Jones Says Donations Legitimate

Enid attorney Stephen Jones said a published report in The Oklahoman suggesting he tried to buy an Oklahoma County judge’s race is incorrect. He told the Enid News & Eagle he made contributions to several friends who were running for office this year.

In published reports, former Oklahoma County District Judge Susan Caswell claims Jones illegally provided large donations that helped Bill Graves defeat her in the November election. (Editor's Note: Caswell made no such claim; she is quoted as saying she's perplexed by the interest of out-of-county interests in her campaign.)

The donations reportedly are under investigation by the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office and the state Ethics Commission. Jones said he has not been contacted by anyone regarding the investigation except the media. Jones himself is not listed as a contributor, but his wife, Sherrel, and his son and daughter are listed as contributors, along with four attorneys who work in his firm.

Six Texans who reportedly are associated with a client of Jones’, Dallas businessman Gene Phillips, also made contributions to Graves. Graves reported receiving nearly $60,000 from those sources, according to the published report.

The investigation centers on whether the donations were illegal, and Jones maintains they are not.

“I know what the law is. I’m lawyered up on the subject. They aren’t against the law. Anybody who knows what the law is, knows the story is incorrect,” Jones said.

Jones said Caswell is disappointed she lost the election. He said Bill Graves has been a family friend for 30 years. Jones has helped a number of family friends who have run for office. He is a member of the Oklahoma Republican State Finance Committee, and it is part of his job to raise money for Re-publican candidates.

“His race is not the only one I’m interested in. I was involved in about 60 races,” he said.

Jones and his wife, Sherrel, also contributed $2,500 each to the campaign of Dennis Hladik, who was elected to a Garfield County district judgeship. Jones family members also were regular large contributors on the federal level. In 2006, Sherrel Jones and Stephen Jones are listed as donating $10,000 to the Oklahoma Leadership Council. Jones also contributed $5,000 to the Cole PAC, and he and Sherrel both donated $2,100 each to Mary Fallin’s congressional campaign.

He said he also contributed to judicial candidates in Dallas County, Texas, whom he thought were outstanding. He also contributed to friends across the state.“This seemed to be a year where a lot of my friends were running,” he said.

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Attorney General, Ethics Commission Investigating Donors Linked To Enid Attorney Stephen Jones

Attorney General Drew Edmondson and the Oklahoma Ethics Commission are investigating donations made by associates of Enid attorney Stephen Jones to Oklahoma County District Judge Bill Graves, The Oklahoman reports.

Fourteen donors tied to Jones directly or indirectly gave Graves, a former State House member, more than $57,000.

Bartlesville elementary school counselor Terry Gann (Holmes), represented by Stephen Jones in a contentious Garfield County divorce case, gave $5,000 to Graves and $5,000 to Bill Case, GOP candidate for insurance commissioner. She did not respond to an inquiry about her donations by The McCarville Report Online and told reporter Clay to "contact my lawyer." She's among more than a dozen individuals associated with Jones who donated to Graves and Case.

Donors tied to Jones also gave an equally-huge sum to Republican Bill Case, who tried to defeat Democrat Kim Holland for insurance commissioner.

Reporter Nolan Clay of The Oklahoman writes, "State investigators are looking into whether a judicial race was bought...."

Clay reported, "Most of the donors declined comment or did not respond to requests for comments." None of the 14 donors connected to Jones live in Oklahoma County.

Graves (at left) told Clay, "He (Jones) would not do that sort of thing (make donations in the names of others). He's been a friend for a long time. He's helped me in past campaigns."

Former Judge Susan Caswell, defeated by Graves, said, "I don't understand why anybody from out of state or even out of this county would have an interest in a local judge race. It makes no sense to me."

Curiosity about the donations to Graves and Case from Jones family members and associates began following reports by TMRO and others last fall. The decision to open an investigation apparently came when officials noted some of the same donors gave to the Graves and Case campaigns, and the fact they gave the maximum allowed under law, $5,000.

Donors to Graves include Jones' son and daughter. They also include six Texans connected to Dallas businessman Gene Phillips, a Jones client. Clay reports that a former employee of Jones, Daniel Rath, was approached by investigators on November 1st, and asked about Jones, Phillips, and former Insurance Commissioner Carroll Fisher.

Through one of his law firm associates, Jones was tied to attacks on incumbent Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland by a secret Texas group, "Just The Facts America" headed by GOP activist Jim Cardle of Austin. The activities of that group remain under scrutiny by some, TMRO has been told. A new state multicounty grand jury headed by Edmondson is scheduled to convene later this month.

To access TMRO's stories about Jones last fall, just click on Jones' name in the labels list.

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