Fallin: 'Little bit insulted' By Watts' Comments

By Jerry Bohnen/NewsRadio 1000 KTOK ~ As an already-announced candidate for the Republican nomination for Governor, U.S. Representative Mary Fallin indicated Thursday she didn't like what former Congressman J.C. Watts said about the field of candidates to date.

"I was a little bit insulted when he said there were no quality candidates in the race for governor," said Fallin in an interview on KTOK's First News with Reid Mullins.

"I spent a lot of time, investing my time and effort to represent the state, but he's a great friend." Fallin laughed as she made the reference to the insult.

It was Wednesday when reporters interviewed Watts, who is exploring the possibility of running against Fallin and Owasso State Senator Randy Brogdon in the bid for the GOP nomination.

When pressed about his "quality" comment, Watts said it's what voters have told him. "I think that's their concern. Does that mean that we don't have good candidates? I'm not saying that."

Watts went on to say he didn't mean to be "ungracious to anybody" or "disrespectful or anything."

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Prater On Behenna Case: 'The justice system, both civilian and military, is about seeking the truth'

Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater is "disgusted and angry" about the handling of the Army's prosecution of Lt. Michael Behenna of Edmond.

Prater, in a statement to The McCarville Report Online, said, "As a prosecutor, if the allegations against the military prosecutors are true, I am disgusted and angry. The justice system, both civilian and military, is about seeking the truth, not just convicting the accused. If the military prosecutors failed to disclose exculpatory evidence to the defense team of Lt. Behenna, they have lost all understanding of their duty. As disturbing, is the fact that the military judge did nothing to address this egregious, ethical and moral violation of duty by the prosecutors."

Prater joins former federal prosecutor Robert McCampbell and others in criticizing what appears to be a breach of legal ethics in the case. McCampbell spoke out last week on Reid Mullins' morning show on radio station KTOK.

Behenna, a member of the 101st Airborne and an Army Ranger and the son of federal prosecutor Vicki Behenna and retired Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation agent Scott Behenna, was convicted in a court martial in the 2008 death of Al Qaida operative Ali Mansur in Iraq.

His conviction is being appealed based on the expert opinion of prosecution witness Dr. Herbert L. MacDonell, who was not called to testify and who says it is his belief that the evidence supports Behenna's defense that he shot Mansur in self-defense when Mansur charged him. The prosecution alleged Behenna executed Mansur while he was on the ground. MacDonell said the forensic evidence supports Behenna's defense and that's why the prosecution did not call him to testify.

MacDonnel revealed his opinion to Behenna's defense counsel. It was not revealed to the military tribunal by the lead prosecutor, Captain Meghan Poirier, until MacDonell sent an email after Behenna was convicted and before he was sentenced to 25 years in prison. The tribunal refused an appeal of the conviction on Behenna's behalf based on the prosecution's failure to disclose MacDonnel's forensics evidence, but reduced his sentence to 18 years which he is now serving at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

Read MacDonnel's belief in Behenna's innocence at http://defendmichael.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/govexpertwitness.pdf.

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Former Prosecutor Rips Behenna Case Handling

Former federal prosecutor Robert McCampbell (right) of Oklahoma City said today the failure of military prosecutors to reveal exculpatory evidence in the murder trial of Lt. Michael Behenna of Edmond constitutes a failure of the legal system.

McCampbell told Reid Mullins of KTOK this morning that the first thing a lawyer learns is that prosecutors have a responsibility to disclose all evidence and seek the truth. Withholding evidence, he said, diminishes the legal system.

McCampbell cited several legal cases in which evidence was withheld. In the Behenna case, military prosecutors failed to disclose that their own expert witness concluded that Behenna likely acted in self defense when he shot and killed an Al Qaida operative in Iraq last year, and for that reason, that did not call him as a witness. They also did not disclose his opinion to Behenna's attorney. Behenna was convicted of murder and faces years in federal prison. His conviction is being appealed.

Several groups of veterans have come to Behenna's defense and urged members to donate to a legal defense fund. For details, go to http://defendmichael.wordpress.com/.

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Cole Says He'll Seek Reelection

Congressman Tom Cole, R-4th District, announced today he will seek reeelection.

Cole, now chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, made the announcement on Reid Mullins' morning show on Oklahoma City radio station KTOK.

Cole is a former state senator, former state GOP chairman, former secretary of state and former political consultant. He was elected to Congress in 2002 and reelected in 2004 and 2006.

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Wilson: If Thompson Gets In, Things Change Quickly

Oklahoma City and Washington pollster Chris Wilson says that if former Senator Fred Thompson does get into the Republican race for president, "things change pretty quickly."

Wilson noted that a recent Los Angeles Times poll (see story below) found that among Christian conservatives, a key GOP voting group, Thompson leads all the other Republican candidates "by 20 points." That, Wilson said, is an important finding that makes Thompson a formidable candidate.

Wilson's comments came on "Mullins In The Morning" with Reid Mullins on radio station KTOK in Oklahoma City.

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Daxon Calls For McMahan's Resignation

Republican Party Chairman Tom Daxon (pictured) called today for the resignation of Auditor & Inspector Jeff McMahan after a federal investigation alleged he received illegal campaign donations. Appearing on Oklahoma City radio station KTOK's "First News With Reid Mullins" this morning, Daxon said there is the "appearance...and fact" that wrong-doing occurred in the financing of McMahan's 2002 and 2006 campaigns. He said that confidence in the auditor and inspector's office is at stake and McMahan should resign. For KTOK's continuing coverage, tune to AM-1000.

Daxon followed up his radio statement with this prepared news release: "Former State Auditor and Inspector and current Chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party, Tom Daxon, today called on Jeff McMahan, current State Auditor, to fire his lieutenant Tim Arbaugh and then resign himself. Arbaugh is the head of the Abstract Division of the State Auditor’s Office. Both McMahan and Arbaugh are embroiled in the Gene Stipe straw donor scandal.

“'An office like State Auditor and Inspector must be above reproach and beyond even the hint of financial scandal,'” said Daxon, who served in the post from 1979-1983. “'Not only is there now a cloud over the office, but the charges go to the very heart of the State Auditor’s responsibilities—protecting the public from crooks. McMahan needs to fire Tim Arbaugh and then McMahan himself needs to resign.'”

McMahan’s office regulates the abstract business in Oklahoma. Several of the people alleged to be straw donors work in the abstract companies owned by Stipe and business partner Steve Phipps, who is also under investigation. The FBI says Arbaugh was a straw donor for Stipe. The FBI also says McMahan has received money from numerous straw donors connected to Stipe.

“'It appears the crooks set out to get their own man in the Auditor’s office by financing McMahan’s campaign,'” Daxon continued. “'McMahan’s responses to his involvement in the scheme have not been credible. The only way to restore public confidence in the auditor’s office is for McMahan and his lieutenant to go.'”

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KTOK's Mullins Guest Professor At OCCC

By Matthew Coury, OCCC News Writing Student ~ Radio news show Host Reid Mullins joined Oklahoma City Community College as an adjunct professor of Journalism and Mass Media Communications last semester. The opportunity arose when he received a call from friend and co-worker Gwin Faulconer-Lippert, mass communications professor. She told Mullins she would not be able to teach the rest of the semester due to a health problem. Gwin has recuperated and is back in the classroom this semester.

“She called me up and said, ‘I know that you’ve taught audio production classes before at OU,” said Mullins. “I need you to teach my audio production class at OCCC.”

Mullins said he jumped at the chance to repay Faulconer-Lippert for how well she’s treated him and others when they worked together. “I’d be willing to help her with anything,” said Mullins. “I love to teach.”

Mullins and Faulconer-Lippert are co-workers at the local Clear Channel radio network located at 50 Penn Place.

Mullins said everyone should pursue a college degree, something he earned as a student worker.
“When I was in college, through the first half of school, I cleaned bathrooms for extra money,” Mullins said. “If you’ve never gone to a truck stop on I-40, and scraped scum and algae off of a shower stall with a single-edge razor blade, then you haven’t lived.”

Two of Mullins’ buddies, with whom he was rooming, already had jobs working in radio, and Mullins thought it was time he gave it a shot. He’s been doing it ever since. Mullins worked as a sports programming engineer, production manager and a deejay for six radio stations before attaining his current position as a show host.

“About a year and a half ago I was selected to be the morning host of News Radio 1000 KTOK,” said Mullins.

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