa are under lockdown for a second day in a row following a possible threat from an employee who talked of using a gun.

Both offices were under lockdown Thursday and remain so today, according to Cherokee Ballard, a spokeswoman for the Medical Examiner's office.

She told KTOK News any time there is talk of a gun by an employee, it's better to be safe than sorry. Ballard indicated an investigation is still underway to determine if the threat was real or not.

She explained the M-E's offices are still open to the public but other entrances normally accessed by workers using special security cards are off limits.

The lockdowns of both offices come as former Chief Investigator Kevin Rowland was indicted Thursday in Tulsa on sexual battery charges and again today in Oklahoma County district court. The indictment unsealed today cited him with sexual battery and involved a $2,000 bond.

Sources in Tulsa indicate the gun talk reportedly came from an employee who used to work in the Tulsa M-E's office and had been transferred to Oklahoma City. The employee reportedly was about to be terminated today.

Eunice Khoury Discusses Senior Issues

Eunice Khoury, Oklahoma City radio talk show host and independent insurance agent, is the guest on The Verdict this Sunday at 9 a.m. on Cox Channel 7 in Oklahoma City Channel 3 in Tulsa.

"A Well Preserved Life" is the topic. Khoury specializes in senior care issues. Her KTOK talk show airs from 7 to 8 a.m. on Saturdays.

The show can be seen can be seen Sunday at 9:00 a.m., Monday at 9:30 a.m., Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. and Wednesday at 10:00 a.m.

Politico: Obama Stepped In It

From Politico ~ President Barack Obama has strained through his career in national politics to embrace nuance in all things, and never more than when the subject is race. But an off-the-cuff remark at the end of a news conference designed to further his health care agenda put him at the center of a familiar public melodrama of white cop and black victim in which big-city mayors — never mind presidents — tread with the greatest of caution.

The White House spent Thursday trying to both defend Obama’s words and to soften his position from the night before, when the president departed from his talking points, aides said, to express authentic disgust at the arrest of a black Harvard professor in his own home.

Press secretary Robert Gibbs stood by Obama’s statement that a Cambridge police officer, James Crowley, had acted “stupidly” in arresting Henry Louis “Skip” Gates Jr. but added some implicit criticism of Gates’s conduct, suggesting “both sides” bear blame for the incident. Obama, who said that he was “surprised by the controversy,” said he wished that “cooler heads” had prevailed and described Crowley as an “outstanding” officer.

Police organizations attacked the president’s willingness to criticize a police officer without knowing all the facts, Republicans dusted off law-and-order attacks largely absent from the presidential campaign and everyone from comedian Bill Cosby to the Irish-American media piled on.

Meanwhile, critics of police brutality praised Obama, and the Rev. Al Sharpton went so far as to tell POLITICO the words showed that the president is not really “post-racial.”

The strident accusations left little space for the nuances that this president would more typically explore: that the black man, Gates, was a distinguished professor with little appetite for public confrontation; and that the police officer was a police academy instructor in race relations best known for giving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to a dying black NBA star.

Many observers — even those who agreed with the substance of Obama’s remarks — thought he’d committed a political error in departing from a carefully crafted image.

“He can’t break character now,” said Michael Fauntroy, a public policy professor at George Mason University. “The character that America bought was a race-neutral guy who wasn’t going to mention race in any meaningful way.”

Others objected to his decision to comment without knowing all the details. “I’ve heard about five different reports,” Cosby said in a Boston radio interview. “If I’m the president of the United States, I don’t care how much pressure people want to put on it about race, I’m keeping my mouth shut. I was shocked to hear the president making this kind of statement,” Cosby said.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0709/25356.html#ixzz0MBdQbmTz.

The Hill: Obama's 'Public relations nightmare'

President Obama’s effort to regain lost momentum on healthcare reform collapsed when he instigated a public-relations nightmare by wading into a local law enforcement incident.

Obama, whose eloquence helped catapult him to the White House last year, uncharacteristically veered way off message on Wednesday night by saying that a Cambridge, Mass., policeman acted “stupidly.”

Obama’s comments about Officer James Crowley, who arrested Obama friend and prominent black Harvard University scholar Henry Louis Gates for not producing identification after breaking into his own locked home, drew the ire of Republicans, a major police officers’ union and the officer himself on Thursday.

Read the entire story at http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/obama-comment-on-cop-throws-message-off-track-2009-07-23.html.

Noted Quote: Obama's Comments 'A Setback'

"By reducing all contact between law enforcement and the public to the color of their skin or ethnicity is, in fact, counterproductive to improving relationships," Preston said. "(For the President) To make such an off-handed comment about a subject without benefit of the facts, in such a public forum, hurts police/community relations and is a setback to all of the years of progress." ~ James Preston, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Florida State Lodge.

Obama Comments Dominate Boston News

Obama's Comments Set Off Boston 'Firestorm'

BOSTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama plunged his presidency into a charged racial debate and set off a firestorm in one of America's most liberal bastions by siding with a black Harvard scholar who accuses police of racism.

Saying he was unaware of "all the facts" but that police in Cambridge, Massachusetts, "acted stupidly" in their arrest of Henry Louis Gates, Obama whipped up emotions on both sides of an issue that threatens to open old wounds in America.

Read the entire article at http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE56M5NM20090723.

The Report Obama Should Have Read Before Opening His Mouth On Professor's Arrest

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2009/0723092gates1.html

Attorney Confirms Rowland's Indictment

Kevin Rowland, the former chief investigator for the Oklahoma medical examiner's office, has been indicted on four counts of sexual battery, his attorney says.

A judge in Tulsa County Thursday unsealed the indictment against Rowland but did not disclose any details of the document, saying that would have to wait for Rowland's imminent arrest.

Rowland's attorney, Scott Adams, confirmed the counts in the indictment.

Rowland surrendered late in the morning and was released on bail.

Rowland resigned as chief investigator in March amid allegations of sexual harassment.

A multi-county grand jury report accused him of sexually harassing female co-workers and being abusive. It said two women filed grievances that disappeared from official files.

General Upholds Behenna Murder Conviction

By Jerry Bohnen/NewsRadio 1000 KTOK ~ It's been a disappointing week for Vicki Behenna of Edmond after an Army General at Fort Campbell, Kentucky upheld the murder conviction of her son.

Army Lieutenant Michael Behenna was convicted last spring of the 2008 murder of a detainee he was supposed to have freed in Iraq.

"Yeah, it's sickening," said Behenna in an interview with KTOK News. "As much as Michael thinks somebody in the military's going to stand up for his rights, I'm thinking that the lawyers in the military reviewing this and seeing that violation, where favorable evidence wasn't turned over to the defense, would want to correct that."

Her son got a 25-year sentence that he is serving at the Leavenworth federal penitentiary in Kansas. While the general affirmed the findings of guilt, he also reduced Behenna's sentence to 20 years.

But she's not giving up.

"We intend to fight this all the way, if we have to go to the Supreme Court on it, we're gonna do that for Michael because what happened to him was not right and it was not a fair trial."

Behenna, a federal prosecutor in Oklahoma City, has talked with her son following this week's announcement by the Army.

"Obviously he is very disappointed. He thinks somebody in the military's gonna stand up for him and that has not happened."

Michael Behenna was under orders last year to release a detainee who was a terror suspect. The detainee was Ali Mansur and as Behenna started to return him to his home, he attempted one last interrogation. The soldier claims that during the interrogation, Mansur attacked him and he was forced to shoot and kill him.

Vicki Behenna contends there was favorable evidence from a government forensics expert that was not allowed to be heard at trial and was, in fact, dismissed by prosecutors who did not inform the court or defense attorneys of the expert's findings.

Illegal Alien Prison Inmates Face Deportation

Twenty-two illegal alien state prison inmates were turned over to federal authorities for deportation today, continuing a process that could ultimately save taxpayers close to $7 million.

Rep. Randy Terrill, R-Moore, who witnessed the transfer at the Lilley Correctional Center near Boley, said, “For too long, Oklahoma’s working families have paid the price for the federal government’s failure to control our nation’s borders. Now, thanks to the Criminal Illegal Alien Rapid Repatriation Act of 2009, the federal government will have to bear the financial burden created by these criminals who never should have been here in the first place."

House Bill 2245, by Terrill, created the Criminal Illegal Alien Rapid Repatriation Act and allowed the Department of Corrections to send illegal alien inmates to the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation.

“We are pleased to see the operational aspects developed for Representative Terrill's bill to take effect,” said Justin Jones, director of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections. “This is a measure that saves public funds without compromising public safety.”

The deportation provisions apply only to illegal alien inmates who have not been convicted of major violent crimes (those requiring convicts to serve at least 85 percent of their sentence) and who have served at least one-third of their sentence in state prison.

Prison officials report that 346 of the 541 illegal aliens currently in state prison will ultimately be eligible for deportation under the program, with 181 immediately eligible for deportation.

Since the law gained final legislative approval in May, 32 illegal alien inmates have already been turned over to federal authorities. Today’s group, however, was the largest single transfer to date.

The state pays about $20,000 per year to house each inmate, meaning the ultimate savings generated by the repatriation program will total about $6.9 million.

“During tough economic times when our prisons have to do more with less, this program allows us to maximize our limited tax dollars,” Terrill said. “This program is being considered for duplication across the country and I am proud that Oklahoma was one of the first to enact this common-sense measure.”

Coburn, Inhofe Vote For Concealed Carry Proposal

Senators Tom Coburn and Jim Inhofe today voted in favor of a proposed federal law that would allow holders of concealed carry licenses to carry firearms in every state, but the measure failed by two votes despite winning a plurality. Sixty votes were needed; 58 senators voted for it.

Oklahoma now honors concealed carry permits from all states that have them and 31 states have honored Oklahoma's concealed carry laws.

Concerns Mount Over President Obama's Cass Sunstein, 'The Most Dangerous Man In America'

From News Sources ~ President Obama's nominee for "regulatory czar," the man described by The McCarville Report Online as "the most dangerous man in America," has hit a new snag in his Senate confirmation process, a "hold" by Texas Senator John Cornyn, who's says he's not convinced that Harvard professor Cass Sunstein won't push a radical animal rights agenda, including new restrictions on agriculture and even hunting.

Sunstein's push to institute legal rights for animals and to ban firearms ownership raised eyebrows when Obama nominated him.

Senators are permitted "holds" to prevent a vote on a nominee from coming to the floor. They are often secretive and for very specific reasons.

"Sen. Cornyn finds numerous aspects of Mr. Sunstein's record troubling, specifically the fact that he wants to establish legal 'rights' for livestock, wildlife and pets, which would enable animals to file lawsuits in American courts," the Republican's spokesman, Kevin McLaughlin, said in a statement to FOXNews.com.

Cornyn's hold on Sunstein comes just as Senator Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., last week lifted his own hold on the nominee, whom Obama tapped in April to become the administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the Office of Budget and Management.

Chambliss said he was dropping his hold because Sunstein had convinced him that he "would not take any steps to promote litigation on behalf of animals," and that he believes the "Second Amendment creates an individual right to possess guns for purposes of both hunting and self defense."

Both statements were included in a letter Sunstein sent to Chambliss on July 14. Chambliss added in a Senate floor speech last Wednesday that "Professor Sunstein comes highly recommended by a number of folks from the conservative side of the philosophical divide in this country."

One of Sunstein's top jobs would be to review and provide guidance for draft federal regulations at different federal agencies. It is a wide-ranging and largely unrestrained position in the executive branch.

That's a large part of the reason Sunstein's positions on animal rights have become worrisome to his critics. Despite his assurances to the contrary, Sunstein has spoken stridently in favor of allowing people the right to bring suit on behalf of animals in animal cruelty cases and to restrict what he calls the more horrific practices associated with industrial breeding and processing of animals for food.

In a 2007 speech at Harvard, Sunstein also advocated restricting animal testing for cosmetics, banning hunting and encouraging the general public to eat less meat.

Read "The Most Dangerous Man In America" at http://wwwtmrcom.blogspot.com/2009/03/opinion-most-dangerous-man-in-america.html.

Blacks, Young Increased 2008 Voter Turnout

By Chris Casteel/Washington Bureau, The Oklahoman ~ More black people and young people in Oklahoma voted in the presidential election last year than in 2004, according to a study released Monday by the U.S. Census Bureau.

More than 64 percent of black Oklahomans who were eligible to vote went to the polls for the first U.S. presidential election featuring an African-American major-party nominee.

The black turnout in Oklahoma in 2004 was less than 55 percent among eligible voters.

Turnout among the youngest set of voters measured by the Census Bureau was up slightly last year in Oklahoma from 2004.

According to the study, 41 percent of Oklahomans ages 18 to 24 voted in November, up from 39.5 percent in 2004.

The Census Bureau study calculates the voting percentage by looking at the entire voting age population of U.S. citizens, rather than just registered voters.

According to the state Election Board, 67 percent of registered voters in Oklahoma cast ballots in 2008, about the same as in 2004. But only 58.7 percent of all residents old enough to vote went to the polls in Oklahoma last year, compared with 62.3 percent in 2004, the Census Bureau reported. Nearly 60 percent of white people who were old enough to vote cast ballots last year in Oklahoma, compared with 62.6 percent in 2004. Turnout among eligible residents ages 25 to 44 in Oklahoma rose last year to 53 percent, from 47 percent in 2004. But voting fell among those ages 45 to 64; 65 to 74; and 75 and older. Still, the turnout rates were higher for older people than for those ages 18 to 44. The Oklahoma numbers track with the trends seen nationally, according to the Census Bureau.

Thom File, a voting analyst for the bureau, said: "The 2008 presidential election saw a significant increase in voter turnout among young people, blacks and Hispanics. But as turnout among some other demographic groups either decreased or remained unchanged, the overall 2008 voter turnout rate was not statistically different from 2004."

Inhofe Named To Senate Foreign Relations Panel

Senator Jim Inhofe has been appointed to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to fill the Republican vacancy left by former Senator Norm Coleman (R-Minn.).

Inhofe will become the ranking member on the East Asian and Pacific Affairs subcommittee, which deals with strategically important countries for the United States’ national security such as China, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, North Korea, South Korea, and others.

The appointment gives Inhofe an even stronger voice in America's foreign affairs.

Currently the Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Foreign Relations becomes Inhofe’s third committee.

Reid OKs Floor Vote On Gun Laws Measure

From Politico ~ Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is supposed to be the protector of the Senate’s skittish Democratic flock — the guy who soothes intraparty spats and shields his 60-member majority from dangerous, career-threatening votes.

Yet Reid — whose low approval ratings in Nevada make him a tempting GOP target in next year’s midterms — put many of his members in a sticky situation when he OK’d a floor vote on a controversial GOP amendment that could significantly alter the nation’s gun control laws.

Reid says the bill deserves a hearing and reflects his commitment to supporting gun rights in a state that sanctifies the Second Amendment. Other Democrats say he approved the vote out of personal political necessity — to avoid the ire of the National Rifle Association during the 2010 elections.

“Nobody’s angry at Harry, but it’s created a problem for us,” says a Democratic aide, speaking on condition of anonymity. “There’s a huge level of sympathy for him, because we don’t want to have another Daschle situation.”

That was, of course, a reference to Tom Daschle, the last Democratic majority leader who was knocked off in 2004, by Republican John Thune.

By astounding coincidence (not), Thune, now the No. 4 man in the Senate, just happens to be the guy who authored the current amendment to allow licensed gun owners to transport their weapons across state lines.

“This has nothing to do with electoral politics,” said Reid spokesman Jim Manley, who emphasized that the amendment has the support of many other Democrats besides Reid.

Two previous NRA-backed measures, one loosening D.C. handgun restrictions and another allowing guns in national parks, passed by comfortable 60-plus vote margins in the Senate earlier this year.

“Harry Reid has always supported gun rights and intends to do so in the future,” Manley added.

Still, Reid’s decision prompted a mini-uprising among two top lieutenants — Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) — who are considering a filibuster to kill the measure before it comes to a vote, as expected on Wednesday.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0709/25193.html#ixzz0LuVGO5YN.

Lamb Says He Raised $195,280 In Two Weeks

Republican Todd Lamb, undeclared candidate for lieutenant governor, said today he raised $195,285.00 in two weeks for his campaign.

Coupled with a transfer of $57,760.73 unspent dollars from his previous contest for the State Senate, the campaign has total receipts of $253,045.73. After expenses are deducted, the campaign has $252,632.93 on hand.

Lamb's report filed with the Ethics Commission shows a large number of $5,000 donors and contributions from a number of political action committees, all received in the period June 12-30.

Access Lamb's finance report at https://www.ok.gov/ethics/crs/c1r/view_c1r.php?reg_id=110084&action=public&report_num=57434.

Baptist Newspaper Apologizes For Henry Error

The Baptist Messenger's editors have issued an apology to Governor Henry for erroneously attaching his name to Rep. Sally Kern's controversial morality proclamation.

The document says the United States is forsaking its Christian heritage to become a world leader in various forms of debauchery.

The Baptist newspaper printed Kern's proclamation and attached part of an old proclamation signed by Henry, making it look like the Democratic governor endorses the language in the document.

It was an Oklahoma City social blog, The Lost Ogle, that first reported the incident.

Grand Jury Rips ME's Office, Issues Indictments

A state grand jury today returned two sealed indictments and in its public report called for reforms in the medical examiner's office, including its merger with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.

The report alleged that Kevin Rowland, the former chief investigator, "was obviously abusive," but for years was allowed to have "absolute power, control and authority over the entire office." Rowland refused to testify before the grand jury.

The Oklahoman's Nolan Clay has a comprehensive report at www.newsok.com.

Shumate New Black Caucus Chairman

Rep. Jabar Shumate, Tulsa Democat, is the new chairman of the Oklahoma Legislative Black Caucus this year, the group announced today.

“As chair of the Oklahoma Legislative Black Caucus, I will work to reduce the disparities that exist for African Americans in education, health, and income,” said Shumate. “I also plan to focus on crime reduction and lowering Oklahoma's incarceration rates, as well as improving restorative justice programs in the state.”

The caucus recently met and selected its leadership team, which also includes Reps. Mike Shelton (D-Oklahoma City) and T.W. Shannon (R-Lawton), who will serve as treasurer and co-treasurer, respectively.

The Caucus will develop its legislative agenda at the group’s fall retreat.

Lottery Revenue Hasn't Hit The Jackpot

By Randy Krehbiel/Tulsa World ~ Oklahomans took odds on education in 2004 by making gambling a component of state education funding. Five years later, Oklahoma education hasn't exactly hit the jackpot — but it hasn't crapped out, either.

Since voters approved a state lottery and authorized the negotiation of tribal gaming compacts in November 2004, gambling has contributed $572.7 million to Oklahoma education.

That's well below projections, but still a significant sum.

"That's Gov. Henry's viewpoint," said Paul Sund, spokesman for Gov. Brad Henry. "That's (money) education wouldn't have had otherwise."

Gambling opponents dispute even that, however. Republicans, especially, are not hesitant to remind Henry, a popular Democrat, of the lottery's shortcomings.

Read the entire story at http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=12&articleid=20090720_16_A1_OLHMIY421385.

Free Michael Behenna Petition Swells By 500

Five hundred new signers in the past week have swelled the "Free Michael Behenna" online petition to about 3,500.

Petition signers seek a new military trial for the Army Airborne lieutenant from Edmond who was convicted of murder in the death of an Al Qaida operative in Iraq.

The petition was written by Behenna's fiancee, Shannon Wahl (pictured with Behenna).

Military prosecutors withheld evidence favorable to Behenna at his court martial, and that action has prompted calls for a new trial or dismissal of the charge against him.

Behenna, the son of federal prosecutor Vicki Behenna and retired Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation agent Scott Behenna, was praised for his combat leadership prior to the incident that put an end to his military career. He is now in prison serving a 25-year sentence.

Those wishing to sign the petition can click the link on the right side of this page or go directly to www.defendmichael.com.

Four Candidates Seek House District 55 Seat

A fourth candidate has announced he'll seek the House District 55 seat vacated by the recent appointment of Rep. Ryan McMullen to a federal agricultural post.

Newest entrant into the race is Larry Peck of Sentinel, who joins fellow Democrat Alex Damon, the mayor of Cordell, in seeking the Democratic nomination. Peck is a retired agriculture education instructor and FFA adviser at Sentinel High School.

Republicans Todd Russ of Cordell and Jeff Ledford of Hobart seek the GOP nomination. Russ, a banker and member of the Cordell City Council, previously sought a Senate seat.

Yukon Mayor Seeks Senate District 22 Seat

Yukon Mayor Bob Bradway is a candidate for the Republican nomination for the State Senate in District 22, the seat now held by the term-limited Senator Mike Johnson of Kingfisher.

Bradway is in his third term as mayor of Yukon and is a veteran city council member.

Fox News Has All Top 10 Cable News Shows

The Fox News Channel is having its best year ever and aired all 10 of the top-rated cable news shows in the second quarter of 2009.

"Since Obama came into office, Fox has continued not only winning, but doing so at unprecedented levels," Michael Calderone noted on Politico.

Fox showed a 33 percent rise in total viewers last quarter compared to the second quarter of 2008, and a 54 percent increase in younger viewers for its primetime weekday shows.

The biggest gainer on Fox was Glenn Beck.

"Beck, who takes aim at the administration repeatedly, is proving an even bigger draw since coming over from HLN: His 5 p.m. slot is up 110 percent from last year," Calderone wrote.

Noted Quote: Obama 'is very unpopular'

“Barack Obama is very unpopular. He got 34 percent of the vote statewide, and less in our district. If he were to run for re-election today, I bet it would be even worse.” ~ Democratic Congressman Dan Boren, as quoted in the Oklahoma Gazette.

Sullivan Fundraising Last In Delegation

By Jim Myers/Tulsa World Washington Bureau ~ U.S. Rep. John Sullivan's fundraising has lagged significantly behind Oklahoma's other incumbent congressmen, according to new reports filed with the Federal Election Commission.

The Republican lawmaker spent most of June at a California facility receiving treatment for alcohol addiction.

It was unclear how much Sullivan's absence affected his fundraising, but John Tidwell, a spokesman for the congressman's campaign, said it would be safe to make such a connection. A number of campaign donations were received in June.

Tidwell said a fundraiser was scheduled to be held soon after Sullivan's return from treatment, adding that some contributors sent their checks when told of that upcoming event.

"We've held several successful events since that filing deadline, and our current cash on hand is just under $140,000," Tidwell said.

According to Sullivan's FEC report, his campaign completed the quarter ending June 30 with $86,517 cash on hand. It raised $84,810, with $61,000 of that coming from special interest political action committees, or PACs.

Other incumbents raised almost twice as much as Sullivan, according to their FEC reports.

Coburn Reports $595,000 Raised In 2nd Quarter

Senator Tom Coburn collected almost $595,000 in about 90 days for his reelection campaign, his new Federal Election Commission finance report shows.

Coburn started the 2nd quarter with $57,000 in his campaign account and ended it with $623,451 in cash on hand.

Sotomayor's Answers Don't Satisfy Coburn

Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor assured Senator Tom Coburn today she has an open mind on whether states must recognize an individual right to own firearms, but it's unlikely her answer will ease opposition to her from defenders of the Second Amendment.

Sotomayor's comment came as Coburn pushed her on the Second Amendment. Sotomayor said she understands the importance of the individual right recognized last year by the Supreme Court's Heller vs. D. C. decision striking down strict handgun regulations in the District of Columbia.

Chris Casteel of The Oklahoman reported that Coburn suggested that Sotomayor's upbringing in the Bronx might give her a different perspective on gun ownership than from people in Oklahoma. And he said "Second Amendment rights may hang in the balance'' since the Supreme Court could consider the question of whether the individual right recognized in the federal district case applies to all states.

"I can assure your constituents that I have a completely open mind on this question,'' said Sotomayor, a judge on the federal appeals court that includes New York.

Coburn, R-Muskogee, who also asked Sotomayor again about abortion and foreign law as the Judiciary Committee continued its confirmation hearings today, ended his allotted time by saying he was still undecided about how he was going to vote on her nomination.

Coburn Echoes NRA's Sotomayor Criticism

The National Rifle Association (NRA) has questioned Sonia Sotomayor’s fitness to serve on the Supreme Court, a troubling sign for the nominee in what has so far been a smooth confirmation hearing.

The NRA is considered one of the most powerful lobbies in Washington and holds sway with Democrats from conservative states, who could side with Republicans in opposing the nominee.

Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of the NRA, blasted Sotomayor for ruling that the Second Amendment’s protection of gun rights does not apply to state and local governments and for being “evasive” when asked about whether gun ownership is a fundamental right.

“As the Senate considers the nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor, Americans are watching to see if this nominee would lend her support to those who’ve declared war on the rights of America’s 80 million gun owners,” LaPierra wrote in a statement posted on the group’s website Wednesday. “After the first day of confirmation hearings, gun owners have good reason to worry.”

Sen. Jeff Sessions (Ala.), the ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, referred to the NRA's statement during Wednesday's question-and-answer session.

Sotomayor ruled in Maloney v. Cuomo (aka Maloney v. Rice) that the Second Amendment only applies to federal law. In U.S. v. Sanchez-Villar, Sotomayor concluded that the right to possess a gun is not fundamental.

Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn (R) repeatedly asked Sotomayor whether she believed citizens have a right to defend themselves, a line of inquiry the nominee dodged.

“I don’t know if that legal question has ever been presented,” Sotomayor said.

Coburn kept pressing: “I wasn’t asking about the legal question, I’m asking about your personal opinion.”

Sotomayor: “That is sort of an abstract question with no particular meaning to me outside —"

Coburn grew impatient, cutting her off: “I think that’s what American people want to hear, Your Honor.”

Read more at http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/nra-growing-more-alarmed-over-sotomayor-2009-07-15.html.

Tulsa Mayoral Race Draws 19 Candidates

Tulsa's open mayoral race has drawn 19 candidates.

Those filing to follow Democrat Kathy Taylor in the office are Democrats Tom Adelson, Robert Gwin Jr., Paul Tay, A. Burns and Prophet Kelly Lamar Clark; Republicans Dewey Bartlett Jr., Chris Medlock, Anna Falling, David O’Connor, Paul Roales, Michael Tomes, Norris Streetman, Kevin Boggs, John Todd, Nathaniel Booth and Michael Rush; and Independents Mark Perkins, Cleon Burrell and Lawrence Kirkpatrick.

The Gadfly's Apollo 11 Memory File

Forty years ago this morning, I sat in the VIP bleachers at the Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A in Florida and watched in awe as Apollo 11 lifted off for its historic trip to the surface of the Moon.

That I was able to witness the Moon shot still amazes me today. When Governor Dewey F. Bartlett received the invitation to attend the launch from Oklahoma astronaut Tom Stafford and invited me, his press secretary, to accompany him and his wife, Ann, I knew it would be one of life's great experiences and it turned out to be just that.

Unless you've been present when a space launch takes place, you can't understand what happens even at a distance from the launch site; the air is not just filled with noise. It vibrates, pulsates, as the ground undulates. The staccato engine blasts fill the air until the rocket begins to fade from view.

The launch took place on July 16, 1969, at 8:32 a.m. EST. The spacecraft carried a crew of three: Mission Commander Neil Armstrong, Command Module Pilot Michael Collins, and Lunar Module Pilot Edwin E. Aldrin Jr. Four days later, the lunar module landed on the surface of the Moon and history was made. ~ Mike McCarville

Calvey Campaign Reports Raising $144,000

The Calvey for Congress campaign reported today the former state legislator raised $144,000 in the second quarter from 474 donors in his campaign for the Republican nomination for Congress in the 5th District.

Combined with fundraising from the first quarter of 2009, Calvey has total receipts of $271,209.13. The sum includes $100,000 Calvey put into the campaign in the first quarter.

After expenses, the campaign reports a total of $257,274.97 cash on hand at the close of the second quarter.

The campaign reported donations from 474 individual contributors this quarter.

Rep. Mike Thompson, also a Republican candidate for the open seat, reported earlier that he has raised about $215,000 from 300-plus donors and has cash on hand of about $180,000.

Cole: Citizens Should Seek A Second Opinion

Last week President Obama and his liberal Democratic allies in Congress announced plans for a government takeover of America's health care industry. This plan will cost more than a trillion dollars and will be paid for by tax increases and costly mandates on small business owners and by cuts to Medicare. And if you are among the over 250 million Americans who currently have health insurance, get ready for big changes.

By Congressman Tom Cole

For years the left has grossly overstated the true number of Americans who are genuinely and chronically uninsured. Among the alleged 47 million people without insurance are millions who could afford insurance, but simply choose not to buy it. Many of these people are young and healthy and they don't think anything will ever happen to cause them to need insurance. Millions more are people in-between jobs. They may be uninsured at the particular time that the snapshot is taken, but they have been insured in the recent past and they will be insured in the near future.

The plan announced by the Democrats in Congress, and endorsed by President Obama, is not about providing health care for everyone. In fact, their plan will still leave approximately 17 million Americans without insurance. This plan is about taking control of yet another American industry. It is about controlling people and limiting their choices. And it is just the latest step in their frightening march of America towards a European-style socialism.

According to a 2009 study by the non-partisan Lewin Group, the Democrats' health care bill will force 114 million Americans out of their current private health coverage. This includes approximately 106 million individuals who are covered under an existing employer-provided plan. Because the centerpiece of their plan is a government run program based on Medicare, which reimburses doctors for less than the cost of the service delivered, doctors and hospitals have to charge private insurance companies and their customers more in order to make up the difference. As a result, the cost of private health coverage is expected to increase by an estimated $460 per person, or $1,788 for a family of four. This proposal also robs many of America's seniors of health care coverage that they are currently receiving. Those who have signed up for Medicare Advantage, a popular prescription drug plan chosen by many of our country's senior citizens, will see sharp cuts to their program funding.

The final cost of this plan is still being calculated, but most experts - including those who favor this plan - expect it to exceed one trillion dollars. And while Democrats are still trying to figure out how to pay for it, some of the options on the table include costly mandates to small businesses, cuts to Medicare benefits, and taxing people's employer based health care benefits as income.

Lest it sound like I am unsympathetic to the plight of those who are without insurance - I am not. I agree that we have a moral obligation to continue to look for ways to provide basic health care for the weakest and most vulnerable among us. And there are numerous ways that objective can be achieved without plunging our nation headlong into socialized medicine. The proposal being promoted by President Obama is a prescription for rationed care, higher costs, longer waits and economic disaster. American's would be well advised to seek a second opinion.

Tulsa Mayoral Field Grows To 14

Thirteeen Tulsans want to be that city's next mayor, and a 14th said today she'll file on Wednesday, last day of the filing period.

Filing today were State Senator Tom Adelson, a Democrat; former City Councilor Chris Medlock; Realtor Norris Streetman; Federal Express employee Kevin Boggs and political unknown John Porter Todd, all Republicans.

Former City Councilor Anna Falling said she is joining the Republican field and will file for mayor on Wednesday.

Noted Quote: Fewer Blue Dogs After This Vote

"The Sotomayor hearings are about defining Obama and the Senate Democrats as much as defining Sotomayor. Those who vote for Sotomayor are voting for racial quotas and against the Second Amendment. There will be fewer 'blue dogs' in the Senate after this vote." ~ Grover Norquist, President of Americans For Tax Reform.

Meacham: Recession Hits Tax Revenues

Oklahoma’s fiscal year has ended with evidence the state’s revenues are being deeply impacted by the nationwide recession, State Treasurer Scott Meacham announced today.

Meacham said June collections were sufficient to fund appropriated obligations for July, the first month of the new fiscal year, but action may be required in coming months.

“It appears very likely at this point that Fiscal Year 2010 revenues will e less than originally estimated by the tax commission. That means a revenue shortfall is probable,” he said. “I will be meeting with state finance officials and Governor Henry to determine if it will be necessary to begin reducing allocations to state agencies to meet the anticipated revenue shortfall.”

Preliminary reports show general revenue fund collections for Fiscal Year 2009 that ended June 30 totaled $5.519 billion. That amount was $434.7 million or 7.3 percent below the prior year and $427.8 million or 7.2 percent below the estimate.

The recession started significantly impacting Oklahoma during the last half of the fiscal year, Meacham said. During the first half of the fiscal year, July through December, collections exceeded the estimate by $189.5 million or 6.6 percent. During the final six months, January through June, collections were below the estimate by $617.3 million or 20.1 percent.

“We are seeing a slowdown in every revenue source. Only sales tax collections were higher than collections in the prior fiscal year, but they failed to meet the estimate,” he said.

“The fall off in gross production taxes on oil and gas was particularly steep. While total fiscal year gross production collections were 5.5 percent below the estimate, in the month of June they were off the estimate by 81.7 percent reflecting the current low prices of these commodities”

Net income taxes, a combination of personal and corporate income taxes, produced $2.279 billion, which was $238.9 million or 9.5 percent below the prior year and $174.8 million or 7.1 percent below the estimate.

Personal income tax collections for the year were $2.014 billion.That is $225.5 million or 10.1 percent below the prior year and $151.2 million or 7 percent below the estimate.

Corporate income tax collections were $265.6 million. That is $13.4 million or 4.8 percent below the prior year and $23.6 million or 8.2 percent below the estimate.

Gross production taxes on oil and natural gas yielded $718.5 million for the year, which was $106.7 million or 12.9 percent below prior year collections and $41.8 million or 5.5 percent below the estimate.

The state sales tax produced $1.647 billion for the year, which was $34.8 million or 2.2 percent above the prior year but $54.8 million or 3.2 percent below the estimate. Motor vehicle taxes produced $175.8 million, which was $75.9 million or 30.1 percent below the prior year and $71.1 million or 28.8 percent below the estimate.

For the fiscal year, investments by the treasurer’s office yielded $157.2 million. That is $14.2 million or 8.3 percent below the prior year.

Other revenue, including investment earnings along with taxes on insurance, inheritance, alcoholic beverages and others, produced $698.4 million for the year. This was $47.9 million or 6.4 percent below the prior year and $85.3 million or 10.9 percent below the estimate.

OFRG Honors Jason Murphey, Leslie Osborn

Oklahomans for Responsible Government has named Rep. Jason Murphey, Guthrie Republican, as its Lawmaker of the Year.

Murphey is the recipient as the primary author in the House of two pieces of OFRG’s policy agenda. Senate Joint Resolution 12 puts to a vote of the people whether statewide elected officials should be limited to just two terms in office. Senate Bill 800 is an important reform to the initiative petition process that requires legal challenges to the wording of citizen initiatives to happen before signatures are collected.

OFRG also announced the creation of a new Taxpayer Advocate Award. It will be given periodically to an individual or group that has made a mark in protecting tax dollars. Rep. Leslie Osborn (R-Tuttle) gets the inaugural Taxpayer Advocate Award for her work in writing House Joint Resolution 1014 and getting it passed so it will be on the ballot in 2010. It asks voters whether a calculation for state spending should be used based on what other states are spending.

Eight File For Tulsa Mayor On First Day

Eight candidates officially entered the Tulsa mayor’s race today, first day of the filing period that ends Wednesday.

Republican Dewey Bartlett Jr., Keener Oil & Gas president and former city councilor, filed, as did fellow Republicans truck driver David O’Connor, contract petroleum geologist Paul Roales and political unknown Michael Tomes Sr.

Also filing for the post Mayor Kathy Taylor is giving up were perennial candidates Robert Gwin Jr., Paul Tay, Accountability Burns and Prophet Kelly Clark, who are Democrats.

Thompson Reports $215,000 For Congress Race

State Rep. Mike Thompson, Republican candidate for the open 5th Congressional District, raised cash contributions of about $215,000 from 300-plus donors and will report a “cash on hand” balance of about $180,000 when his report is filed, his campaign spokesman said today.

The campaign received over 90 percent of its contributions from Oklahoma donors and nearly 95 percent of contributions are from individuals, the spokesman said. The donations came from 300+ contributors, the majority of whom live and work in and around Oklahoma’s 5th District. The spokesman said all of the money was raised from donors and there were no contributions or loans by the candidate.

Totals reported do not include any contributions received after the end of the disclosure period on June 30th.

Obama Nominates Alabama Doctor For Health Post

President Obama today nominated for surgeon general a rural family physician who has faced hurricanes, flood and fire to care for impoverished patients along Alabama's Gulf Coast.

Obama says Dr. Regina Benjamin understands the needs of the poor and uninsured, making her uniquely qualified to be America's doctor as his administration tries to revamp the health care system.

For her part, Benjamin on Monday ticked off preventable diseases that have claimed nearly all her relatives—diabetes, high blood pressure, lung cancer.

She pledged to fight so that, in her words, "no one falls through the cracks as we improve our health care system."

Noted Quote: Coburn Admonishes Sotomayor

“Judge Sotomayor, you must prove to the Senate that you will adhere to the proper role of a judge.” ~ Senator Tom Coburn, during today's confirmation hearing.

Henry Names Jill Weedon To Judicial Post

Governor Henry today named Jill Weedon as Associate District Judge for Custer County.

She will replace Jacqueline P. Duncan, who retired May 1st.

“Judge Jill Weedon has served Custer County as a special judge for 10 years and I am happy to appoint her to the position of Associate District Judge,” Henry said. “Her tenure as a special judge has been marked by professionalism, insight and integrity and I know she will carry those traits into her tenure as an Associate District Judge.”

Henry selected Weedon from three nominees provided to him by the Judicial Nominating Commission.

Weedon graduated from Colorado College in 1989 and earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 1992. She worked in private practice in Clinton from 1992 to 1999. For the last 10 years, she has served as a special judge in Custer County.

Sotomayor And The Second Amendment

Second Circuit Judge Sonia Sotomayor recently held that the Constitution does not protect the right to keep and bear arms against infringement by state and local governments. Her defenders maintain that she was merely applying settled precedent, which only the Supreme Court itself is authorized to reconsider. This is a half truth that conceals more than it reveals.

Read all of Nelson Lund's commentary at http://www.realclearpolitics.com/.

Carnuccio Joins OFRG As Senior Adviser

Oklahomans For Responsible Government (OFRG) has added former State House Public Affairs Director Michael Carnuccio as senior adviser.

Carnuccio will be responsible for external relations, policy development, long-term strategy and public affairs.

Fiancee Pushes Free Michael Behenna Petition

Supporters of Edmond soldier Michael Behenna are amassing an online army via a petition to win him a new trial in the shooting death of an Iraqi detainee, and thus far, almost 3,000 signatures have been gathered.

Behenna, 26 and a lieutenant in the 101st Airborne, is serving a 25-year prison sentence for unpremeditated murder, even though an expert witness hired by government prosecutors agreed Behenna’s version of the suspected terrorist’s May 2008 death fit evidence in the case. Behenna testified he shot Ali Mansour in self-defense.

Military prosecutors did not call their own forensics expert to testify during Behenna's court martial and revealed his findings only after he informed defense attorneys after the trial was over.

Behenna’s family and others close to him insist he deserves a new trial so a jury can hear all of the evidence in the case. The petition, written by Behenna's fiancee Shannon Wahl, seeks a new trial. The same goal motivated more than two dozen prominent Oklahomans and attorneys, including former federal prosecutors, to ask the secretary of defense to order a new trial.

"He deserves a new trial, and he was not given that,” Wahl said. "There clearly was an injustice here.”

An appeal has been filed with the commanding general of the 101st Airborne, who has the authority to order a new trial, dismiss the charge, or alter Behenna's sentence.

To sign the petition, see the link on the right side of this page or go directly to http://www.defendmichael.com/.

Click here to read the complete article at NewsOK.com.

The Gadfly Is All Fired Up

Green Luckies: The Pentagon, reports claim, may soon begin a push to make the U. S. military a smoke-free entity. That, of course, would be a clear departure from the days gone by when cigarettes were included in ration packets provided soldiers. Fifty-one years ago in Germany, I was issued U. S. Army field rations that included packs of "Green Luckies," or Lucky Strikes in green, World War II packaging. They were, natch, left-over from the conflict. Best thing about them was that they were free. Some in the Pentagon say it would take 20 years to make the military smoke-free. I doubt it; more like 50 years.

Smokin' Hot: Oklahoma City radio station KTOK pegged the No. 1 slot in the age 12+ metro radio ratings war in the current "trend" from Arbitron. A trend is an interim measurement of listenership that's issued prior to an actual Arbitron "book" for a specific time period.

Heat Exhaustion: So there I was, 4:15 p.m., standing on the asphalt parking lot of a local grocery store where a distracted pickup driver had just backed into the front of my oldest granddaughter's pristine 1995 Honda Accord. It must have been 140 degrees or so. The details are boring, but the bottom line is it took 12 hours in the ER and a hospital room to get my vitals back in sync.

Heated Up: Every time I hear about the federal ghoul tax...er, death tax...I heat up. Latest on this is the estimated $80 million the IRS will claim from the estate of Michael Jackson. The death tax was enacted first in 1797, allowed to expire, and then enacted again over the years up to 1898, as a temporary measure to raise war cash for the treasury. "Temporary."

Castiglione Talks OU Sports On The Verdict

Fans of University of Oklahoma sports will want to catch the architect of the university's present prominence when Athletic Director Joe Castiglione joins Kent Meyers and Mick Cornett on the next edition of The Verdict.

The show can be seen on Cox Communications Channel 7 in Oklahoma City, and Channel 3 in Tulsa, on Sunday at 9:00 a.m., Monday at 9:30 a.m., Tuesday at 10:00 a.m., and Wednesday at 10:00 a.m.

Laughlin Eyes State Treasurer's Race

Former Senator Owen Laughlin, The Oklahoman's Michael McNutt reports online (www.newsok.com) today, is considering a run for the Republican nomination for state treasurer.

Woodward resident Laughlin, 58, was elected in 1996 to the Senate seat representing 10 counties in northwest Oklahoma. He served the maximum 12 years allowed in the Legislature and could not seek re-election in 2008.

Incumbent Treasurer Scott Meacham, Democrat, has not announced his political plans.

Noted Quote: Why Wasn't Scott Watching?

"From a commissioner's perspective, we had no idea this was going on, especially when the person running the agency was a previous state auditor for 20 years," (Clifton Scott, who retired earlier this year). ~ Auditor & Inspector Steve Burrage, commenting on the alleged embezzlement of more than $1.16 million by former School Land Commission executive Roger Q. Melson Jr.

Coburn Confronted Ensign Over Affair

From www.politico.com ~ Sen. Tom Coburn knew more than a year ago that his Republican colleague John Ensign was having an affair with a staffer – and he reportedly urged Ensign to end the relationship and pay a substantial sum of money to the staffer and her husband.

Doug Hampton – the husband of Ensign’s mistress – told Las Vegas Sun columnist Jon Ralston in a television interview Wednesday that Coburn and others had urged Ensign to give the couple “millions of dollars” so that they could pay off their mortgage and move away from Ensign’s hometown of Las Vegas.

Asked about that allegation Wednesday, Coburn’s office confirmed that the he knew about Ensign’s affair and had urged him to end it.

“Dr. Coburn did everything he could to encourage Sen. Ensign to end his affair and to persuade Sen. Ensign to repair the damage he had caused to his own marriage and the Hampton’s marriage,” Coburn’s office said in a remarkable public rebuke of his friend and fellow Christian conservative. “Had Sen. Ensign followed Dr. Coburn’s advice, this episode would have ended, and been made public, long ago.”

Sources familiar with the facts say that Hampton and Coburn confronted Ensign in February 2008 at a Christian fellowship home on Capitol Hill where Ensign, Coburn and several other lawmakers live.

A source familiar with the incident said that any discussion between Coburn and Ensign about a payment to the couple was “an expression of restitution and not in any way ‘hush money.”

Coburn spokesman John Hart wouldn't confirm or deny whether his boss spoke with Ensign about payments but said Coburn "categorically denies" Hampton's claim that he urged Ensign to pay millions to the couple.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0709/24706.html#ixzz0Kmf3e6Of&C.

Boren: Mandated Abortion Coverage 'Unacceptable'

Congressman Dan Boren has written House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to tell her that as a health care reform proposal is being considered by Congress, any inclusion of mandated abortion coverage "is unacceptable."

Boren's letter outlines his opposition to abortion and states that he cannot support any legislation that mandates abortion coverage. He urges Pelosi to ensure that the health care reform proposal does not include such a provision so meaningful health care reform can be achieved.

Bounty Hunters Arrest Istook's Son In Norman

From KFOR-TV ~ Bounty hunters forcibly arrested the son of former U.S. Congressman Ernest Istook Tuesday night.

Bounty hunters Chris Black and Les Riggs, known as the Bounty Boys, attempted to serve the arrest warrant around midnight. They were met with serious resistance at the Norman home of Chad Istook.

For about 20 minutes the bounty hunters knocked on the front door and demanded to enter. They say Istook pretended there was no one home.

Istook was wanted in connection with several municipal charges in Norman including failure to appear in court and driving under suspension.

After numerous attempts to get Istook to answer the front door, Black and Riggs were forced to bust in. They searched the house for about 30 minutes eventually locating Istook hiding in the corner of the closet of the master bathroom. They say he was hiding with his two dogs.

Griggs said, "I'm so surprised someone with a law degree, who comes from a family of such influence, would chose to do things the hard way. I was floored that we had to go in and get him!"

Last December, Chad Istook was arrested in Oklahoma City for shoplifting. NewsChannel 4 contacted Ernest Istook regarding the recent arrest of his son.

Ernest Istook said he had "no idea" his son Chad had been arrested. He had no other comment.

Chad Istook is currently in the Cleveland County jail.

Brogdon Adds $46,000 To Campaign Fund

Senator Randy Brogdon raised about $46,000 for his Republican gubernatorial campaign in the 2nd quarter, his new campaign finance report shows.

Brogdon is the first of the candidates to file for the reporting period; the reports are due by month's end.

Brogon's Ethics Commission report shows he's raised about $75,000 thus far for his campaign and has spent $31,000. He reported $43,400 in cash on hand.

Brogdon's first report showed a single $5,000 donor, Tulsan Lloyd Noble II, and adds a second in this report, New York investor Howard Rich.

Brogdon's report shows most of his contributions came in small amounts of $100 or less from supporters scattered across the state. He had only a few donations of $1,000.

Congresswoman Mary Fallin, also seeking the GOP nomination, and Democrats Lt. Governor Jari Askins and Attorney General Drew Edmondson, have yet to file their new reports.

Let's Mourn The REAL American Heroes

By Michelle Malkin/Blogger & Syndicated Columnist ~ Flags flew at half-staff this week in California's state Capitol. No, not for Michael Jackson. For Private First Class Justin Casillas.

Pfc. Casillas died in a suicide bombing attack on his Army base in eastern Afghanistan on the Fourth of July. While Americans enjoyed fireworks and Hollyweird mourned the "king of pop" with wretched excess, the family of Pfc. Casillas learned that the 19-year-old paratrooper with the U.S. Army's Alaska-based 509th Airborne had given his life for his country. His father told the Woodland (Calif.) Daily Democrat that Justin just "wanted to do his part."

The family has a legacy of service: Casillas' grandfather served in the Pacific theater during World War II; his father served in Vietnam.

But the death of Pfc. Casillas didn't make front-page headlines. His funeral won't receive wall-to-wall coverage on cable TV.

Instead, it's been all MJ, all night and day: Nurses! Nannies! Doctors! Drug raids! Custody battles! Casket rides!

Jacko fever spread to the Beltway, where the House of Representatives held a moment of silence for the entertainer. President Obama sent a highly publicized letter of condolence to the Jackson family.

And topping them all, Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee, D-Texas, drafted a 1,600-word congressional resolution that "recognizes Michael Jackson as a global humanitarian and a noted leader in the fight against worldwide hunger and medical crises; and celebrates Michael Jackson as an accomplished contributor to the worlds of arts and entertainment, scientific advances in the treatment of HIV/AIDS, and global food security." Jackson-Lee laundry-listed every charitable act and donation by Jackson in the House resolution -- and would have included all the times he said "thank you" and "God bless you" if there had been more room.

Is it too much to ask our lawmakers to restrain themselves from acting like Entertainment Tonight spokesmodels and Tiger Beat correspondents?

I stand with GOP Rep. Peter King of New York, who rightly skewered these celebrity-worshiping warped priorities as "an orgy of glorification."

Jackson could sing and dance. But he was no American hero. In a YouTube video over the weekend, King lambasted the media circus: "All we hear about is Michael Jackson. Let's knock out the psychobabble. He was a pervert...and to be giving this much coverage to him, day in and day out, what does it say about us as a country? ...I just think we're too politically correct. No one wants to stand up and say, 'We don't need Michael Jackson!' He died, he had some talent, but fine, there are people dying every day. There are men and women dying every day in Afghanistan, let's give them the credit they deserve."

Yes, let's do that. Another soldier died with Pfc. Casillas on Independence Day at Combat Outpost Zerok in Afghanistan's Paktika province. He was 20-year-old Pfc. Aaron Fairbairn. Fairbairn's stepfather, David Masters, took to the social networking service Twitter to spread the word and keep Fairbairn's legacy alive.

"On Independence Day, a few hours ago, they killed my son Aaron in Afghanistan," Masters wrote. According to the Department of Defense, both Fairbairn and Casillas died from "wounds suffered when insurgents attacked the outpost using small arms and indirect fire." The Taliban claimed credit for the complex rocket and mortar attack involving a reported 8,000 kg of explosives.

Tens of thousands of our men and women are in Iraq and Afghanistan to combat the jihadi threat.

Army 1st Lt. Brian N. Bradshaw gave his life on June 25, the same day Jackson died. Bradshaw's aunt, Martha Gillis, blasted the silence over her nephew's sacrifice in a letter to her local paper, The Washington Post: "My nephew, Brian Bradshaw, was killed by an explosive device in Afghanistan on June 25, the same day that Michael Jackson died....Where was the coverage of my nephew or the other soldiers who died that week?"

Gillis wrote that Bradshaw "had old-fashioned values and believed that military service was patriotic and that actions counted more than talk.... He was a search-and-rescue volunteer, an altar boy, a camp counselor. He carried the hopes and dreams of his parents willingly on his shoulders. What more than that did Michael Jackson do or represent that earned him memorial 'shrines,' while this soldier's death goes unheralded? It makes me want to scream."

Please do not despair, Mrs. Gillis. While the Rev. Al Sharpton screamed, "Thank you, Michael! Thank you, Michael!" at the grotesque Staples Center memorial on Tuesday, many of us whispered in prayer: Thank you, Justin. Thank you, Aaron. Thank you, Brian. The real American heroes won't be forgotten.

Study: Boren Backs Obama At 81% Level

Democratic Congressman Dan Boren backed President Barack Obama 81 percent of the time in the president's first six months in office, according to a new study that said Obama is on pace for the most successful presidential year in recent history in terms of congressional support. The study is reported in today's The Oklahoman.

Republican Rep. Mary Fallin had the second-highest score in the Oklahoma congressional delegation in presidential support this year. She backed Obama's position 50 percent of the time.

The scores were compiled by Congressional Quarterly, whose publications cover Capitol Hill and national politics.

But the measurements of presidential support were based on relatively few votes.

According to CQ, the president took a position on only 26 votes cast by the House and 37 cast by the Senate.

One notable issue on which Fallin backed the president and broke from the majority of her party was on the bill allowing the Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco.

Among Oklahoma Republicans, Congressman Frank Lucas had the lowest presidential support score, at 27 percent. The others: Senator Tom Coburn, 33 percent; Congressman Tom Cole, 38 percent; Senator Jim Inhofe and Congressman John Sullivan, both 43 percent.

Todd Russ Makes It Official, Eyes HD 55 Seat

Republican businessman and civic leader Todd Russ of Cordell announced today he is a candidate for the State House District 55 seat being vacated later this month by Rep. Ryan McMullen, who has been named the new State Director of Rural Development for the USDA.

Russ said he made the decision after spending a week making calls and visiting with folks throughout the district. "I am humbled and grateful for the outpouring of support I am receiving daily about this campaign," he said.

"I believe I understand the issues that concern the people in my district and I know that I hold the same conservative values as the vast majority of the people in our area. I know the value of hard work and the importance of standing for Godly values and honest leadership in government," Russ stated.

"If elected, I am confident I can hit the ground running as the State Representative and make certain that the people of House District 55 are well represented when the legislature convenes next February," he added.

"Given the opportunity, I will go to the State Capitol and work hard for the things we need in our district. I want to help diversify and develop agriculture, strengthen our local schools, promote economic development and tourism, and create more jobs," Russ added.

Russ narrowly lost a State Senate bid as the Republican nominee in 2006. The Senate district encompasses much of House District 55.

Russ serves on the Cordell City Council and is the past President and CEO of Washita State Bank in Burns Flat. During his presidency the bank was rated one of the top performing banks in the state and nation. Russ sold the majority of his bank stock last year and is now doing management consulting with banks and small businesses. During his banking career, Russ served as a director of the Oklahoma Banker’s Association and as Chairman of the OBA Small Bank Council.

House, Senate Offices Without AC, Close

House and Senate offices closed at noon today when the Capitol air-conditioning system failed.

Legislative assistants in the House and Senate were told to check tomorrow morning to see if the system is repaired. If it is, they will return to work.

Gerry Smedley of the Central Services Department said a water pipe broke late yesterday, and it is the pipe utilized by the geothermal heat pump system that heats and cools the building.

GOP Women's Group Leader Scolds Legislators For Failure To Support Her Organization

The president of the Oklahoma Federation of Republican Women, Sara Jo Odom of Edmond, is out with a letter scolding GOP legislators for failing to provide financial support for her organization.

Odom's letter, dated July 1st, reminds legislators that she wrote them last March asking for financial support. Only five of 61 GOP House members, and no GOP members of the Senate, responded, she wrote, even though the letters seeking help were hand-delivered to Capitol offices.

She adds that the OFRW works to support legislators and some legislators have asked the OFRW directly for help in the past, "Yet, when we asked you to support us, most of you elected not to do so."

She asks each legislator to pledge to donate $100 per year to the organization.

Thompson Names Campaign Co-Chairmen

Rep. Mike Thompson announced today business leaders Larry Nichols, David Rainbolt and Tim Duit will serve as co-chairs in his campaign for the Republican nomination for Congress in the 5th District.

"Known for his hard work and expertise in the transportation, business and energy fields, Mike has emerged as one of the foremost conservative policy experts and pro-business voices in the state House," said Nichols, CEO of Devon Energy. "Mike has the experience, leadership qualities, and values we need in Washington and I am honored to serve as a leader in his campaign."

"Mike’s common-sense, conservative values and positive energy have made him a rising star in the Oklahoma Legislature," said Rainbolt, CEO of BancFirst. "It is those qualities that made him an effective leader in the state House and they will no doubt help him hit the ground running in Washington as our Congressman."

"During his tenure in the Legislature, Mike has fought successfully for tax cuts and called for much needed budget reforms," said Duit, President of TTK Construction. "He is a leader in promoting the pro-growth and pro-business policies that we desperately need in Washington."

A commercial realtor by trade, Thompson was first elected to the State House in 2004 with 69 percent of the vote. He was overwhelmingly reelected in 2006 and 2008.

Sullivan Says He'll Seek Another Term

Congressman John Sullivan, Tulsa Republican, says he will seek another term in office.

Sullivan has just returned to Washington after a one-month stay in a California treatment center for alcohol addiction, an event that spurred speculation he might opt not to seek reelection.

Patriots Brave Rain For Tulsa 4th Celebration

By David Arnett/Tulsa Today ~ On July 4, citizens from throughout Northeastern Oklahoma gathered at LaFortune Park in Tulsa to celebrate freedom.

They did not gather in the early morning to shoot fireworks. Instead, they came to make new friends, each sharing a common concern that the nation they love is at growing risk.

Read the entire story at www.tulsatoday.com.

Passings: Bob Holland, Marion Reed

Longtime Oklahoma City banker Bob Holland has died at age 69. Holland was a member and chairman of the Bond Oversight Commission, appointed first by Governor Frank Keating, then by Governor Brad Henry. Henry also appointed him to the Commission on Consumer Credit, which he served as vice chairman. Holland was a graduate of the University of Oklahoma and in 1968, was named an Outstanding Young Man of America by the Jaycees.

Former Midwest City Mayor Marion C. Reed died at age 88. Reed was an organizer of Midwest City's first government and served on the city's first council. He was mayor for a total of 22 years and is credited with helping raise money to establish the city's first hospital, library, swimming pools and golf courses. Reed was a World War II Army Air Corps veteran who established Reed Tax Service in the mid-1940s and it remains in operation today.

Bush: Freedom Must Always Be Defended

From www.newsok.com ~ Former President George W. Bush told a cheering crowd in Woodward Saturday night that freedom must always be defended.

“Freedom is beautiful; freedom is precious; freedom must always be defended,” said Bush, spending his first Fourth of July in eight years not in the White House.

Bush steered clear of commenting on his successor, President Barack Obama, or his policies, and instead spoke of patriotism and the ongoing war against terrorism.

He said it was important to respond militarily after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the U.S. by those who wanted “to spread their ideology of hate.”

While the U.S. military presence is being diminished in Iraq, Bush said, “This generation will do its duty, and we will prevail.”

A surprise was in store for the estimated 6,000 who came to the rodeo grounds at a city park — the former president brought along his wife, Laura.

After his 30-minute speech, Bush waded out into the front-row seats and shook hands with spectators and some military members.

Thunderous Applause Greets Bush In Woodward

Woodward (From Newsmax) ~ Former President George W. Bush spoke amid thunderous applause in a rural Oklahoma town to celebrate the Fourth of July, calling the U.S. the "greatest nation on the face of the earth."

Bush was given six standing ovations as he spoke Saturday inside a remodeled rodeo arena in Woodward, a town of about 12,000 residents in northwest Oklahoma. About 9,200 tickets were sold for the event, which would be the biggest crowd for Bush since he left office in January.

Bush spoke of the bravery of injured soldiers he'd met throughout his presidency, and thanked members of the military for their service. He also thanked spectators for giving "a retired guy something to do."

Bush has turned up in a handful of out-of-the-way places since leaving office.

Let Freedom Ring...

Fireworks: Alaska Governor Sarah Palin Resigns

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin disclosed today that will resign from office at the end of the month, raising speculation she'll run for the White House in the 2012 race.

Palin, however, gave no indication of her future plans.

The former Republican vice presidential candidate made the surprise announcement from her home in suburban Wasilla on Friday morning. She said she will resign effective July 26.

The Gadfly On His Soapbox

Get Out: South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford should resign and go into hiding. Even in Argentina. This guy is an irresponsible goofball; he left his state and its citizens high and dry to go unzip his pants with his foreign sleep-in, lied about where he was and in subsequent interviews demonstrates he is lacking in commitment to his family and the citizens who elected him. Maybe Sanford could take Senator John Ensign with him and few would regret the departure of either one of these Republicans from public office and public life. They could invite Democrat John Edwards to join them and make it a bipartisan journey to nowhere.

Alrighty Then: It was three years ago The McCarville Report went online. Since, we've seen about 750,000 visitors and we're nearing 5,000 posts.

Just Asking: Why isn't former Oklahoma City police chemist Joyce Gilchrist in jail? Her actions and false "evidence" put innocent men behind bars; seems appropriate she should spend a long time there herself. For the latest in the sorry Gilchrist saga, watch this Fox 25 News report from Andrew Speno: http://www.okcfox.com/newsroom/top_stories/videos/kokh_vid_2635.shtml.

Finance Reports: New campaign finance reports for candidates in the governor's race will be examined at the end of the month to see which of them has financial muscle. Attorney General Drew Edmondson's initial warchest came in the main from trial lawyers. Lt. Governor Jari Askins, Congresswoman Mary Fallin and Senator Randy Brogdon raised their money the hard way...mostly from regular folks a check at a time.

Enough Already: So a drug-addicted, 50-year-old man who likes little boys is now a cultural icon the media can't praise enough? Spare me the incessant idol worship.

Sitting Duck: The National Society of Newspaper Columnists chose Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as the winner of its annual Sitting Duck Award, a tongue-in-cheek honor that pokes fun at the most ridiculed newsmakers in the United States. Palin beat out Democrat Rod Blagojevich, the ousted former governor of Illinois allegedly caught trying to sell President Barack Obama's Senate seat. Blagojevich was the runner-up. Palin was noted for making headline after headline, month after month.

Oh, My: A group of teenagers in Torrington, Connecticut misunderstood a woman's screams during sex and, thinking they were stopping an assault, beat a 25-year-old man with a baseball bat and their fists in her bedroom, police said. The injured man is recovering. Four of the five teens face assault charges.

Todd Russ Eyes Run For HD 55 Seat

Republican businessman Todd Russ of Cordell said today he is seriously considering running for the State House District 55 seat which is being vacated later this month by Rep. Ryan McMullen, who has been named the new State Director of Rural Development for the USDA.

Governor Henry will set dates for a special election later this summer or fall after he receives McMullen’s official resignation letter with the effective date for stepping down from his legislative seat to take the USDA post.

"I am humbled and overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and encouragement I am receiving from people from all walks of life about running for the State House. While I am definitely leaning towards becoming a candidate, I want to continue to make calls and visits with folks around the district over the Fourth of July weekend. My plan is to make an official announcement sometime next week," Russ said.

Russ is a fourth generation resident of Western Oklahoma who has a long resume of community service and activity. At present he serves on the Cordell City Council. He narrowly lost a State Senate bid in 2004.

House District 55 includes all or parts of the four counties of Washita, Kiowa, Caddo, and Canadian, stretching from the Oklahoma City suburbs and encompassing a large amount of rural southwestern Oklahoma.

Group Endorses Kern's Morality Proclamation

From The House Media Division ~ A diverse group of state leaders gathered today to sign a “proclamation for morality” that notes the moral foundations of the nation and declares the need for spiritual renewal to address many societal problems.

“The foundational documents of our Republic repeatedly note the need for a free people to also be a moral people to truly prosper,” said Rep. Sally Kern, R-Oklahoma City. “You cannot fully address social issues without also addressing spiritual needs.”

A group that included business leaders, civic leaders and religious leaders, in addition to lawmakers, signed the proclamation today.

[As people signed the proclamation written by Kern opponents began chanting, “Shame on you!” and “Love thy neighbor!”

[About 250 people gathered at the rally to add their signatures to the proclamation. It declares the need for a spiritual renewal in the nation to address societal problems.

[Those backing the proclamation responded by singing “God Bless America,” one news account reported.

[The peaceful but loud exchange that rang through the first-floor rotunda went on for several minutes, causing Kern and others to prematurely stop the event and move a news conference to a press room.

[Supporters outnumbered protesters. The event ended as many on both sides sang the national anthem.]

The proclamation – which takes much of its wording from historic documents such as the Declaration of Independence, the writings of the Founding Fathers and the Oklahoma Constitution – notes the “people of Oklahoma have a strong tradition of reliance upon the Creator of the Universe” and declares the signers “believe our economic woes are consequences of our greater national moral crisis,” noting negative social trends such as increased out of wedlock births and child abuse.

The proclamation concludes by declaring the need for Oklahomans to “acknowledge the need for a national awakening of righteousness” in order to “secure and perpetuate the blessing of Liberty.”

Adelson Says He'll Seek Tulsa Mayor's Seat

Speculation about the future political plans of Senator Tom Adelson, Tulsa Democrat, ended Wednesday when he announced he'll seek to become the next mayor of Tulsa.

Adelson also had been mentioned as a possible candidate for attorney general next year.

Adelson, 43, said he will continue to serve as a senator pending the outcome of the mayoral race.

Mayor Kathy Taylor has announced she will not seek another term.

Ten Commandments Controversy Examined

The Verdict's next show focuses on the Ten Commandments controversy.

The weekly show, hosted by Kent Meyers and Mick Cornett, airs on Cox Channel 7 in Oklahoma City and on Cox Channel 3 in Tulsa Sundays at 9:00 a.m., Mondays at 9:30 a.m., Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m., and Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m.

"Ten Commandments on the Capitol Grounds" features guests Reverend Bruce Prescott of Mainstream Baptist Church and Pastor Paul Blair of Fairview Baptist Church.

'Bribe Taker' Fisher Seeks Early Release

By Nolan Clay/The Oklahoman ~ Former Insurance Commissioner Carroll Fisher is asking to be released early from a private correctional facility in Tulsa.

Prosecutors objected Wednesday. They argued the judge already has been “extremely lenient” to a bribe taker who “demonstrated arrogance and disregard” throughout court proceedings.

Oklahoma County District Judge Kenneth Watson has set a hearing for July 9. Fisher on March 2 began serving six months at the private facility. He is on a work-release program there, meaning he is allowed to leave the facility to work during the day. He returns in the evening.

He was sentenced after he pleaded no contest in February to accepting bribes. He will be on probation for another four years and six months after his release. He also must complete 150 hours of community service.

Fisher, 69, earlier spent about 14 months in state prison on a campaign-corruption case. His attorneys said he is a model prisoner.

“Further incarceration serves only to burden the system and not to further rehabilitate or educate or even to deter Mr. Fisher further. Those functions of incarceration have been accomplished,” defense attorneys told the judge.

Prosecutors countered the public already views Fisher’s six months at the private facility as an incredibly lenient sentence that is “grossly disproportionate to the crime committed by a former elected official.” Prosecutors contend there is no reason to let him out early. Prosecutors had asked the judge to give Fisher seven years in prison on the bribery case.

Poll Cites Fear Of Obama Gun Control

Fifty-seven percent (57%) of Americans say gun sales are up in the United States because of a fear of increased government restriction on gun ownership.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that just 23% say gun sales have risen because of a fear of increased crime.

Read all the poll results at http://www.rasmussenreports.com.

Fox News Dominates Cable News Ratings

From www.politico.com ~ As MSNBC and CNN battle for second place, second-quarter Nielsen numbers show Fox News' programs now rank one through 10 in total viewers on cable news.

Since Obama came into office, Fox has continued not only winning, but doing so at unprecedented levels.

As the Hollywood Reporter noted last week, the network is having its"best year yet," with the competition in the ratings shifting from not only the news networks but all of basic cable. Indeed, Fox came in 3rd this quarter, behind only USA and TNT.

Across the board, already top-rated shows are up by percentages in the 30s and 40s. But Glenn Beck, who takes aim at the administration repeatedly, is proving an even bigger draw since coming over from HLN: His 5 p.m. slot is up 110 percent from last year. Such a trend shows commentators like Beck can thrive in the opposition.