Shumate New Black Caucus Chairman

Rep. Jabar Shumate, Tulsa Democat, is the new chairman of the Oklahoma Legislative Black Caucus this year, the group announced today.

“As chair of the Oklahoma Legislative Black Caucus, I will work to reduce the disparities that exist for African Americans in education, health, and income,” said Shumate. “I also plan to focus on crime reduction and lowering Oklahoma's incarceration rates, as well as improving restorative justice programs in the state.”

The caucus recently met and selected its leadership team, which also includes Reps. Mike Shelton (D-Oklahoma City) and T.W. Shannon (R-Lawton), who will serve as treasurer and co-treasurer, respectively.

The Caucus will develop its legislative agenda at the group’s fall retreat.

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Resolution: No Terrorists Relocated Here

A resolution asking President Obama and Congress to refrain from relocating Guantanamo Bay terrorist detainees to Oklahoma prison facilities was approved by the House today.

House Resolution 1008, by Rep. T.W. Shannon, requests that Guantanamo Bay terrorist detainees not be transferred to any prison facility in Oklahoma and specifically mentions the Federal Correctional Institution in El Reno, the Fort Sill Regional Confinement Center and the Federal Transfer Center in Oklahoma City. It cites a concern that Oklahoma, by housing terrorist detainees, could become a terrorist target in the future.

“Oklahomans have no interest in housing the men who were involved in the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11 or other terrorist activities,” Shannon, R-Lawton, said. “This resolution will ensure that the U.S. Congress and President Barack Obama are both aware that we do not want them in our backyard.”

Shannon said he decided to file the resolution after hearing that Fort Sill, which lies on the northern boundary of his district, was mentioned as a possible point for relocation.

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World: Tribal Donations Top $1 Million

By Randy Krehbiel and Mick Hinton, Tulsa World ~ Oklahoma Indian tribes contributed more than $1 million to state politicians, parties and political action committees in 2006 and 2007, according to Oklahoma Ethics Commission reports.

Ninety percent of the money came from just three tribes. The Chickasaws have given $408,100 since January 2006, the Choctaws have given $282,250 and the Cherokees have given $213,900. All three tribes have been deeply involved in negotiating tobacco and gambling contracts with the state in recent years.

Energy interests and lawyers still contribute far more than Indian governments do, but tribal giving has grown perhaps as much as five-fold since 2000.

In no other state do tribes account for a bigger share of campaign cash, according to data from the Center for Responsible Politics, a campaign finance watchdog group.

Greg Pyle, the chief of the Choctaw Nation, said it is wise to give contributions to lawmakers. Pyle said he asked a federal official a few years ago how a tribe could work successfully with state elected officials. "The question he posed to me was, 'Did you help get them elected?' " the chief said.

Pyle said that in his travels around the country, he has seen that the most successful tribes support political campaigns. The chief said it is important that when issues come along, Indian leaders "have a seat at the table."

"The lawmakers are busy people; everyone wants to see them, so it is important that they know you, and you can sit down and visit with them," he said. Now if an issue comes up, a lawmaker sometimes will pick up the phone to get the Indian tribe's viewpoint, Pyle said.

Rep. Lisa Billy, a Choctaw/Chickasaw Indian, said it is crucial that the tribes, who have branched into many business ventures besides gambling, work closely with the Legislature. Billy, R-Purcell, has organized an Indian caucus concerned with business endeavors of Indian tribes. About two dozen lawmakers are registered tribal members.

Indian nations have signed numerous compacts with governors over the past several decades. The federal government has held that states must negotiate with tribes on such matters as gambling.

State Ethics Commission records show that Gov. Brad Henry has received $33,750 from Indian tribes since 2006. Billy said tribes give to both parties. Democrats and Democratic PACs received $673,850, compared to $345,650 for Republicans and Republican PACs. Nonpartisan candidates and other PACs received $22,800. In some instances, tribes gave to both candidates in a race.

In 2006, the Cherokees gave $5,000 to incumbent state treasurer Scott Meacham, and $3,000 to his opponent, Tulsan Howard Barnett.

Although about two-thirds of the money went to Democrats, the largest recipient of tribal money was the Republican Legal Fund (not associated with the Oklahoma Republican Party), which received a single $50,000 contribution from the Chickasaw Nation late last year. Chad Alexander, listed at the Oklahoma Ethics Commission as chairman of the fund, said the money will be used for legal fees, which is all the explanation that current ethics law requires. Alexander said various entities were asked to give money to the fund, and he is thankful that the Chickasaws decided to contribute.

While tribes can only give a maximum $5,000 to an individual, there is no limit on how much it can give to a legal fund. Chickasaw officials were not available late last week to comment on their contributions.

Among the lawmakers receiving contributions was Rep. Scott BigHorse, D-Pawhuska, who is a registered Osage. He received $32,500 in contributions from Indian tribes since 2006. Rep. T.W. Shannon of Lawton received the most tribal money of any Republican. Shannon, a Chickasaw citizen, received $17,000 from Indian tribes during the two-year period.

By contrast, Oklahoma tribes contributed very little to congressional campaigns and federal party funds in recent years -- just $18,700, according to the Federal Election Commission.

Graphic courtesy Tulsa World.

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Speculation Increases About McMahan Probe Panel

With certain House approval next week of a resolution calling for an investigation of Auditor and Inspector Jeff McMahan that could result in his impeachment, there's speculation today about those who might serve on the committee.

New House Speaker Chris Benge of Tulsa will name the eight committee members, four Democrats and four Republicans, with a member of each party serving as co-chairman.

Rep. Mike Reynolds, Oklahoma City Republican, authored the resolution and is said by some to be able to cite line-by-line from the lengthy, nine-count federal indictment of McMahan and his wife, Lori. He told Oklahoma City radio station KTOK he would like to serve on the committee. His problem is that he's viewed as a maverick always on the outs with his own party's leadership and he's butted heads with Benge in the past.

Others mentioned as possible members are all attorneys and include Reps. Rex Duncan of Sand Springs, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee; T. W. Shannon of Lawton, assistant majority whip; Dan Sullivan of Tulsa, assistant majority floor leader and chairman of the Civil Justice Committee; and John Trebilcock of Broken Arrow, whose resolution authorized the panel that investigated former Insurance Commissioner Carroll Fisher.

Capitol sources say that while the Benge appointments won't be certain until they are announced, three top members of Democratic Leader Danny Morgan's team, and a highly-respected former Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper, are possible members of the committee. They are Reps. David Braddock of Altus, James Covey of Custer City, Paul Roan of Tishomingo and Dale Turner of Holdenville. Covey is the minority floor leader and Braddock and Turner are deputy minority floor leaders. Roan is a retired OHP trooper and the former deputy sheriff of Pontotoc County. He's also a former first vice president of the Oklahoma State Troopers Association and is vice chairman of the House Civil Justice Committee.

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World: Cargill Says He Didn't Know Huckabee Fundraiser Was At Dallas Home Of Gene Phillips

By Mick Hinton In The Tulsa World ~ Several Republican House members, including Speaker Lance Cargill, attended a fundraiser recently in the home of Texas businessman Gene Phillips, who has been linked to convicted former insurance commissioner Carroll Fisher.

Phillips was hosting the fundraiser for Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee.

Fisher is serving a three-year prison sentence for embezzling $1,000 from his campaign and lying on a contributions report. He also is accused of accepting $25,000 and other gifts from Phillips, his family and business associates in exchange for favorable treatment of their insurance companies. Fisher has said the money was a loan.

Cargill said Friday that he went to the fundraiser at the invitation of a former colleague. "I was not informed where the event was," he said. "As it turns out, it was at his (Phillips') home." Cargill said he looked at the event as a chance to visit "with the person who has a legitimate chance to be president of the United States.

Rep. Danny Morgan, who leads the House Democrats, said Friday, "When I heard this, I was floored. "It looks very suspect that the speaker would allow himself and members of his caucus to be involved in a fundraiser with an individual allegedly involved with Commissioner Fisher," Morgan, D-Prague, said.

Rep. Gus Blackwell, R-Goodwell, said Friday that "it never clicked" in his mind when he and others went to Phillips' home Dec. 18 to attend the fundraiser. Other Republican lawmakers who attended were Reps. T.W. Shannon of Lawton and Mike Jackson of Enid. Three other GOP lawmakers reportedly were at the fundraiser.

Phillips' son Bradford Phillips tried unsuccessfully last session to get an Oklahoma law changed that would have allowed the family's insurance companies to put up fewer assets when making real estate loans. State Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland strongly protested the change, which was approved in committee but did not make it into law. The amendment was carried by House Majority Leader Greg Piatt, R-Ardmore, who received a $5,000 contribution from Bradford Phillips in June, state Ethics Commission records show.

Holland noted that Gene Phillips was linked to an anonymous Web site that showed up during her 2006 election bid. Although it did not name Holland, the Internet campaign ad featured a silhouette of her. "Yes, he (Phillips) was linked to the Web site and he was the gentleman linked to one or more indictments against the former commissioner," Holland said at the time.

Meanwhile, Shannon said Friday that he went to the fundraiser not knowing that questions had been raised about Phillips. "I learned all of this after the fundraiser," he said. "It was just a chance to get to see Mike Huckabee."

Stephen Jones of Enid, who has been Gene Phillips' attorney, was one of the co-sponsors of the event. Regarding the Oklahoma lawmakers' attendance, Jones said: "I saw some of those boys. They were all Huckabee supporters." Jones estimated that 250 to 300 people were at the fundraiser, held at Phillips' pool house. Other reports put attendance at 100 to 150. "Phillips has a beautiful home, and he knows how to entertain," Jones said, noting that many functions are held there, although not usually political ones. "There's nothing wrong with it," he said.

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