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.
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.
Labels: Bradford Phillips, Gene Phillips, Greg Piatt, Gus Blackwell, Kim Holland, Lance Cargill, Mike Jackson, Stephen Jones, T. W. Shannon
posted by Mike McCarville @ 7:34 AM
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