Piatt Has Son Arrested On Burglary Charge

Majority Floor Leader Greg Piatt of Ardmore has had his 18-year-old son arrested on a burglary charge.

Local news reports say that Gregory Travis Piatt was arrested early Thursday for allegedly breaking into a food distribution company in Lone Grove run by his father.

The younger Piatt was taken to the Carter County jail and his bond was set at $5,000. His preliminary hearing is set for July 22nd.

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Ownbey Files For Piatt Seat In Ardmore

Ardmore businessman Pat Ownbey filed today for the open House seat being vacated by incumbent Republican Greg Piatt.

Ownbey has made his home, built his business, and raised his family in Ardmore for the past 32 years.

Ownbey characterized himself as a conservative who believes in traditional values, government reform, and personal accountability.

Ownbey said it will also be important for the next Legislature to address improvements in education and health care in the state.

Ownbey is a former radio station owner and manager, working with Ardmore area stations KICM, KKAJ, KVSO AND KYNZ.

Ownbey attends the First Baptist Church of Ardmore, where he serves as chairman of the Deacons. He has been married to his wife, Kathy, for the past 32 years. The couple has two children; a son, Scott, who is married to Megan, and a daughter, Susan, who is married to Will Perkins.

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Are Cargill, Adkins Next To Quit?

Republicans may face the prospect of losing two more sitting members of the House, Capitol sources say as rumors fly today about the reelection plans of former House Speaker Lance Cargill of Harrah, and Dennis Adkins of Tulsa.

An informed House source says Cargill and Adkins likely are to announce soon they do not plan to seek reelection.

If that's true, they will join Reps. Rob Johnson, Ron Peterson, Greg Piatt, Susan Winchester and Trebor Worthen in forgoing reelection bids. Four of them have said they will return to private life, while Johnson is running for the Corporation Commission. None of them are term-limited.

Cargill, an attorney who resigned as speaker after disclosures that he had failed to pay multiple taxes, once was touted as a future GOP candidate for governor. He was elected speaker in 2006 as Republicans took control of the House for the first time in history, and launched an ambitious public relations and legislative program. His "100 Ideas" initiative drew on ideas submitted by citizens and many of those ideas have been implemented.

Adkins' use of campaign funds put him in the news in September 2006, when the Tulsa World's Mick Hinton reported Adkins was using donations to pay for an Oklahoma City condo he purchased. Adkins subsequently repaid his campaign the $15,596 it spent for rent on the condo. Hinton also reported that Adkins said he reimbursed the campaign to "get this behind me." Adkins said he had asked the Oklahoma Ethics Commission to determine if he followed the law in making the rent payments from his campaign fund. Director Marilyn Hughes said that when Adkins asked her about the payments, he did not mention he owns the condo.

Adkins, 43, was elected to the House in 2000; he's not had a serious opponent since and in 2004 and 2006, was unopposed. Earlier this year, he had the largest campaign warchest of any House member, $192,236, and that's after he spent almost $54,000 in the last reporting period. He has yet to comment on rumors he may run for the Corporation Commission seat now held by Democrat Jim Roth.

If Cargill and Adkins do opt out, the number of House Republicans not seeking reelection this year will total seven so far; Worthen announced at the beginning of this year's session and Johnson is running for the Corporation Commission.

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Peterson, Winchester Opt Out This Year

Reps. Ron Peterson and Susan Winchester announced today they will not seek re-election this year.

"I have enjoyed my service in the Legislature and feel that I've made a real contribution to the state, but it's time for me to return to the private sector," said Peterson, R-Broken Arrow.

"I am proud that I championed common-sense, conservative legislation that will grow our economy and create private-sector jobs."

Peterson was first elected to the House in 2000 and has served four terms. During the last four years he has served as chairman of the House Economic Development & Financial Services Committee.

Winchester announced she will not seek re-election to a sixth term. Winchester, a Chickasha Republican, was the first woman to serve as House speaker pro tem. She also ran unsuccessfully to become the state's first female speaker.

Winchester says she is most proud of a bill that became law removing criminal penalties against parents who leave newborn infants safely with medical providers.

A third Republican, House Majority Floor Leader Greg Piatt of Ardmore, who could serve two more years until he is term-limited, also says he won't seek reelection. After serving in the House for 10 years, Piatt said he wants to spend more time with his family.

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Piatt Avoided Challenge By Returning Phillips Cash

House Majority Floor Leader Greg Piatt apparently avoided a challenge to his leadership position yesterday by agreeing to return a $5,000 campaign donation from controversial Texas businessman Bradford Phillips, Republican sources tell The McCarville Report Online.

Piatt, at the urging of new House Speaker Chris Benge, agreed over the weekend to return the donation after earlier announcing he would keep it. Had he not done so, the sources say, an effort to challenge his continued role as majority floor leader would have come at Monday's GOP House Caucus meeting. The effort was underway Monday morning when word circulated that Piatt had agreed to return the donation.

The donation, and others from those associated with interests of the Phillips family, had been criticized by some GOP House members because Piatt accepted the donations last year after sponsoring an amendment affecting insurance companies. The amendment would have benefited the interests of Bradford Phillips and his father, Gene Phillips, controversial figure who was involved in the scandal that toppled former Insurance Commissioner Carroll Fisher.

Piatt, from Ardmore, told The Oklahoman's Michael McNutt that Benge encouraged him to return the donation over the weekend. Benge told him that for the "sake of moving forward" he should return it. Piatt acknowledged there "was a problem with perception by our members. But there was nothing unethical or illegal about anything that was done."

Piatt told McNutt he likely won't accept future donations from Phillips because it is a "lightning-rod issue."

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Rumors Say GOP House Leadership Shuffle Not Over

There are Capitol rumors today that the Republican leadership shuffle in the House may not be over.

Whether an announcement will follow today's noon GOP House Caucus is uncertain.

Sources are uncertain what's afoot. New Speaker Chris Benge retained most of former Speaker Lance Cargill's leadership team, but some members have urged him to replace Majority Floor Leader Greg Piatt of Ardmore, criticized by some for accepting a $5,000 campaign donation from Texas businessman Bradford Phillips after pushing an amendment last session favorable to insurance company interests of the Phillips family.

One member of the House says the donations to Piatt for his 2008 campaign by those connected to Phillips is at least $11,000. Ethics Commission records show the $5,000 donation from Bradford Phillips on June 6, 2007, plus donations of $5,000 from Enid attorney Stephen Jones, who represents Phillips' interests, on June 4, 2007; and $1,000 from lobbyist Bobby Stem, who lobbies for Phillips' interests, on May 31, 2007.

Several sources say some GOP House members want Piatt replaced, but whether they have the votes to do so, and whether they'll seek a vote in today's Caucus, is unknown.

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GOP Leader Says Ethics Funding A Priority

A top Republican House leader said Wednesday that allocating more money to the Ethics Commission will be a priority this session.

The commission's duties have expanded over the last few years, but its operating budget has been cut by half, Executive Director Marilyn Hughes told the House Rules Committee.

Rep. Greg Piatt, the House majority leader, said, "Our responsibility is to adequately fund the Ethics Commission. I believe that will be one of our priorities this year."

The Ethics Commission oversees campaign activities of elected officials and apparently has been looking into questionable fundraising by House Republicans in the 2004 and 2006 elections. Former Speaker Lance Cargill, who resigned last week, led the House GOP political action committee in 2004. He was the speaker during the 2006 election.

Hughes said the commission has seven employees, just as it had in 1994. She is seeking funds to pay for an additional lawyer and investigator. Operational dollars have dwindled as the agency used them to pay for increased benefits and other fixed costs that have not been funded by the Legislature.

Rep. Lucky Lamons, D-Tulsa, has filed a bill calling for an overall Ethics Commission budget of $886,980, an increase of more than $380,000.

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Piatt Keeps Phillips' $5,000 Campaign Donation

By Mick Hinton In The Tulsa World ~ House Majority Leader Greg Piatt said Friday that he will keep a $5,000 campaign contribution from Bradford Phillips, who sought legislation last year that would have benefited insurance companies his family holds in trust.

Piatt, R-Ardmore, said he did not solicit the contribution.

There was nothing illegal about Phillips' giving the contribution or Piatt's accepting it.

The lawmaker said he would receive criticism no matter what decision he made about the contribution.

Piatt said he discussed the issue again Friday with two key members of his campaign committee in Ardmore, and they agreed with his decision. "It doesn't go away either way, but if you do nothing wrong, there is nothing to apologize for," he said.

Piatt proposed a key amendment to the legislation sought by Phillips. He received the donation at an Ardmore fundraiser in June after the 2007 legislative session. Two days earlier, Piatt also received a $5,000 donation from Stephen Jones, an attorney for Bradford Phillips' father, Gene Phillips. Jones is a major contributor to Republicans. Campaign donations are limited to $5,000.

Two other lawmakers confirmed this week that they have returned campaign contributions from Phillips. Rep. Ron Peterson, R-Broken Arrow, who leads the committee that heard the controversial legislation, said he returned a $4,000 check shortly after he received it in late December. Peterson said that as chairman of the committee that hears such bills, he wanted to make sure that there wasn't even the perception that he would be influenced by a donation.

He said the merits of the insurance amendment have been lost in the controversy over Phillips.

State Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland had proposed that an insurance company could make commercial real estate loans based on a cap of 2 percent of assets, patterned after a national model. However, Piatt succeeded in passing an amendment in the House committee to raise the amount to 20 percent.

Both Peterson and Piatt said they have considerable experience in the insurance and banking fields and that 20 percent is reasonable.

The bill with the Piatt amendment was approved by the committee but was not brought to the House floor because it had become controversial.

Meanwhile, Rep. Paul Wesselhoft, R-Oklahoma City, a committee member, said Thursday that he returned a $700 check from Phillips. Peterson said he told committee members who received contributions that he thought it was a good idea not to accept them. He advised them to return them, and at least four of the members have. They were contributions of about $600 each.

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AP: Piatt Says Blackwell Has Speaker-Designate Votes From More Than 30 House Republicans

The Oklahoma House's Republican floor leader says Speaker Pro Tem Gus Blackwell has the support of more than half of the House's GOP majority in the race for speaker.

Floor Leader Greg Piatt of Ardmore told The Associated Press Thursday that Blackwell has secured pledges from more than 30 House Republicans in the race to replace former GOP Speaker Lance Cargill.

Blackwell needs the support of at least 29 of the House's 57 Republican members to become the party's speaker designate. The full 101-member House will select a new speaker on Monday.

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Piatt Donations An Issue In Speaker's Race?

Sources in the State House report today that campaign donations to House Majority Leader Greg Piatt (pictured) of Ardmore by those associated with controversial Dallas businessman Gene Phillips and his son, Bradford, are becoming an issue in the race for speaker.

Two GOP members of the House say that Piatt supports Rep. Gus Blackwell to replace Lance Cargill and they have taken note of today's report in the Tulsa World highlighting Blackwell's unusual move, last session, of using his leadership role to cast a vote on a pro-Phillips measure in a committee in which Blackwell technically is not even a member.

The measure sought by the Phillips interests was carried by Piatt, the House Majority Leader, the World reported last year: Phillips' son Bradford Phillips tried unsuccessfully last session to get an Oklahoma law changed that would have allowed the family's insurance companies to put up fewer assets when making real estate loans. State Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland strongly protested the change, which was approved in committee but did not make it into law. The amendment was carried by House Majority Leader Greg Piatt, R-Ardmore, who received a $5,000 contribution from Bradford Phillips in June, state Ethics Commission records show.

One member of the House says the donations to Piatt for his 2008 campaign by those connected to Phillips is at least $11,000. Ethics Commission records show the $5,000 donation from Bradford Phillips on June 6, 2007, plus donations of $5,000 from Enid attorney Stephen Jones, who represents Phillips' interests, on June 4, 2007; and $1,000 from lobbyist Bobby Stem, who lobbies for Phillips' interests, on May 31, 2007.

Following Insurance Commissioner Holland's protest against the Phillips measure, Republican Bill Case, with the support of those in the Phillips camp including Jones, tried to defeat Holland. He failed. He is now a lobbyist for Phillips in Stem's firm.

In addition, a mysterious committee based in Austin, Texas, tried to defeat Holland and spent almost half a million dollars in the unsuccessful effort.

The controversy over the Phillips family erupted again recently, when it was revealed that several GOP legislators, including then-Speaker Cargill and Blackwell, attended a fundraiser for Mike Huckabee at Gene Phillips' palatial home in Dallas. After the event was publicized and questions were asked, several legislators said they received, and returned, donations from Bradford Phillips. Some estimate the legislators recently returned at least $6,200 to Phillips.

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Is Winchester Leading Candidate To Replace Cargill?

House Republican sources say they believe Rep. Susan Winchester of Chickasha is the leading candidate to replace Lance Cargill as House speaker.

Following Cargill's resignation this afternoon, Rep. Gus Blackwell, the speaker pro tem, took control of the House. Republicans will caucus next week after the Legislature convenes to select a new speaker.

"Susan has the respect and confidence of the members," a top GOP legislator told The McCarville Report Online. "Just off the top, she's the leader in my estimation. Gus is a good guy, but Susan probably has a leg up." He cautioned, however, that the vote to replace Cargill won't take place until next week and, "a lot can happen in a week."

Others apparently in the race to succeed Cargill are Blackwell, Dale DeWitt, Chris Benge and Greg Piatt. Blackwell is quoted as saying he hasn't decided yet if he will seek the post at next week's caucus.

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World: Cargill Says He Didn't Know Huckabee Fundraiser Was At Dallas Home Of Gene Phillips

By Mick Hinton In The Tulsa World ~ Several Republican House members, including Speaker Lance Cargill, attended a fundraiser recently in the home of Texas businessman Gene Phillips, who has been linked to convicted former insurance commissioner Carroll Fisher.

Phillips was hosting the fundraiser for Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee.

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. Fisher has said the money was a loan.

Cargill said Friday that he went to the fundraiser at the invitation of a former colleague. "I was not informed where the event was," he said. "As it turns out, it was at his (Phillips') home." Cargill said he looked at the event as a chance to visit "with the person who has a legitimate chance to be president of the United States.

Rep. Danny Morgan, who leads the House Democrats, said Friday, "When I heard this, I was floored. "It looks very suspect that the speaker would allow himself and members of his caucus to be involved in a fundraiser with an individual allegedly involved with Commissioner Fisher," Morgan, D-Prague, said.

Rep. Gus Blackwell, R-Goodwell, said Friday that "it never clicked" in his mind when he and others went to Phillips' home Dec. 18 to attend the fundraiser. Other Republican lawmakers who attended were Reps. T.W. Shannon of Lawton and Mike Jackson of Enid. Three other GOP lawmakers reportedly were at the fundraiser.

Phillips' son Bradford Phillips tried unsuccessfully last session to get an Oklahoma law changed that would have allowed the family's insurance companies to put up fewer assets when making real estate loans. State Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland strongly protested the change, which was approved in committee but did not make it into law. The amendment was carried by House Majority Leader Greg Piatt, R-Ardmore, who received a $5,000 contribution from Bradford Phillips in June, state Ethics Commission records show.

Holland noted that Gene Phillips was linked to an anonymous Web site that showed up during her 2006 election bid. Although it did not name Holland, the Internet campaign ad featured a silhouette of her. "Yes, he (Phillips) was linked to the Web site and he was the gentleman linked to one or more indictments against the former commissioner," Holland said at the time.

Meanwhile, Shannon said Friday that he went to the fundraiser not knowing that questions had been raised about Phillips. "I learned all of this after the fundraiser," he said. "It was just a chance to get to see Mike Huckabee."

Stephen Jones of Enid, who has been Gene Phillips' attorney, was one of the co-sponsors of the event. Regarding the Oklahoma lawmakers' attendance, Jones said: "I saw some of those boys. They were all Huckabee supporters." Jones estimated that 250 to 300 people were at the fundraiser, held at Phillips' pool house. Other reports put attendance at 100 to 150. "Phillips has a beautiful home, and he knows how to entertain," Jones said, noting that many functions are held there, although not usually political ones. "There's nothing wrong with it," he said.

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