Flash Point Focuses On Behenna Case

The case of Army Lt. Michael Behenna of Edmond, convicted by a military tribunal of killing a known Al Qaida operative in Iraq, was discussed on KFOR-TV's "Flash Point" show today.

Behenna's conviction came after military prosecutors withheld evidence from their own forensics expert favorable to Behenna, an act former federal prosecutors say demands Behenna be given a new trial.

Behenna's mother, federal prosecutor Vicki Behenna, discussed the case with Mike Turpen and guest Jeff Cloud, substituting for Kirk Humprheys.

Also discussing the case, and calling for a new trial, were former federal prosecutors Robert McCampbell and Dan Webber.

Appeals in the case have been directed to the commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and to the secretary of the Army.

For more information on the case, go to http://www.defendmichael.com/.

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SurveyUSA: Dems Gain Corp Comm Ground

From SurveyUSA For KFOR-TV ~ Democratic candidates for Oklahoma Corporation Commission seats have gained ground over the past three weeks.

In an election for a full-term seat on the Commission today, 09/30/08, Incumbent Republican Jeff Cloud edges Democrat Charles Gray 47% to 44%, according to this exclusive KFOR-TV poll conducted by SurveyUSA. Three weeks ago, Cloud led Gray by 15 points; today, Gray has gained 7 points; Cloud has lost 5 points and now leads by 3.

Among men, Cloud had led by 17, now leads by 3. Among women, Cloud had led by 13, now leads by 3. Among voters age 18 to 49, Cloud had led by 7, now trails by 5. Among voters 50+, Cloud's lead has been cut in half, from 22 points to 11 points. Cloud, first elected to the Commission in 2002, leads by 9 points today in Western Oklahoma, down slightly from a 13-point lead three weeks ago. In Eastern Oklahoma, the race has flipped: Cloud had led by 17, now trails by 4.

In the race for a short-term, two year term on the Commission, Republican Dana Murphy defeats Democratic incumbent Jim Roth 50% to 41%. Compared to three weeks ago, Roth is up 5 points; Murphy is down 4. Murphy, a geologist and attorney, leads by 9 points among men and by 10 among women. Among voters age 18 to 49, Murphy leads by 4 points; among voters age 50+, Murphy leads by 14. 28% of Democrats cross over to vote for the Republican Murphy.

Roth was appointed by Democratic Governor Brad Henry to fill a vacancy on the Commission in June of 2007; Republican Denise Bode, elected to her second full term in the office in 2004, resigned her seat. The winner of the short-term commission seat will serve the remaining two years of Bode's term.

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Poll: Murphy, Cloud Have Substantial Leads

SurveyUSA, polling for KFOR-TV in Oklahoma City, reports that Republicans Dana Murphy and Jeff Cloud have substantial leads over their Democratic Corporation Commission opponents.

Most surprising is the 54-36 percent lead reported for Murphy over incumbent Commissioner Jim Roth, appointed to the post by Governor Brad Henry when Republican Denise Bode resigned.

Cloud is shown with a 52-37 percent lead over Democrat Charles Gray, former House member.

Here's the analysis from SurveyUSA: Republicans Lead in Both Oklahoma Corporation Commission Contests: In elections for full and short-term seats on the Oklahoma Corporation Commission held today, 09/09/08, Incumbent Republican Jeff Cloud and Republican challenger Dana Murphy both lead their Democratic opponents by double digits, according to this exclusive KFOR-TV poll conducted by SurveyUSA.

In the race for a full six year term on the Commission, incumbent Republican Jeff Cloud defeats Democrat Charles Gray 52% to 37%. Cloud, first elected in 2002, leads by 17 points among men and by 13 points among women. Among voters age 18 to 49, Cloud leads by 7. Among voters age 50+, Cloud leads by 22. 1 in 4 Democrats cross over to vote for Republican Cloud. Independents are disproportionately undecided.

In the race for a short-term, two year term on the Commission, Republican Dana Murphy defeats Democratic incumbent Jim Roth 54% to 36%. Murphy, a geologist and attorney, leads by 17 points among men and by 19 among women. Among voters age 18 to 49, Murphy leads by 13 points; among voters age 50+, Murphy leads by 23. 30% of Democrats cross over to vote for the Republican Murphy. Independents are disproportionately undecided.

Roth was appointed by Democratic Governor Brad Henry to fill a vacancy on the Commission in June of 2007; Republican Denise Bode, elected to her second full term in the office in 2004, resigned her seat. The winner of the short-term commission seat will serve the remaining two years of Bode's term.

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Turpen, Humphreys Raise Money For Cloud

The KFOR-TV "Flash Point" team of Democrat Mike Turpen and Republican Kirk Humpheys is teaming up off camera to raise money for Republican Corporation Commissioner Jeff Cloud.

Postcards received by potential donors announce the event, in Humphreys' Oklahoma City home, on September 23rd.

Turpen and Humphreys and their wives are hosts of the event.

Donations of $250 to $5,000 are requested.

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KTOK: Oil, Gas Donors Boost Corporation Commission Campaigns of Cloud, Murphy

By Jerry Bohnen/NewsRadio 1000 KTOK ~ Republican Corporation Commission candidate Dana Murphy knows she has a mountain to climb when it comes to raising the kind of money collected by the man she wants to unseat, Democrat Jim Roth.

She had only $35,000 on hand after winning the primary.

A review of her campaign records as of mid-July showed that nearly a third of her contributors were from the oil and gas industry that would fall under her regulation if she were to win the seat now held by Roth. And those same oil and gas contributions made up about two-thirds of the money raised by Murphy.

Of the 313 donors to her campaign, 104 were from the oil and gas industry and they contributed more than $66,000 out of the total campaign contributions of $93,000.

Murphy's campaign is no different than any of the candidates for the corporation commission.

Their campaign reports reflect much the same--a growing movement by those in energy industry to flow money into the campaigns. Many energy companies see it as hedging their bets on which candidate will be successful.

Meanwhile, a review of campaign contributions to date of Republican Corporation Commissioner Jeff Cloud's re-election bid shows more than half of his contributors are in the oil and gas industry.

Of the 237 individual contributions listed for the July report, 150 came from oil and gas people. They gave $202,000 to Cloud who listed a total of $260,000 in campaign contributions.

A check of the contributions also showed that 32 of the contributors worked for OG&E and its gas supply subsidiary Enogex. There were 14 contributors who listed as being employed by ONEOK and its subsidiary ONG. Chesapeake Energy had five employees who contributed to Cloud's campaign.

Of the 28 contributors who were listed as giving the $5,000 maximum allowed under law, only four were not from oil and gas people.

As for Murphy, her campaign reports showed she loaned herself $10,000 for the race and received nearly $5,000 of in-kind contributions. Most in-kind contributions came from Murphy because she paid for gas, receptions and food, advertising, office furniture and postage.

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Roth On Fundraising Roll, Report Shows

Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Jim Roth raised more than $500,000 for his election campaign in the second quarter. That put him far ahead of his two Republican opponents, Ethics Commission reports show.

Roth, a Democrat, was appointed to fill the unexpired two years of Denise Bode's term when she resigned.

His reports show he has raised a total of about $790,000, including $537,193 from April 1 to July 14.

He reported he's spent $115,000 in the last three months and has total expenditures of $181,000. That leaves him with $589,000 cash on hand.

State Rep. Rob Johnson and Dana Murphy, a former administrative law judge, seek the Republican nomination.

Johnson reported he raised more than $116,000 during the last quarter and a total of nearly $225,000 for his campaign. He reported he's spent about $222,000 over the last three months, including $143,000 on television advertising. He has about $146,000 cash on hand.

Murphy reported she raised about $108,000, including a $10,000 personal loan, bringing her total amount raised to $257,000. Murphy also reported receiving $2,500 in last-minute contributions that came in after the reporting deadline. Murphy reported she's spent $196,000 since April 1, including about $170,000 on television and radio advertising. She reported spending nearly $210,000 total on her campaign, leaving her with about $35,000 cash on hand.

Another seat on the Corporation Commission, currently held by Republican Jeff Cloud, also is up for re-election for a full six-year term. Cloud will face Democratic challenger Charles Gray, a former state House member, in the general election in November. Neither candidate drew a primary opponent.

Cloud reported he's raised about $287,000 since April 1. He reported transferring only $2,700 from his previous House campaign. He also reported spending almost $50,000 on campaign activity, leaving him with about $240,000 cash on hand.

Gray's contributions and expenditure report has not yet been posted on the Ethics Commission's site.

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Gray Files For Cloud's Commission Seat

Former State Rep. Charles Gray, Oklahoma City Democrat, filed today for the Corporation Commission seat now held by Republican Jeff Cloud.

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Cloud Announces Reelection Campaign

Corporation Commission member Jeff Cloud today announced he will file for reelection as he seeks to win a second six-year term.

Cloud, 47, is now chairman of the commission.

He was elected in 2002, winning about 54 percent of the vote against two opponents.

The Tulsa native holds a degree in petroleum land management from the University of Oklahoma and a juris doctorate from the Oklahoma City University School of Law. Cloud and his wife, Trish, live in Oklahoma City and are parents of three children.

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Legislation Would Harness Oklahoma Wind Power

The Oklahoma wind that state residents complain about could reduce electricity bills and provide eco-friendly energy alternatives at the same time thanks to the passage of House Bill 2813.

The bill, authored by Rep. Weldon Watson and requested by Rep. Gus Blackwell, will allow an electric utility company to recover the costs of building high voltage transmission lines to carry electricity produced by wind farms in Western Oklahoma.

The measure stemmed from discussions led by the Oklahoma Electric Transmission Task Force chaired by Corporation Commissioner Jeff Cloud.

The Southwest Power Pool (SPP), a multi-state regulator of electric transmission including Oklahoma, also participated in those task force meetings.

"Oklahoma's demand for electricity continues to grow and there is little opportunity for new construction of coal or nuclear power generation in the near future," said Blackwell, R-Goodwell. "The SPP has indicated that Oklahoma has the potential to be a major supplier of wind energy based on wind and transmission studies that project demand out through 2050. Failing to take advantage of this opportunity is not simply shooting yourself in the foot; it's shooting yourself in the head. This is a win-win-win situation for the consumer, for the environment and for the economy."

"This bill is a way to jump start the growth potential of wind power in the state. Currently, we have 14,000 megawatts of electricity being produced by Oklahoma power generators. We have 4,000 more megawatts from wind either already built or in the planning stages in Western Oklahoma. The potential is 20,000 megawatts for using wind power," said Watson, R-Tulsa.

Several companies have indicated an interest in building wind farms in the area, Watson indicated, and once they start the SPP will spread the cost of transmission to other users of that transmission reducing costs to Oklahoma ratepayers. He also said there is also great potential for carbon credits that will reduce fuel costs for ratepayers.

"Our state song mentions that 'the wind comes sweeping down the plain' in Oklahoma. That wind that has been immortalized in song and lore will become famous now for its energy potential," said Watson.

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission will have ultimate authority for any activity electric utilities may take as a result of the legislation.

House Bill 2813 passed the full House this week 88-0 and now goes to the Senate for a hearing.

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Cloud Endorses McCain

Corporation Commissioner Jeff Cloud, who had been one of Fred Thompson's Oklahoma coordinators, has endorsed John McCain for the Republican presidential nomination. Thompson withdrew earlier this week.

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William Cloud Dead At Age 74

The father of Corporation Commissioner Jeff Cloud, William M. Cloud of Oklahoma City, is dead at age 74. The elder Cloud was a Korean War veteran and avid University of Oklahoma sports fan. He was self-employed in the petroleum industry for more than 40 years. Services will be held Thursday at 10 a.m. at Crossings Community Church.

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Thompson Announcement Coming September 6th

Former U. S. Senator Fred Thompson will announce as an official candidate for president on September 6th.

The veteran actor has been "exploring" the race in recent months.

Despite his unofficial status, Thompson has placed high, or first, in several national, regional and state polls, including one of GOP activists in Oklahoma.

Thompson's Oklahoma leaders include Tulsa attorney Steve Edwards and Corporation Commissioner Jeff Cloud.

Thompson has named strategist Todd Harris to head his communications department. Harris, a former aide to Senator John McCain and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, will replace Linda Rozett who left Thompson's operation earlier this week. Harris served as deputy communications director to McCain during the Arizona senator's 2000 presidential race. He was communications director to then-Governor Jeb Bush for the 2002 gubernatorial campaign in Florida. Harris worked for Schwarzenegger from 2003 to 2005.

Late this afternoon, Thompson's campaign sent the following message: On September 6, 2007, Fred Thompson will be announcing his intention to run for President of the United States with a webcast available to millions at www.imwithfred.com. The launch of the video will be followed by a five-day campaign tour through Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. On the evening of the 6th, there will also be a National House Party, during which there will be a conference call with Fred.

We enter this campaign in a strong position. Fred is consistently near the top in the polls, and conservatives across the country have put together the closest thing to a draft in recent presidential campaign history in an effort to bring about this day. The next few weeks will only serve to build upon those efforts, with house parties, visits to the early primary states, and a homecoming in Lawrenceburg, TN on the 15th. To view the dates and locations of Fred's bus tour, please click here, and check back soon for more information on attending one of these events.

By announcing via webcast, Fred is able to take his consistently mainstream conservative message directly to the voters, who are already responding to that message with a strong upwelling of grassroots support. The webcast and the following campaign tour will play to Fred’s strengths, a consistent record of conservatism, his ability to clearly spread his message, and his ability to work with and connect with Americans from all walks of life.
Sincerely,
Bill LacyManager, Friends of Fred Thompson, Inc.

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Thompson Plans July 4th 'Bang'

From The Politico ~ Fred Dalton Thompson is planning to enter the presidential race over the Fourth of July holiday, announcing that week that he has already raised several million dollars and is being backed by insiders from the past three Republican administrations, Thompson advisers told The Politico.

Thompson, the "Law and Order" star and former U.S. senator from Tennessee, has been publicly coy, even as people close to him have been furiously preparing for a late entry into the wide-open contest. But the advisers said Thompson dropped all pretenses on Tuesday afternoon during a conference call with more than 100 potential donors, each of whom was urged to raise about $50,000.

Thompson's formal announcement is planned for Nashville. Organizers say the red pickup truck that was a hallmark of Thompson's first Senate race will begin showing up in Iowa and New Hampshire as an emblem of what they consider his folksy, populist appeal.

A testing-the-waters committee is to be formed June 4 so Thompson can start raising money, and staffers will go on the payroll in early June, the organizers said. A policy team has been formed, but remains under wraps.

Helping Thompson in Oklahoma are Corporation Commissioner Jeff Cloud and former Republican State Chairman Steve Edwards of Tulsa.

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Cloud, Edwards Join Thompson Draft Effort

The Draft Fred Thompson 2008 Committee announced that Oklahoma Corporation Commission Chair Jeff Cloud (pictured) and former Oklahoma State Republican Party Chair Steve Edwards have joined the Committee’s Leadership Team.

“Fred Thompson is the right man for America,” said Cloud. “I enthusiastically endorse Senator Thompson because he is a strong, extremely bright, consistent conservative who will be the best candidate by far to lead us in these difficult times.”

Edwards, former State Party Chair and former Chief Counsel to the National Republican Congressional Committee, added, “Senator Thompson is without a doubt the right leader for our nation. His core convictions and resolve will make him an outstanding candidate and even better president.”

“Commissioner Cloud and Chairman Edwards both have tremendous reputations in Republican politics and their leadership will be a tremendous addition to our committee,” said Dean Rice, Draft Committee Treasurer.

The Draft Committee also announced that Thompson won the May 12 Wisconsin Republican Party straw poll with 31 percent of the vote. Former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson — home town favorite — came in second with 27 percent ahead of former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney’s 13 percent and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s 11 percent. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) had 3 percent.

For information about the Draft Fred Thompson 2008 Committee’s effort, visit http://www.fred08.com/.

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