Benge Clams Up, Refuses To Answer Questions

House Speaker Chris Benge has refused to answer questions posed by The McCarville Report Online about Governor Henry's plan to install highway traffic cameras to catch vehicle owners without the required insurance.

Benge's spokeswoman, Jennifer Monies, responded to TMRO's repeated questions today with, "I am sorry, but the Speaker does not have a comment on either question."

TMRO asked Benge if he'd had any contact about the plan with former Congressman J. C. Watts, or anyone on his behalf.

Purpose of the questions, in part, was to confirm or deny information provided TMRO that Watts spoke with his "contacts" in Benge's office on June 10, 2009, and that InsureNet official Wayne Pettigrew spoke with Jim Reese, Benge's policy director, in May of 2009 as the company worked to gain approval of its plan in 2010.

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Benge Adds Former Rep. Jim Reese To Staff

House Speaker Chris Benge has hired former State Rep. Jim Reese from Nardin as a staff member.

Reese, (left in photo taken during a USDA presentation honoring a Dust Bowl veteran) presently executive director of the USDA-Farm Service Agency in Stillwater, will be a policy adviser.

He was appointed to the USDA post by the Bush Administration in 2001. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1986 and served until May 2001 when he was appointed to his current position.

He served as First Assistant Minority Leader for 5 years.

He received the Farm Bureau Meritorious Service Award, the Farmers Union Outstanding Service Award, and was a strong advocate for agriculture and rural life in the House.

Reese was a member of Class IX of Leadership Oklahoma and served on the Leadership Oklahoma Board of Directors. He received the second ever Good Neighbor Award from Kay Electric Cooperative.

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