Bob Murphy Escorted From Langston Poll?

Poll watchers report late today that Democratic State Senate candidate Bob Murphy of Stillwater was escorted from a Langston University polling place this afternoon by Logan County Sheriff's deputies.

One source says Murphy was seen inside the polling place and was challenged by a poll worker who apparently called the Sheriff's Department.

The Logan County Sheriff's Department confirmed deputies had been to the site, but had no details.

Murphy faces Republican Jim Halligan in the Senate race.

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Murphy Fails To Make Final Judge List

Former Judge Bob Murphy's name is not among the five applicants being considered for the post he vacated in June to run for the state Senate.

Murphy said last month that he had applied for the Payne County associate district judgeship because many people indicated that they wanted him to stay on the bench and didn't realize that he had to resign to run for the Senate seat.

"I reapplied out of respect for their wishes," Murphy said.

He said the code of judicial conduct required that he resign.

Murphy said he respects the decision of the Judicial Nominating Commission, which will forward three names to Gov. Brad Henry for consideration.

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Senate GOP Committee Chides Murphy

From Oklahoma Senate Republicans ~ After raising almost $52,000 – 70% from trial attorneys – in the first quarter of his campaign for State Senate – former Judge and aspiring future judge Robert Murphy (pictured) of Stillwater has seen his fundraising reduced to trickles following his decision to apply for the judgeship he abandoned to run for the Senate.

“It’s pretty clear Judge Murphy’s Hamlet impersonation – To Be or Not To Be – has very quickly worn thin on the voters and those who finance political campaigns in this state,” said Randy Swanson, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Republican Senatorial Committee.

Murphy’s latest fundraising report on file with the Oklahoma Ethics Commission indicates he raised $18,215 during the reporting period which ended August 11. 2008. Deducting the $650 he returned to a contributor who serves on the Judicial Nominating Commission, Murphy’s total raised now stands at $69,965.00.

Whereas Murphy had raised almost 70% of his funding from trial attorneys in the previous report, he reports only $3000 – which is still 18% of the contributions from individuals – from attorneys in the current report.

Jim Halligan, former president of Oklahoma State University and the Republican nominee in Senate District 21, raised two times Murphy’s amount -- over $37,000 this reporting period, and has now raised over $254,000 for his campaign.

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Murphy Challenged On Second Donation

Democrat Senate candidate Bob Murphy (pictured) of Stillwater is being challenged today by Republicans to acknowledge the receipt of a $5,000 contribution from the controversial Working Oklahomans Alliance, a political action committee operated by trial lawyers and funded, in large part, by "donations" from workers' comp claim recipients, many of them unemployed.

The challenge follows yesterday's challenge from GOP Senator Clark Jolley over a $650 donation to Murphy from a member of the Judicial Nominating Commission, Jim Loftis. Following Jolley's challenge, Murphy returned the donation and Loftis said he would recuse himself from any action in selecting a district judge in Payne County. Murphy held the post and resigned it to make the Senate race; then, a day before the application deadline to fill the post, he filed to fill his own vacancy. He said he'd prefer to serve in the Senate, but if not, wants to remain a judge.

The Working Oklahomans Alliance reports donating $5,000 to Murphy, yet Murphy has insisted he “can’t locate” the contribution.

“The judge says because he can’t locate the check, it’s a ‘moot point,’” said Randy Swanson, executive director of the Oklahoma Republcan Senatorial Committee.

“It’s not moot. In fact, it’s time for the judge to come clean about the contribution, then do the right thing and turn the money over to charity,” said Swanson. “To return the cash to the Working Oklahomans Alliance would do no good for the aggrieved worker’s comp claimants.

“We suggest that Murphy feed a few hungry Oklahomans by donating this cache of cash to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma City, an organization that serves hungry Oklahomans throughout the state, including feeding centers in Senate District 21,” Swanson suggested.

“This is only just, as Oklahomans from across the state unknowingly and unwillingly contributed to Murphy’s campaign,” he added.

“The clock is running,” Swanson said. “The contribution was made on July 3 – forty days ago. We’re waiting to see how long it takes Judge Murphy to track down that elusive check and do the right thing. We’ll be watching."

A count-up clock is marking time on www.oksenategop.com. The clock will stop when Murphy donates the contribution to the Regional Food Bank or an appropriate charity.

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Murphy Returns Questioned Donation

By Barbara Hoberock/Capitol Bureau, Tulsa World ~ Senate hopeful Bob Murphy Jr. of Stillwater on Monday returned a $650 donation after learning that it came from a member of the panel that helps select judges.

[And after Republican Senator Clark Jolley made the donation public.]

Murphy, a Democrat, applied for the Payne County associate district judgeship that he had resigned in June to run for the Senate District 21 seat. That post is being vacated by Senate Pro Tem Mike Morgan, D-Stillwater, because of term limits. Murphy applied July 31. The deadline was Aug. 1.

On July 14, Murphy's campaign received a $650 donation from Norman attorney Jim Loftis, who serves on the Judicial Nominating Commission. The panel reviews applications for judicial posts and forwards three nominees to the governor, who makes an appointment. Loftis said he learned after making the donation that Murphy applied for the judicial position.

The commission has 13 members, but one post is vacant, Loftis said. Loftis said he will not take part in the process of filling a the judicial position because of the donation.

"I don't think this put me in a bad position," he said. "It is probably the wisest decision to allow the 11 other members to conclude the interview process and make a recommendation to the governor."

Murphy faces former Oklahoma State University President James Halligan, a Republican, on the Nov. 4 Senate ballot.

Murphy said that upon learning of the donation, he ordered his campaign to refund it. "I have not spoken to Mr. Loftis regarding this situation and wish to extend my apology to him," he said. "The donation was made and accepted prior to my decision to apply for the judicial position."

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Jolley Criticizes Judicial Nominating Commission Member's Donation To Bob Murphy

Stillwater Democrat Bob Murphy's decision to seek elective state office and appointive judicial office at the same time has created a conflict of interest for one of his donors, Republican Clark Jolley (pictured) claims today.

Jolley says that Norman attorney Jim Loftis, a member of the Judicial Nominating Commission, has contributed $650 to Murphy’s campaign for the State Senate.

UPDATE: Jim Loftis said this afternoon he will recuse himself from any vote on the Stillwater judicial vacancy.

Jolley called on Loftis to avoid "the clear conflict of interest" caused by Murphy's dual office-seeking by recusing himself from the Judicial Nominating Commission’s candidate nomination process for the vacant Associate District Judge position in Payne County.

Campaign records show that Loftis, one of six attorney members on the Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC), contributed $650 to Democrat Bob Murphy’s State Senate campaign on July 14, Jolley said.

Murphy resigned his position as Associate District Judge in June to run for the State Senate, but is now trying to re-attain his old judgeship after filing paperwork with the Judicial Nominating Commission on August 1. As a result, Murphy is seeking both offices simultaneously.

“Mr. Loftis is a contributor to Bob Murphy’s Senate campaign, while also sitting in a position to act on Bob Murphy’s candidacy for the vacant Payne County judgeship. Unfortunately, Mr. Murphy's decision has created a clear conflict of interest for Mr. Loftis,” said Jolley, R-Edmond, an attorney.

Jolley said conflicts of interest are not new to Murphy, as he was removed as presiding judge in the trial of convicted Oklahoma City Bombing co-conspirator Terry Nichols for allowing a conflict of interest to arise between himself and an Oklahoma City trial firm.

”Although Mr. Loftis has done nothing wrong, the right and honorable result of Mr. Murphy's dual office-seeking is for Mr. Loftis to immediately recuse himself from the Judicial Nominating Commission’s nomination process for the Payne County Associate District Judge position,” Jolley stated. “And, given that former and possibly future Judge Murphy has raised nearly 70 percent of his campaign funds from trial lawyers who may one day be trying cases before him again, it’s clear these and other potential donors could feel pressure from Murphy as the campaign progresses.”

Jolley noted that no other of Murphy’s funds appear to have come from members of the Judicial Nominating Commission.

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Stillwater Clerk Loses, Gets Old Job Back

By Jacob Longan/Stillwater NewsPress ~ Glenna Craig says her time away from her job will make her better at it.

She worked in the Payne County Election Board for 20 years, including the last eight as secretary, until resigning June 1 to run for county clerk.

She lost to incumbent Linda Hatfield by a vote of 1,728-1,351 in the Democratic primary on July 29. Because no Republican entered the race, that primary served as the general election.

As of Wednesday, Craig is back in her old position at the election board. She was appointed by the Oklahoma State Election Board at Tuesday’s meeting.

“The position had not been filled,” Craig said. “With my experience and years of service, they were anxious to have me back in this position. I was more than happy to return. I’ve always said this job and my precinct officials are dear to my heart.”

Craig had not before run for public office. She said she now has a better understanding of the candidates’ points of view having been through the fire of a campaign. She added that doesn’t change the law or what her office can do, but it will make her better at her job.

“I ran an ethical, positive campaign,” Craig said. “I’d encourage those who run to continue to be respectful to each other during the process. I think that’s important.”

Her appointment means she will be in the job until April 30, which would have been her original end date before she resigned.The position will then be open for appointment by the state senator for district 21.

Former Oklahoma State University President James Halligan, a Republican, and former Payne County Associate District Judge Bob Murphy, a Democrat, are vying for the seat. State Senate Co-President Pro Tempore, Stillwater Democrat Mike Morgan — who re-appointed Craig several times — cannot seek re-election due to term limits.

[Murphy, who resigned as a judge to make the Senate race, has since reapplied for appointment to that post. Thus, the circumstances cited in this story are not lost on Republicans, who claim Murphy now knows he will lose the Senate race and wants his old job back. Murphy says that's not true but simply wants to serve.]

Asked for comment Tuesday, both Halligan and Murphy said they are focused on their election and have not thought about potential appointments.

Craig expressed confidence both will “see the necessity of keeping leadership experience in the election board.”

“I will gladly serve either one,” she added. “This is a non-partisan job. I’ve been very ethical and I think that will show in the work we have done.”

She said she was grateful for the opportunity to return to her old job and she has a “public-servant heart.”

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Jones: Was Murphy Promised Judge's Seat?

Oklahoma Republican Party Chairman Gary Jones (right) said today that Governor Brad Henry, Senate Democrat leaders, and former judge Robert Murphy should provide the public a full accounting about whether former Murphy was promised a judicial appointment if he loses the race for the open Senate District 21 seat.

A few weeks ago Murphy resigned his elected position as Associate District Judge to seek the Senate District 21 seat, but now Murphy has filed paperwork with the Judicial Nominating Commission to be reinstated to his former position.

"Murphy’s attempt to get his judgeship back while in the middle of a State Senate campaign is a very fishy development. It doesn’t pass the smell test," stated Jones. "The people have a right to know whether Bob Murphy was promised his judgeship back after losing the State Senate race. The governor, Senate Democrat leaders, and Mr. Murphy owe the people a complete disclosure and a full accounting of what commitments were made to convince Murphy to run for the State Senate," he said.

If Murphy is selected as a finalist from among the applicants for the judgeship by the Judicial Nominating Commission, Henry could then appoint Murphy to fill the vacant judgeship that Murphy resigned in June, Jones said.

With Murphy now seeking a judgeship in addition to running for a Senate seat, Jones also urged Murphy to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest by returning contributions made to his Senate campaign by trial lawyers.

"In his prior statements to the press, Bob Murphy has said, ‘we need a state senator who isn't beholden to any special money interests.’ But since that time Murphy has done the opposite, getting almost 70% of all of his funds from the trial lawyer lobby," said Jones. "I'm sure there are members of the trial bar who would be concerned about refusing to donate money to Murphy’s Senate campaign given the very real possibility that he will be presiding over their cases again after the election."

Murphy, Jones said, is "no stranger to conflicts of interest. While serving as Associate District Judge, Murphy was removed by the Oklahoma Supreme Court as the presiding judge in the criminal trial of convicted Oklahoma City bombing conspirator Terry Nichols for allowing a conflict of interest to develop between himself and a law firm.

"You would think that once you were disqualified publicly by the Oklahoma Supreme Court for an apparent conflict of interest, you would do your best to never allow for any allegations of that to be made in the future," said Jones. "Accepting trial lawyer money in such huge amounts when you very well could be presiding again over their court cases doesn't cut it."

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Murphy Tries To Explain Judge Application

By Jacob Longan/Stillwater NewsPress ~ After resigning the position in early June, Robert Murphy has applied for the vacant Payne County associate district judge position.

Murphy is the Democratic Party’s nominee for State Senate District 21 after winning a July 29 primary.

He took 63.48 percent of the vote, defeating Carney police and fire chief Greg Wilson, 2,270-1,306, to win the nomination.

Murphy had to leave the bench in his quest for the Senate seat being vacated by Co-President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan, D-Stillwater, because the Code of Judicial Conduct requires judges to resign if they file to run for a partisan office.

In a June interview, Murphy said the timetable would not make it feasible for him to re-apply for the job because applications had to be submitted within 30 days of the job being posted.

“It would be asinine,” Murphy said at the time. “If I wanted to do that, why wouldn’t I just stay there? That seat doesn’t expire until the end of 2010.”

But Tuesday, he said the timetable changed because the deadline for applications came Aug. 1, about a month later than he expected. That, he said, makes it unlikely the position will be filled until after the election Nov. 4.

“The reason I (applied) was every day since I resigned people have come up to me, my wife and a lot of other people and said, ‘Judge, we wish you were still on the bench,’” Murphy said.

“People may think I look like I’m hedging my bets or keeping my options open, but these are both public service positions. I don’t see it as a bad thing to be a legislator or a judge. If I can’t be a legislator, I’d like to be a judge.”

Murphy said he does not believe his application will have any affect on the election and he would serve four years in the Senate if he wins.

“I’ll withdraw my application (if I win),” he said.

His opponent, former Oklahoma State University President James Halligan, a Republican, said he had heard rumors Murphy was applying for his former job.

“I’m sure that Bob Murphy will do whatever he feels is appropriate,” Halligan said.

The Oklahoma Republican Senatorial Committee sent out a release about Murphy’s application, stating it “raises serious questions about whether Democrats believe Murphy can be competitive in the race...”

Murphy, asserting he is more confident he will win the election everyday, said the release shows the GOP is “in total panic mode.”

“They’ve hit the panic button and they’ve come out with all kinds of nutty stuff,” he said.

He also said the release’s assertion he simply wanted to hang out with trial lawyers is “indicative of their total lack of knowledge of what government is. That’s why it’s so scary they are about to get in control of it. That’s why I got off the bench. I couldn’t sit there and watch them destroy the state.”

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Coffee: Murphy Files To Get Judgeship Back

Only a few weeks after resigning his position as an associate district judge to run for the State Senate, Democrat Robert Murphy of Stillwater has already filed an application with the Oklahoma Judicial Nominating Commission to get his old job back, Senate Republican leader Glenn Coffee said today.

Coffee said the move shows that Murphy is not committed to serving the people of District 21 in the Oklahoma Senate, instead showing Murphy's preference for the company of trial lawyers who have funded 70% of his campaign contributions.

Coffee said it also is an embarrassment for the Senate Democrat leaders who recruited Murphy at the last minute to run for the State Senate, and raises serious questions about whether Democrats believe Murphy can be competitive in the race against Republican Jim Halligan, the former president of Oklahoma State University.

"Bob Murphy needs to make up his mind. Does he want to be a judge, or does he want to serve in the State Senate? The people of Senate District 21 have a right to know," said Coffee. "Bob Murphy is clearly more comfortable working with the trial lawyers who are funding 70 percent of his campaign than he is with serving the citizens of Senate District 21.

"With Bob Murphy in such a hurry to get back to a judge's bench, it really shows his lack of commitment to winning the Senate District 21 seat. It is also a sign that Democrats don't really believe they can compete with Republican Jim Halligan for the open Senate District 21 seat.

"The Democrats are spinning to the media and the public that they can hold the Senate District 21 seat, but Bob Murphy's application to get his old job back paints a very different picture of their true feelings about this race," said Coffee.

Senate District 21, which includes portions of Payne, Logan, and Lincoln counties, is being vacated by term-limited Democrat Senator Mike Morgan of Stillwater.

With the Senate tied at 24 Democrats and 24 Republicans, Senate District 21 is a key battleground in 2008 for control of the State Senate.

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The Oklahoman: Henry, Senate Democrats Lead Secretive Group's List Of Beneficiaries

The Oklahoman reports that Democrats "have been the leading beneficiaries of contributions from the Working Oklahomans Alliance's political action committee."

The newspaper's Sunday edition reveals the existence of the secretive fund and in a sidebar to the main story, reporters Nolan Clay and Randy Ellis report: "It (the PAC) donated $5,000 to (Governor Brad) Henry when he was a state senator and almost $10,000 to his two campaigns for governor. It spent $67,210 in 2002 on a television ad buy for Henry, a so-called independent expenditure.

"The governor was overseas Friday and could not be reached for comment.

"The alliance has donated $45,000 to the Senate Democrat political action committee.

"Since April 1, the alliance has donated $113,750 to candidates and political action committees. The biggest donations include $5,000 to state Sen. Judy Eason McIntyre, D-Tulsa; $5,000 to state Senate candidate Bob Murphy, D-Stillwater; and $5,000 to state Sen. Nancy Riley, D-Tulsa.

"Workers' compensation lawyers last year created two new political action committees."

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