Ethics Commission Sets July 11th Meeting

Ethics Commission Chairman Don Bingham says the agency will detail its request for more funding at a July 11th meeting.

He also said the Commission will ask Governor Henry and legislative leaders for a $238,000 supplelmental appropration.

The agency has threatened to sue the Legislature over what Commission members say is a lack of adequate funding. They contend the Oklahoma Constitution mandates "adequate" funding but the Legislature has not given it enough money to do its job.

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Miller Responds To Special Session Idea

House Budget Committee Chairman Rep. Ken Miller said today the request by the Ethics Commission for a special session to address its funding and threat of a lawsuit "seems to show a disregard for the taxpayer's money."

“The Legislature was able to show support for the Ethics Commission with a record 30 percent increase this year, despite a standstill budget for almost every other agency,” said Miller, R-Edmond. “Their request for an expensive special session and threat of a lawsuit fails to recognize the progress that has been made and seems to show a disregard for the taxpayer’s money. We are always willing to discuss additional funding needs as they arise and plan to continue a dialogue with the Ethics Commission throughout the interim, just as we will with all state agencies.”

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Ethics Committee Wants Special Session; Henry Says That Would Be Premature

From The Tulsa World's Capitol Bureau ~ Oklahoma ethics commissioners want the governor to call a special session because they say the watchdog agency does not have enough money to carry out its duties.

The governor's office quickly replied Tuesday that a special session would be premature.

In a letter to Gov. Brad Henry, ethics chairman Don Bingham of Tulsa said, "We ask that you take the extraordinary step of calling the Legislature into special session for the sole purpose of creating and sending to you a bill that appropriates sufficient funding for the State of Oklahoma Ethics Commission."

The governor's spokesman, Paul Sund, said that Henry is willing to sit down again with legislative leaders and discuss the need, but having a special session would be premature without first reaching a specific funding agreement with legislative leaders

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Decision Soon On Ethics Panel Lawsuit?

The Ethics Commission apparently will decide soon if it will file a lawsuit against the Legislature over what its members say is a lack of funding for the agency.

Commission Chairman Don Bingham says a lawsuit is being discussed despite a move that freed up an additional $50,000 for the ethics panel. Governor Henry vetoed a requirement for the commission to spend $50,000 on campaign reporting software that commissioners said they didn't need or want.

The commission wants at least one more investigator, but lawmakers didn't authorize a new position.

For the 2009 fiscal year, the Ethics Commission will get about $667,000, a 30 percent increase. The commission requested about $906,000.

Bingham said the commission's budget does not provide enough money to fulfill the requirements established in a constitutional amendment in 1990 that created it.

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Henry Has Hopes For Ethics Funding

From The Oklahoman ~ Gov. Brad Henry is hoping an agreement for funding the state Ethics Commission still can be worked out.

Legislators adjourned last week without appropriating as much money that the commission sought. The five-member commission said the money allocated by legislators is insufficient and instructed its staff to start gathering information for a possible lawsuit against the Legislature if more money for the upcoming fiscal year is not supplied.

"Litigation is the wrong approach,” the governor said.

"The Ethics Commission is a critically important agency,” Henry said "It's a unique constitutional agency and that agency must be adequately funded.”

Henry plans to review the budget bill approved by legislators for the commission. The proposed budget calls for the commission to receive about $667,000 — a 30 percent increase — for the 2009 fiscal year that starts July 1. The commission had requested about $906,000.

"We will continue in my office to visit with the Ethics Commission and try to work out something short of litigation,” Henry said. "I am confident that we can work something out.”

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Reynolds: House Fails To Back Ethics Reform

Rep. Mike Reynolds said lawmakers missed the opportunity today to back their ethics-reform rhetoric with actual funding.

"The Oklahoma House of Representatives had the opportunity to fully fund the state Ethics Commission for the first time in state history," said Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City. "Unfortunately, it appears the House is paying lip service to the idea of ethics reform instead of real service. The Ethics Commission cannot monitor and protect the integrity of our campaign finance system unless the agency is given a budget that will allow them to truly investigate complaints. That didn't happen today."

During floor activity Tuesday morning, Reynolds offered an amendment that would have significantly increased the Ethics Commission's budget to roughly $900,000 per year. The amendment was defeated twice.

A similar amendment offered by Rep. Lucky Lamons (D-Tulsa), was also defeated twice, Reynolds noted.

"Today's action on the House floor was a setback, but it won't be the last word on ethics reform," Reynolds said. "I will continue this fight throughout the legislative session."

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