Fallin's Pollster Claims Clear Leader Mantle

Mary Fallin is the clear leader in the 2010 race for governor of Oklahoma, her pollster and chief strategist claims.

Ed Goeas, president and CEO of The Tarrance Group in Alexandria, VA, told those listening in on a Fallin conference call that his firm's survey was taken in June of 600 likely voters.

He said it showed three out of four were unfamiliar with Fallin’s Republican challenger, Senator Randy Brogdon of Owasso.

Goeas said Fallin leads Democatic Attorney General Drew Edmonson, 53 percent to 37 percent, and Democratic Lt. Governor Jari Askins, 54 percent to 35 percent, in head-to-head matchups.

"At this point in the campaign she has somewhat higher name ID than either of the two of them,” Goeas said.

The survey showed 75 percent had never heard of Brogdon.

Goeas said the survey showed 62 percent had a favorable opinion of Fallin while 20 percent had an unfavorable view. Brogdon had 6 percent favorable, 6 percent unfavorable.

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Reynolds Questions Caucus Use Of State Facilities

Rep. Mike Reynolds has asked Attorney General Drew Edmondson for a legal opinion on the use of state-owned facilities by political caucuses.

Reynolds' request followed a letter from a member of his own Republican Caucus, Rep. Ken Miller of Edmond, who wrote to members on House stationary about his campaign to become speaker of the House. Miller and Rep. Kris Steele of Shawnee seek the speaker's seat. Reynolds said his request was not directed at Miller.

Reynolds said he wants to know if it's constitutional to use state-owned computers and envelopes to support caucus issues.

Reynolds says he doesn't understand how the Republican and Democratic caucuses in the Legislature can use state resources for their own benefit.

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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.

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Edmondson Joins Pro-Gun Letter Signers

Attorney General Drew Edmondson is among 23 top law enforcement officials who have signed a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, expressing opposition to reinstatement of the federal ban on semi-automatic firearms.

"We share the Obama Administration's commitment to reducing illegal drugs and violent crime within the United States," the letter reads. "We also share your deep concern about drug cartel violence in Mexico. However, we do not believe that restricting law-abiding Americans' access to certain semi-automatic firearms will resolve any of these problems."

The letter notes congressional opposition to bringing back the ban, and calls for increasing enforcement of existing laws.

Read the entire letter: http://www.nraila.org/media/PDFs/SemiAutostateAGsLetter061109.pdf.

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Weight Of Behenna Case On General's Shoulders

The commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division, Brigadier General Stephen Townsend (in black) of Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, now has the weight of the clemency case for Lt. Michael Behenna of Edmond on his shoulders.

Behenna is now serving a 25-year sentence after being convicted by a military tribunal of killing a known Al Qaida operative in Iraq. His case became a nationwide cause when it was revealed that military prosecutors knowingly withheld evidence favorable to him until the trial was over. That evidence came from the prosecution's own forensics expert, who said Behenna's explanation of how Ali Mansur died fit the evidence. The prosecution did not call the expert to testify and sent him home. He revealed his findings to Behenna's defense attorneys after the trial was over. An appeal to the tribunal based on the withholding of exculpatory evidence was dismissed.

Now, an appeal for clemency has been prepared by his attorneys and presented to Townsend, who has the option of ordering a new trial, dismissing the case entirely, or modifying Behenna's sentence. The tribunal, after hearing the appeal, did recommend a reduction in the sentence.

Recently, dozens of well-known Oklahomans, including University of Oklahoma President David Boren, Attorney General Drew Edmondson, Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater and a number of former federal prosecutors, wrote the Secretary of the Army asking him to order a new trial.

Senator Jim Inhofe and Congresswoman Mary Fallin have expressed their concern about the (mis)handling of the case to military officials.

Others have declared it a clear case of prosecutorial misconduct.

Meanwhile, a petition calling for action has drawn more than 2,600 signatures and can be signed at http://www.defendmichael.com/.

Behenna, the son of federal prosecutor Vicki Behenna and retired OSBI agent Scott Behenna, had been recognized for his combat leadership before he was charged in the death of Mansur.

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Edmondson To Announce He's Running

Attorney General Drew Edmondson will announce he's a candidate for the Democratic nomination for governor tomorrow, sources say.

Edmondson's entry into the race sets the stage for what most believe will be one of the most interesting, and contested, Democratic primaries for governor, pitting two statewide office holders with access to huge warchests battling over the airwaves and everywhere else.

Edmondson has scheduled press conferences in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Muskogee. He's already created a campaign fund and initiated an "Edmondson 2010" Internet site.

The press conferences are scheduled for 10 a.m. at the Capitol, 2 p.m. at the Tulsa Press Club and 4:30 p.m. at the Muskogee County Courthouse.

Democrat Askins, of Duncan, Republican Congresswoman Mary Fallin of Oklahoma City and Senator Randy Brogdon of Owasso have already entered the race.

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Edmondson: Expect Commandments Challenge

Attorney General Drew Edmondson said today he expects a legal challenge to the new law that provides for a Ten Commandments monument at the Capitol.

His comments came after a decision Monday by a federal appeals court in Denver declaring that a Ten Commandments monument at a courthouse in Stigler is unconstitutional because its primary effect is to endorse religion.

Rep. Mike Ritze, R-Broken Arrow, is the author of House Bill 1330, which calls for a privately funded monument on the Capitol grounds. Governor Henry signed it into law.

In a statement, Ritze said he believes Oklahoma's monument will withstand a legal challenge because his bill was modeled after a Texas law that withstood a challenge in the U.S. Supreme Court.

But Edmondson told the Tulsa World that Oklahoma's proposed monument more resembles the Haskell County monument than it does the Texas case.

The Texas monument was part of an array of monuments dealing with history and the law, Edmondson said. It was placed by a fraternal organization. Such was not he case in Haskell County, he said.

Edmonson added it is premature to say how a defense to an anticipated legal challenge would be handled. The law says an outside group can handle the defense.

He said even if an outside group provided legal services free, if the state looses, the plaintiff's attorneys could collect legal fees. The group or entity responsible for those fees would need to be worked out, he said.

"We are obligated to defend this statute," Edmondson said. "The Attorney General's Office is committed to do that. I think the question is how far does that defense go? Do we stop at district court? Do we stop at the 10th Circuit or do we take it all the way to the Supreme Court? Each step would add to the potential cost of the defense."

Ritze said that the Haskell County case does not affect efforts to erect a monument at the Capitol. He said that the monument is meant to recognize the historical foundation the Ten Commandments have in modern law.

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Pollster Suggests Watts May Eye Senate Race

A North Carolina-based pollster, Tom Jensen of Public Policy Polling, suggested today in a KTOK interview that former Congressman J. C. Watts may be eyeing the U. S. Senate seat now held by Tom Coburn as well as the governor's race.

Jensen's comment came in an interview with the station's Reid Mullins. Jensen was discussing a new poll by his firm that shows Congresswoman Mary Fallin leading the field of candidates for governor next year. Watts, who has indicated he's considering the race, was included in the poll. Also included were Lt. Governor Jari Askins and Attorney General Drew Edmondson. Senator Randy Brogdon, a declared Republican candidate, apparently was not included in the poll.

Coburn has not yet announced if he'll seek reelection; he said on Monday he will announce his decision on June 1st. Former Governor Frank Keating reportedly has his eye on the seat if Coburn opts not to seek reelection.

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OFRG Criticizes Edmondson On Term Limits

Oklahomans For Responsible Government said today that Attorney General Drew Edmondson has included "biased and misleading" language in State Question 747 and despite calls for the language to be removed, it will remain.

OFRG pointed out earlier this month that Edmondson was changing the proposed language for the ballot measure to impose term limits on statewide elected officials.

Specifically, Edmondson's version included the following sentences:

It limits the ability of voters to re-elect statewide elected officers. It limits the number of years a person may serve in each statewide elected office.

Now, OFRG said, despite calls for the elimination of the first sentence which is "biased and misleading, the final language has been submitted."

The only change was combining the two sentences into one: It limits the ability of voters to re-elect statewide elected officers by limiting how many years those officers can serve.

OFRG believes term limits will pass despite the "political retaliation" by Edmondson.

Its spokesman said, "Voters overwhelmingly supported legislative term limits in 1990 and polls indicate it’s a winning issue for statewide elected officials, too. It’s just a shame that the attorney general, who personally lobbied against such a measure last year, would again try to interject politics in an attempt to defeat the ballot measure by confusing voters."

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McIntosh County: No Record Of Watts' Vote In 2006 Governor's Race But He Says He Voted Absentee

Examination of the voting records of the five announced and potential candidates for governor next year shows that one of them, former Congressman J. C. Watts, apparently did not vote in the 2006 general election for governor.

At least that's what the record shows. However, Watts insists through spokesman Chad Alexander that he did vote, and he and his wife, Frankie, completed their absentee ballots and mailed them together. Her ballot is shown as having been received, while his is not.

Watts, who registered to vote in McIntosh County on June 28, 2004, listing a rural address a few miles outside his hometown of Eufaula, always votes by absentee ballot, county election board records show.

The records show he voted once in 2006, in the July 25th Republican primary. But there's no record that he voted in the general election, in which Congressman Ernest Istook was pitted against incumbent Governor Brad Henry, a race Henry easily won. Two calls were made to the McIntosh County Election Board to confirm that no record exists of a Watts vote in the general election and Alexander said today he also spoke with the election board and confirms there's no record of Watts' absentee ballot having been received.

Watts has not yet announced he's a candidate for the Republican nomination for governor, but he is expected to do so soon. He is now a Washington lobbyist.

Records in Stephens County show that Democrat Jari Askins, lieutenant governor who is an announced candidate for her party's nomination for governor, registered to vote at her current address in Duncan on October 20, 1971. She has voted at least 67 times. In 2006, the record shows, she voted on February 14th, April 4th, July 25th, August 22nd and November 7th.

Records in Tulsa County show that Republican Randy Brogdon, state senator who is an announced candidate for his party's nomination for governor, registered to vote at his current address in Owasso on August 13th, 1980. He has voted at least 38 times. In 2006, the record shows, he voted on July 25th, August 22nd and November 7th.

Records in Oklahoma County show that Democrat Drew Edmondson, attorney general who has not yet announced he is a candidate for his party's nomination for governor but is expected to do so, registered to vote at his current address on December 18th, 2005. He has voted at least 10 times; he was a regular voter at his previous address as well. In 2006, the record shows, he voted on March 7th, May 9th, July 25th, August 22nd and November 7th.

Records in Oklahoma County show that Republican Mary Fallin, congresswoman who is an announced candidate for her party's nomination for governor, registered to vote at her current address on October 24th, 1986. She has voted at least 63 times. In 2006, the record shows, she voted on March 7th, July 25th, August 22nd and November 7th.

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Is Watts About To Announce In Governor's Race?

There's word today from multiple sources that former 4th District Congressman J. C. Watts, now a Washington lobbyist, is about to enter the 2010 governor's race.

Watts has said for weeks he'll make a decision by Memorial Day. If he gets into the race for the Republican nomination, he'll join Congresswoman Mary Fallin and State Senator Randy Brogdon of Owasso, both of whom already have announced.

In what appears to be a coincidence, word that Watts may be about to enter the race comes at the same time as word there's a new statewide poll that will be released on Tuesday showing that if Watts does enter the race, he will be in a competitive position with Fallin, considered the front-runner for the nomination.

"He's at 95 percent (to run)," said one source in a position to know.

Fallin's pollster, The Tarrance Group in Washington, earlier distributed a memo to supporters showing Fallin in the lead. The late April poll showed Fallin preferred among registered Republicans with 45.3 percent of the vote to 25.9 percent for Watts. Brogdon, of Owasso, got 5 percent.

A SoonerPoll released earlier this month showed Fallin at 48 percent, Watts at 34 percent.

Democrats Jari Askins, lieutenant governor, and Drew Edmondson, attorney general, are the top Democrats. Askins has announced, Edmondson has not.

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Attorneys Fuel Edmondson Campaign With $247,000; Fallin's Daily Average Tops In Field

If the race for the Democratic nomination for governor next year comes down to which candidate gets the most money from attorneys, Drew Edmondson will win hands down.

Analysis By Mike McCarville

The sitting attorney general, who has not yet officially announced he's a candidate, raised $289,385 in the first quarter of the year, $247,020 of it coming from attorneys with $65,000 of it in $5,000 chunks.

Declared candidate Lt. Governor Jari Askins, on the other hand, has just three $5,000 donors in her total of $117,945. Most of her donors gave in small amounts and few are attorneys.

On the Republican side, Congresswoman Mary Fallin's fundraising total is $108,565, with nine donors of $5,000 and she appears to lead the field in dollars-per-day-average.

Senator Randy Brogdon has just one $5,000 donor in his total of $22,700.

The campaign finance reports of the candidates show the following maximum donors:

EDMONDSON: (all attorneys unless otherwise noted) Terry West, Shawnee; Preston Trimble, Norman; Richard A. Bell, Norman; Tricia Everest, Oklahoma City; J. D. Williams, Pearsall, Texas; Cary Petterson, Texarkana, Texas; Dickstein, Shapiro, Washington; Mitchell Garrett, Tulsa; Darren Cleck, Radnor, Pennyslvania; Reggie Whitten, Edmond; Fred Boettcher, Ponca City; David Garrett, Oklahoma City; Dave Roberts, Oklahoma City; and Ada oilman Mike Cantrell. Edmondson appears to have averaged raising about $3,528 per day, weekends included, for the 82-day period from January 8th to March 31st even though many of his donations from numerous attorneys arrived on the same day.

ASKINS: Charles Harrison, Oklahoma City businessman;Tina Bonner, Duncan; Joan Hambrick, Oklahoma City. Askins appears to have averaged raising about $2,457 per day, weekends included, for the 48-day period February 12th to March 30th.

FALLIN: David Rainbolt, Oklahoma City banker; David Freymiller, trucking company owner; Leo Baxter, Lawton; Floyd Gilreath, Edmond businessman; Jim Everest, Oklahoma City investor; Dan Freymiller, Bethany trucking company owner; Gary D. Smith, Edmond businessman; Albert Kelly, Bristow banker; and Rep. David Dank, Oklahoma City. Fallin appears to have averaged raising about $3,619 per day, weekends included, for the 30-day period March 2nd to March 31st.

BROGDON: Lloyd Noble II, Tulsa investor. Brogdon appears to have averaged raising about $1,513 per day, weekends included, for the 15-day period March 17th to March 31st.

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Poll: Fallin With Huge Lead Over Brogdon, Watts; Askins Leads Edmondson By Slight Margin

The SoonerPoll reports that Congresswoman Mary Fallin has a huge lead over possible gubernatorial primary opponent J. C. Watts and announced opponent Senator Randy Brogdon.

The late April poll shows Fallin preferred among registered Republicans with 45.3 percent of the vote to 25.9 percent for Watts, who has not announced his candidacy. Brogdon, of Owasso, got 5 percent.

In a two-way race for the Democratic nomination Lt. Governor Jari Askins had 33.9 percent and Attorney General Drew Edmondson had 28.6 percent.

The sampling was of 168 registered Democrats, 139 registered Republicans and 11 independents. It was conducted April 23-26 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 5.5 percentage points.

Of the Republicans surveyed, 23.7 percent indicated they did not have a preference or declined to answer.

"I think J.C. not having been on the ballot since 2002 is having an impact on his numbers. Memories are short in politics," said Bill Shapard of The SoonerPoll, which he heads with political science professor, author and pollster Keith Gaddie.

"I think if J.C. is going to run and be a viable candidate, he's almost going to have to reintroduce himself to the electorate. We've had a few more football stars since he last ran," Shapard told The Associated Press.

Shapard said the poll shows Askins and Edmondson "are well known among the Democratic electorate, which is evidently divided between the two. I think that is going to be a dogfight primary if Edmondson finally commits to the race."

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Edmondson Has Money Lead In Governor's Race

The Associated Press reports that Democratic Attorney General Drew Edmondson has taken the early lead in fundraising in the 2010 governor's race.

A report prepared for filing with the Oklahoma Ethics Commission on Thursday shows Edmondson, who has not yet officially announced as a candidate, had raised more than $289,000 and had almost $473,000 in the bank.

Edmondson's quarterly total was more than twice as much as other major figures in the race, Democratic Lt. Governor Jari Askins and Republican Congresswoman Mary Fallin.

Fallin's report showed she has raised $108,565. Askins has not yet filed her report, but spokesman Don Hoover said she's raised more than $116,000.

Republican Senator Randy Brogdon, an announced candidate, has raised about $27,000.

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Poll: Fallin Leads Gubernatorial Pack

By Randy Krehbiel/Tulsa World Staff Writer ~ U.S. Rep. Mary Fallin appears to have a head start on four other possible candidates for the 2010 governor's race, a recent poll indicates.

Fallin, a Republican from the Fifth District, was the only one of the five with a favorable rating of more than 50 percent. She also had the highest name recognition.

"Even 20 percent of Democrats said they have a strong favorable impression of Mary Fallin, which is pretty high," said Bill Shapard, president of SoonerPoll.com in Oklahoma City.

The survey of 339 likely voters across the state was conducted Feb. 27-March 4. It has a 5.32 percentage point margin of error. The poll was not commissioned by the Tulsa World, although SoonerPoll has conducted other polls for the World.

The sample was 49 percent registered Democrats, 45 percent registered Republicans and 6 percent registered independents, reflecting the state's overall voter registration. All of those surveyed have voted regularly.

Respondents were asked their impressions of five potential gubernatorial candidates: Fallin; U.S. Rep. Tom Cole, a Republican from the Fourth District; state Sen. Randy Brogdon, R-Owasso; and Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson and Lt. Gov. Jari Askins, both Democrats.

The poll was released at about the same time Brogdon said he's officially a candidate. He had indicated earlier he would join Fallin in seeking the GOP nomination.

Fallin was viewed strongly or somewhat favorably by 57 percent, including 75 percent of Republicans. More than 40 percent of Democrats were strongly or somewhat favorable toward Fallin, a two-term member of Congress who previously spent 12 years as the lieutenant governor.

Among Democrats, Edmondson had a combined favorable rating of 45 percent and Askins 32 percent.

Although the 2010 primaries are more than a year away, there is some indication that voter opinions are already taking shape, Shapard said. He noted that only 15 percent of the Republicans surveyed and 29 percent of Democrats said they are undecided about the race.

"A lot of people are already looking toward it," he said. There was some indication that voters don't know much about individual candidates. Even Edmondson, the state's attorney general since 1995, was unknown to more than a third of the respondents. Askins, the lieutenant governor since 2007, was unknown to nearly half. Cole was unknown to just more than half the respondents, with a favorable rating of 36 percent. Only one-fourth of those surveyed said they had no opinion of Fallin.

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Cole Says No To Race For Governor

By Jim Myers/Tulsa World Washington Bureau ~ U.S. Rep. Tom Cole announced Monday he will not run for governor next year.

"It was a close call. I thought about it long and hard,'' the Oklahoma Republican said. "Strangely enough at the end, I thought Oklahoma was doing awfully well.''

Cole then cited challenges on the federal level, adding that he thought he could offer more for Oklahoma by remaining in Congress. Taxes and budget issues topped his list of concerns. Cole said his philosophy has been ''you always ride to the sound of the guns.''

A new member of the House Appropriations Committee, one of the more coveted panels in Congress, Cole also reflected on the importance of that appointment as well as the seniority he has built up in his current post.

"I am pretty pleased with the candidates that are out there,'' he said.

Rep. Mary Fallin already has jumped into the race on the Republican side, and former Rep. J.C. Watts and state Sen. Randy Brogdon are considering a bid.

Cole's announcement will fuel speculation that Watts will make the race. The two men have been close friends for years.

"I certainly would never run against J.C. Watts,'' Cole said, adding, however, his decision against running was not connected to Watts' future. "I don't know what he is going to do.''

Asked if he would be make an endorsement, Cole said it would be premature for him to say.

On the Democratic side, Lt. Gov. Jari Askins has said she is running and Attorney General Drew Edmondson is scheduled to make an announcement later this year. State Treasurer Scott Meacham is considered a potential candidate

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AP's Jenkins: Richardson Eyes 2010 Race

By Ron Jenkins/The Associated Press ~ When she announced she would be running for governor in 2010, U.S. Rep. Mary Fallin didn’t seem to have a lot of Republican primary opposition on the horizon.

Only fellow Rep. Tom Cole was said to be considering the race, and Cole has not made a public comment about his political future since Fallin announced.

Now at least three other possible GOP primary candidates are testing the waters — former U.S. Rep. J.C. Watts, state Sen. Randy Brogdon of Owasso and a new entry — Tulsa attorney Gary Richardson.

"I’ve been toying with the idea for a few weeks,” Richardson told The Associated Press of the possibility he will run "most probably as a Republican.”

Read the entire story at http://www.newsok.com/tulsa-lawyer-gary-richardson-may-join-race-for-oklahoma-governor/article/3353700?custom_click=pod_headline_politics.

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Fallin, Askins Top TMRO Governor's Race Poll

Congresswoman Mary Fallin and Lt. Governor Jari Askins topped The McCarville Report Online's straw poll of potential candidates for governor next year.

Republican Fallin got 28.3 percent of the overall vote, Democrat Askins 20 percent.

Askins topped Attorney General Drew Edmondson among those who voted for the two Democrats. Askins got 67.2 percent to 32.8 for Edmondson.

Among Republicans, Fallin got 40.4 percent, Brogdon 29.8 percent, former Congressman J. C. Watts 18.2 percent, Congressman Tom Cole 10.2 percent and Senate President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee 1.5 percent. Fallin has declared she's running, Brogdon has signaled he may, Watts is known to be considering the race as is Cole, while Coffee has not indicated any interest.

Brogdon's support rose dramatically after a blog asked its readers to vote for him.

There's nothing scientific about our poll; anyone could vote.

The total vote count was 391.

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Fallin, Edmondson At Front Of Governor Pack

Democrat Drew Edmondson and Republican Mary Fallin lead the possible primary elections for governor next year, a new survey out today shows.

The SoonerPoll, conducted by Keith Gaddie and Bill Shapard, shows Edmondson leading Lt. Governor Jari Askins 41.9-28.7 percent, and Fallin leading Congressman Tom Cole 53 to 31.1 percent; Senator Randy Brogdon drew 1.3 percent.

Said Gaddie: "We direct your attention to several interesting elements of the survey, including the strong name familiarity and positives of Rep. Fallin, her strength in the trial heat across geography and especially among core conservatives and high-propensity voters, and her strong support across men, women, married and single voters.

"In the Democratic primary, note the strength of AG Edmondson but also the notable degree to which many high-propensity voters are not familiar with any of the aspirants. My initial reaction is that Randy Brogdon is definitely smoking something if he thinks he has any shot at all to become governor.

"Second, it is evident that Cole's ID is weak even among Republicans, and his favorables (36.3 to 12.7 unfavorable) are weaker among those core GOP voters who are the most likely to vote. If you run this primary, Cole has to pull down Mary's favorables (never been done before) (56.7 to 18.9 percent unfavorable) and also pump up his ID and his own favorables outside the district.

"Askins can overhaul Edmondson, but its the same kind of problem -- displace the longest-serving DEM who has strong favorables in the party (44.6-20.6 versus 32.3-20.7 for Askins).

"The biggest shock for Rep. Brogdon will be that NO ONE KNOWS OF HIM (3.8 percent favorable, 3.6 perent unfavorable).

"The biggest shock for Cole, even with his polling experience, will be his lack of name ID. These numbers are not as good as Istook's in 2005. Fallin-- strong with core conservatives. Can run hard against Cole on his get-along approach, failure in 2008 US House races, ouster as RNCC chair," Gaddie concluded.

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Armes, Cox Criticize Edmondson

Attorney General Drew Edmondson’s recent actions indicate he has wasted millions of taxpayer dollars on frivolous litigation, two lawmakers said today.

Reps. Don Armes and Doug Cox said Edmondson’s recent announcement that he was re-testing water wells in the Locust Grove area for bacteria show that Edmondson is “lacking evidence in support of his long-running lawsuit against the poultry industry and the use of poultry litter as a fertilizer on farmland.”

“After three years of litigation and reportedly spending $25 million on experts, Mister Edmondson has failed to come up with any evidence that poultry producers are violating state environmental regulations,” said Armes, a Faxon Republican who chairs the House Agriculture & Rural Development Committee. “He has not provided the court with any evidence that anyone’s health has been affected by the use of poultry litter on farmland in the Illinois River Watershed."

“I was disappointed that Attorney General Edmondson would make accusations based on apparent assumptions, rather than operating on the scientific evidence used by the Health Department investigators,” said Cox, a Grove Republican and medical doctor.

The two legislators noted that a federal court ruled last year that Edmondson had not proven that bacteria in the waters of the Illinois River Watershed are caused by the application of poultry litter rather than by other sources, including cattle manure and human septic tanks.

Now, only seven months before Edmondson’s case against the poultry industry is scheduled to go to trial, they noted Edmondson is suddenly claiming Oklahoma poultry farms have made people sick and even killed one person.

Edmondson recently announced his agency would test well water near Locust Grove, claiming it was contaminated with bacteria from chicken waste and led to the August death of Chad Ingle and the illnesses of more than 300 other people who ate at the Country Cottage Restaurant in Locust Grove.

However, the Oklahoma Department of Health had already tested those wells and ruled them out as the cause of the illness.

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