Fourth House Committee Member Returns Campaign Donation From Bradford Phillips Of Texas
A fourth member of the House Economic Development and Financial Services Committee, Rep. Ron Peters, Tulsa Republican, confirmed today that he has returned a campaign donation from Texas businessman Bradford Phillips, son of the controversial insurance industry figure Gene Phillips. And a fifth member may have returned a donation as well.
Asked by The McCarville Report Online if he had received a campaign donation from Bradford Phillips, Peters (pictured) replied, "Yes, $600."
Peters said he received the unsolicited donation "about a month ago" and returned it. Committee Chairman Ron Peterson, R-Broken Arrow, has not yet responded to a similar TMRO inquiry. A House member, however, told TMRO that Peterson received a donation "much larger" than the $600 Peters received and returned. The member says Peterson also returned the donation.
Rep. Jeff Hickman, R-Dacoma, and Rep. Earl Sears, R-Bartlesville, both told the Tulsa World earlier that they received checks for $600, and Rep. George Faught, R-Muskogee, said he received $645. The contributions came in late December, apparently about the same time Peters received the donation to his campaign. They also returned the donations.
They are members of the House committee that approved legislation favorable to the Phillips family last spring.
The donations apparently came about the same time Gene Phillips hosted a mid-December fundraiser for presidential candidate Mike Huckabee in his Dallas home. House Speaker Lance Cargill, State GOP Chairman Gary Jones and other Republican members of the House attended.
Gene Phillips became a controversial figure during the tenure of former Insurance Commissioner Carroll Fisher. Fisher is serving a three-year prison sentence for embezzling $1,000 from his campaign and lying on a contributions report. He also is accused of accepting $25,000 and other gifts from Phillips, his family and business associates in exchange for favorable treatment of their insurance companies.
Asked by The McCarville Report Online if he had received a campaign donation from Bradford Phillips, Peters (pictured) replied, "Yes, $600."
Peters said he received the unsolicited donation "about a month ago" and returned it. Committee Chairman Ron Peterson, R-Broken Arrow, has not yet responded to a similar TMRO inquiry. A House member, however, told TMRO that Peterson received a donation "much larger" than the $600 Peters received and returned. The member says Peterson also returned the donation.
Rep. Jeff Hickman, R-Dacoma, and Rep. Earl Sears, R-Bartlesville, both told the Tulsa World earlier that they received checks for $600, and Rep. George Faught, R-Muskogee, said he received $645. The contributions came in late December, apparently about the same time Peters received the donation to his campaign. They also returned the donations.
They are members of the House committee that approved legislation favorable to the Phillips family last spring.
The donations apparently came about the same time Gene Phillips hosted a mid-December fundraiser for presidential candidate Mike Huckabee in his Dallas home. House Speaker Lance Cargill, State GOP Chairman Gary Jones and other Republican members of the House attended.
Gene Phillips became a controversial figure during the tenure of former Insurance Commissioner Carroll Fisher. Fisher is serving a three-year prison sentence for embezzling $1,000 from his campaign and lying on a contributions report. He also is accused of accepting $25,000 and other gifts from Phillips, his family and business associates in exchange for favorable treatment of their insurance companies.
Labels: Carroll Fisher, Earl Sears, Gene Phillips, George Faught, Jeff Hickman, Lance Cargill, Mike Huckabee, Ron Peters
posted by Mike McCarville @ 9:35 AM
