Muskogee Politico's Picks - State-Level Races

Muskogee Politico's Picks for State-Level Races

• Corporation Commission, Short Term - Dana Murphy (R, Edmond)

The Muskogee Politico is proud to endorse Dana Murphy for Corporation Commission. She is extremely qualified and experienced to hit the ground running, and will be a watchdog ala Bob Anthony.

Her opponent has been 'bought and paid for' by Aubrey McClendon, out-of-state homosexual activists, and other out-of-state donors. His heavily-documented relationship with regulated entities such as Chesapeake Energy is very concerning (for example, paving a little-used road to one of his chief donors' farm). Also, if elected, Jim Roth would be the very first openly homosexual state-wide elected official in the entire nation. Homosexual activists like Colorado's Tim Gill have poured thousands of dollars into Roth's campaign coffers in an attempt to buy this seat for the homosexual movement.

Dana Murphy not only shares our values, but will be an independent voice for Oklahoma, and will be our watchdog at the Corporation Commission.

• Corporation Commission, Full Term - Jeff Cloud (R, OKC)

We endorse Jeff Cloud for re-election. Cloud has made some mistakes (i.e. the vote against the Red Rock power plant), but we believe that he has done a fairly good job as commissioner.

• State Question No. 735 - Yes

Text:

"This measure amends the Oklahoma Constitution. It adds Section 8D to Article 10. The measure takes effect January 1, 2009. It creates an exemption from personal property tax. The exemption would be for the full amount of taxes due on all household personal property. The exemption would apply to certain injured veterans. It would also apply to those veterans’ surviving spouses. To qualify for the exemption an injured veteran would have to meet certain requirements. First, a branch of the Armed Forces or the Oklahoma National Guard would have to have honorably discharged the veteran from active service. Second, the veteran would have to be an Oklahoma resident. Third, the veteran would have to be the head of the household. Fourth, the veteran would have to be one hundred percent permanently disabled. Fifth, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs would have to certify the disability. Sixth, the disability must have occurred through military action or accident, or resulted from a disease contracted while in active service. The Legislature could pass laws to carry out the exemption. Such laws could not change the amount of the exemption."

The Muskogee Politico strongly endorses this question. Our disabled veterans have paid a great price with their service, and should be rewarded in this small way.

• State Question No. 741 - Yes

Text:

"This measure amends the Oklahoma Constitution. It would add a new Section 22A to Article 10. This section is related to exemptions from property taxes. It would require a person or business to file an application for an exemption. No exemption could be granted prior to filing an application. The Legislature may write laws to carry out the provisions of this section."

We endorse this state question. I believe this is mainly some clean-up language that closes a loophole in the tax structure; to get an exemption you have to file an application to get it.

• State Question No. 742 - Yes
  

Text:

"This measure adds a new section to the State Constitution. It adds Section 36 to Article 2. It gives all people of this state the right to hunt, trap, fish and take game and fish. Such activities would be subject to reasonable regulation. It allows the Wildlife Conservation Commission to approve methods and procedures for hunting, trapping, fishing and taking of game and fish. It allows for taking game and fish by traditional means. It makes hunting, fishing, and trapping the preferred means to manage certain game and fish. The new law will not affect existing laws relating to property rights."

The Muskogee Politico definitely endorses this state question, especially with the possibility of an anti-Second Amendment President and Congress looming on the horizon.

• State Question No. 743 - Your Pick
  

Text:

"This measure amends Section 3 of Article 28 of the Constitution. It requires a customer to be twenty-one and physically present to purchase wine at a winery, festival or trade show. The measure changes the law to allow certain winemakers to sell directly to retail package stores and restaurants in Oklahoma. The change applies to winemakers who produce up to ten thousand gallons of wine a year. It applies to winemakers in state and out of state. Those winemakers may not also use a licensed wholesale distributor. They must sell their wine to every retail package store and restaurant in Oklahoma that wants to buy the wine. The sales must be on the same price basis. The sales must be without discrimination. Those winemakers must use their own leased or owned vehicles to distribute their wine. They may not use common or private carriers. If any part of this measure is found to be unconstitutional, no winemaker could sell wine directly to retail package stores or restaurants in Oklahoma."

This one really is up to you. It would make it easier for small-production Oklahoma wineries to sell their product here in the state. As it is now, they cannot sell directly to Oklahoma customers (i.e. people who come to their wineries); they must go through a wholesaler. I'm personally against alcoholic beverages, so I might vote against this just on principle.

Dana Murphy Responds to Jim Roth's Attacks

Republican candidate for Corporation Commission Dana Murphy responds to mud-slinging by her Democratic opponent, Jim Roth.

Murphy Says Opponent Resorting to Smear Campaign

(Oklahoma City, OK) Republican Corporation Commission candidate Dana Murphy says appointee Corporation Commissioner Jim Roth’s attempt to smear her name with accusations from a 15 year old divorce is nothing but good ole’ boy politics at its worst. Murphy says it’s being done with hundreds of thousands dollars of campaign contributions from his special interest friends inside and outside the state.

“As a career bureaucrat, he has relied on his powerful, special interest friends to get where he is today”, says Murphy. “He’s panicked because he won’t be able to deliver more favors for powerful friends if he is not elected to the job that was given to him.”

“Unlike everyday Oklahomans like me who have earned their way by hard work and persistence working in the real world, he has made his living by delivering favors to his powerful friends using tax dollars while a public official.”

My opponent is using this personal attack mudslinging to divert voters’ attention from the issues and who’s most qualified to serve on the Commission. As a geologist, energy attorney and former Commission administrative law judge, I have the education and real world experience to be the best Corporation Commissioner. He’s reverted to good old boy mudslinging in the hopes people will forget he has no qualifications for office and that he’s been acting like a lapdog for special interest groups since he was handed the job of Corporation Commissioner.”

Murphy says Oklahomans should demand answers from Roth about his ties to those donating to his campaigns for public office.

He is getting tens of thousands of dollars outside Oklahoma, from those in Georgia, Washington, D.C., Colorado, New York and California. Why?

He’s taken tens of thousands of dollars from officers and CEOs from the largest public utilities in Oklahoma who have regularly had cases in front of him. What are they paying for?

He’s received over a $100,000 in contributions that come from those at one large natural gas company. Didn’t the same company oppose the coal fired plant that Roth voted against, one that would have saved Oklahoma consumers billions of dollars?

Why did Mr. Roth, as a sitting Corporation Commissioner, take campaign contributions during a time when Oklahoma law expressly forbids sitting Commissioners from taking contributions?

Why as a County Commissioner did he sponsor the building of a road and bridge that runs to the tree farm of one of his campaign chairman?

Do Oklahomans really want to elect a lapdog for the special interests or do they want an everyday Oklahoman just like them to stand up as a watchdog, someone who is not afraid to stand up to the powerful special interests?

It’s time for Oklahomans to send the message that the Corporation Commission seat cannot be bought by special interest groups.

For more information about Murphy’s campaign for Corporation Commission, please visit www.danamurphy.com.

As we've reported, and will continue to report, Jim Roth has been bought and paid for by Aubrey McClendon and Chesapeake, as well as his out-of-state donors. Dana Murphy will be our commissioner, and not a puppet for Aubrey McClendon and Chesapeake.

Bought and Paid For: Jim Roth and Chesapeake

Bought and Paid For: Jim Roth, Aubrey McClendon, and Chesapeake Energy
A continuing series from the Muskogee Politico

$100,675 from 104 employees at Chesapeake. Maximum contribution from Aubrey McClendon. Maximum contribution from Chesapeake's PAC. 55 contributors for a total of $52,450 in 48 hours (6/26-6/27). Deep alliances between the regulator and the regulated.

What do these all have in common? Jim Roth, Democrat candidate for Corporation Commission.

See for yourself: Jim Roth's Chesapeake money from June 13th to August 1st.

Jim Roth's ties to Aubrey McClendon and Chesapeake go farther back than his vote against the Red Rock power plant in September of 2007 (see TMRO's post on this subject).

Keep an eye here for more on this continuing story.