Developer Pleads Guilty, Will Testify Against Rinehart

Norman developer Jerl Methvin pleaded guilty to funneling improper campaign contributions to Oklahoma County Commissioner Brent Rinehart and will testify for the state against Rinehart, who faces trial on September 22nd.

Methvin is the second person to plead guilty in the case. Earlier, Midwest City engineer Robert Larkin was placed on a three-year deferred sentence after pleading guilty and agreeing to testify against Rinehart and his former campaign manager, former State Rep. Tim Pope.

Methvin was given a six-month deferred sentence and ordered to pay court costs. He admitted making a donation to a political candidatein excess of the legal limit of $5,000.

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Rinehart Sought PAC Donation, Engineer Testifies

Oklahoma County Commissioner Brent Rinehart asked a contributor for more money during his 2004 campaign, even though he already had given the maximum amount allowed by law, that donor testified this morning in Rinehart's preliminary hearing. Midwest City engineer Robert Larkin said he gave Rinehart three checks while he was running for county commissioner, but the candidate wanted more. Later, Larkin struggled to recall details of conversations with Rinehart. Read the entire story at http://www.newsok.com/.

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KTOK: Rinehart, Pope Face Charges

From KTOK Radio News ~ Oklahoma County Commissioner Brent Rinehart was named today on numerous felony charges including conspiracy, money laundering and perjury.

The charges were filed at mid-afternoon.

Former State Representative Tim Pope also faces allegations connected to Rinehart, as do three others. The various charges include conspiracy to commit a felony, knowingly accepting illegal campaign contributions, state money laundering and perjury.

Three Rinehart contributors, developers Jerl Methvin, Ray Pelfrey and Robert Larkin, were each charged with one misdemeanor count of violating campaign laws by donating more than $5,000 to a political candidate.

"There is no foundation to it,” said Enid attorney Stephen Jones, representing Pope. "It is politically inspired, and it is retaliatory. It is abuse of the attorney general's power to proceed. We will fight and defend it.”

It is possible the other commissioners will move to remove Rinehart from office; they will meet Friday to discuss the situation. Attorney General Drew Edmondson indicated that if they do not act, he may do so.

Former Oklahoma County Commissioner Jack Cornett chuckled upon hearing the news that Rinehart, the man who beat him in the 2004 campaign, had been hit with criminal campaign fundraising charges: "I feel honestly, I feel like justice is shaped up here."

He was aware of the OSBI investigation into the fundraising by Rinehart, former legislator Tim Pope and three others and was interviewed by agents. "Took a long time, but I was really not convinced that the state was gonna get him--he's pretty slippery in my opinion," said Cornett, referring to Rinehart. "From my standpoint, it took a long time but from his standpoint it was probably pretty quick."

And does it now open the door for his return to politics? Would he consider being County Commissioner again? "I would if, I don't know if it's legally possible. But looks to me if fraud's been done, it opens up a whole new election."

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