Terrill Says Coates' 'Paranoia Starting To Show'

By Barbara Hoberock, Tulsa World ~ The state Senate is conducting an internal investigation into the theft of documents from the legislative office of a vocal opponent of a controversial anti-illegal-immigration law.

Sen. Harry Coates (left), R-Seminole, said printed copies of e-mails were taken from his office and posted on an Internet blog.

Coates is a vocal critic of House Bill 1804, an immigration reform law that passed last session. Efforts by opponents to make changes to the measure have not been successful.

Among other things, HB 1804 makes it a felony to knowingly transport illegal immigrants, creates state barriers to hiring illegal workers and requires proof of citizenship to receive certain government benefits. After July 1, it will require state contractors to check the immigration status of workers.

Coates believes that those who support the bill are behind the stolen documents -- which contained conversations about HB 1804 -- and phone calls made to his office and house. He also said someone posed as him to post comments on a Web site that published a story about HB 1804.

Coates called the theft and other actions an attempt to embarrass and intimidate anyone who does not agree with the immigration law. He said the phone calls contained offensive language but did not threaten bodily harm. The threats were political in nature, he said.

"The Senate is currently conducting an internal investigation in an attempt to discover who is behind this," Coates said. "Once we learn their identity, that information will be turned over to law enforcement, and we would expect it to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

The internal probe involves reviewing camera images of the hallway outside his office.

Senate Co-President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee, R-Oklahoma City, said security breaches will be addressed aggressively.

"We are trying to find out the facts internally," Coffee said. "At some point, we probably would bring in the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, once we find out what has gone on."

Coates said he does not believe that any lawmakers are behind the theft of the file with the e-mails.

He said the publication of the private e-mails on a blog could stifle debate on issues. "Some of the material has been taken out of context with the rather obvious purpose of embarrassing anyone who dares to defy those who relish the thought of ridding our state of people who speak another language, legal or illegal," Coates said.

Rep. Randy Terrill (top right), R-Moore, the author of House Bill 1804, called the incidents "bizarre."

He said he doesn't believe that supporters of his legislation are behind the missing documents.

"The pressure of being on the wrong side of an 80-20 issue has apparently gotten to Sen. Coates," Terrill said. "The paranoia is starting to show a little bit."

Coates has taken a public position against a popular law, he said. "Now, he is feigning shock and surprise that he is hearing from people other than friends, family and employees who disagree with him," Terrill said.

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Coates: Stolen Material 'Taken Out Of Context'

By John Greiner, The Oklahoman ~ A Senate investigation is under way into the theft of the personal e-mail file of Sen. Harry Coates, an opponent of the state's immigration law, he said Thursday.

Coates, R-Seminole, who opposed House Bill 1804 — the state immigration law — said his file on the issue disappeared from his Senate office about two weeks ago.

Contents of the file are being "leaked online a few pages at a time,” Coates said.

"Some of the material has been taken out of context with the rather obvious purpose of embarrassing anyone who dares to defy those who relish the thought of ridding our state of people who speak another language, legal or not,” Coates said.

{Christopher Arps of the Oklahoma Political News Service which published the emails, said, "If Senator Coates thinks the documents are quoted out of context, then I implore him and everyone else who is interested, to go to www.okpns.com and read Senator Coates' comments for themselves."}

He said he's concerned this is an attack at those in business and at the capitol who question whether HB 1804 is going to cause more harm than good.

In February, a lawsuit was filed in federal court over the immigration law by several business groups including The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, The State Chamber and Oklahoma City and Tulsa chambers of commerce. They claimed the law undermines federal immigration law and places unreasonable burdens on state businesses.

Coates said he doesn't think any legislators are involved in taking the file. Instead, he said he believes a small group of fanatics are responsible for leaking the information.

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OSBI Could Assist Senate Probe

Capitol sources say today the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation could be asked to help investigate the apparent theft of a file from the office of Republican Senator Harry Coates of Seminole.

Email documents in the file, which contained materials involving the state's controversial new immigration law, appeared this week on a Missouri-based political blog and Coates said today the Senate has launched an internal investigation. He said the investigation could eventually involve law enforcement officials.

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