Leaders, friends comment on Mike McCarville's passing

Mike McCarville, legendary Oklahoma journalist and political commentator, passed away early this morning after a lengthy illness.

A legend in his field, McCarville had a storied media career, ranging from newspaper to television (KWTV) to radio (KOSU, KGWA, KTOK, NRANews), was Gov. Dewey Bartlett's press secretary, and published The McCarville Report since 1980 (in print, then online beginning in 2006, I believe). Mike served in the Army from 1958 to 1961, was inducted into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame in 2013, and received the Ronald Reagan Lifetime Achievement Award from the Oklahoma Republican Party in 2015.

The godfather of Oklahoma political reporting, his print and later web writings have been a staple among state political movers and shakers for over three decades. His political blog inspired other bloggers, myself included, to begin writing. Called at one point the "gold standard of political blogs" in Oklahoma, and banned in Red China, McCarville's blog was the go-to site for political news in Oklahoma. Since 2015, one of his goals has been to see civil asset forfeiture reform passed in Oklahoma, and Mike strongly pushed State Sen. Kyle Loveless' efforts to do so (his words from April 29, 2015 were: "This plague on our state and nation is my 2015-2016 pet peeve project. There is a chance we can get the Oklahoma law repealed if we raise enough hell about it. Law enforcement will protest that their budgets will be cut. That is no justification for this outrageous violation of rights. That drum beat you hear is me, out here marching around with my drum sticks.").

Mike's death signals the end of an era in Oklahoma political journalism and blogging. He was 76. Read the announcement post by his co-editor Jason Doyle here.

Reactions have been rolling in all day from elected officials, political activists, news figures, and friends. Here are a few:

U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe: “Oklahoma has lost a great man and conservative voice. Mike was a staple of Oklahoma political journalism for decades and was known as a voice of reason around the state. I am fortunate to have known Mike and can tell you he was driven by a love for his family and his faith in God. My thoughts and prayers are with Mike McCarville’s beloved wife Ann as well as his children and grandchildren that he took tremendous pride in.”

U.S. Sen. James Lankford: “I’m saddened to learn of the passing of Mike McCarville. Mike was an investigator, communicator, and he had a passion for people and politics. He loved his state and its people, and he will be missed by me and my family. My prayers are with his loved ones and many friends.”

Gov. Mary Fallin: “Mike McCarville was a skilled journalist and one of Oklahoma’s most respected commentators. He had a strong curiosity who cared deeply about Oklahoma and was intrigued especially about the politics and newsmakers of our state. He was a personal friend who I will remember as being fair, but tough in pursuing stories and tips. He worked for several news outlets throughout his career, but I remember him most during his time on the radio, in which he liked to describe himself as the ‘man with a face for radio.’ My thoughts and prayers are with Mike’s family and friends during this difficult time, as we remember his joyful and caring spirit.”

State Sen. David Holt (R-OKC): "One of the most legendary names in Oklahoma politics has passed, and it wasn't a politician. For decades, Mike McCarville and his McCarville Report set the bar for political news. His namesake web site may live on, but we mourn the loss of the man. Rest In Peace, Mike McCarville."

State Sen. Kyle Loveless: "RIP I got to really know Mike on KTLR when I was host of Tailgate Political Hour with Keith Gaddie - Mike came on once a week and I learned more in that hour than all my time in classroom- Gentleman, Father, Grandfather and Journalist you will be missed"

Mayor Mick Cornett (R-OKC): "Already missing my friend Mike McCarville. He was our most frequent guest on 'The Verdict' with more than 20 appearances through the years."

Matt Pinnell: "A trailblazer. Passionate conservative and one heck of a journalist. RIP, Mike."

Anthony J. Ferate: "Oklahoma has lost a legend with Mike McCarville's departure of this vale of tears. May peace be with his family and all Oklahomans that regarded him as I did. May his memory be a blessing."

Cam Edwards (NRA): "Mike McCarville was my friend and mentor. Please keep his family, including his wife of 55 years, Ann, in your thoughts and prayers."

Howard Houchen: "Legendary Hall of Fame Journalist/Broadcaster, Mike McCarville passed away at 4:15am this morning. I thought the world of "Sir Mike" and valued his advice and political stories over the years. He will be missed, never forgotten."

Ed Goeas: "Rest in Peace Mike. My prayers go out to both him and his wonderful family. In forty years of working Oklahoma campaigns I always found him to be one of the top “GO TO” voices of Oklahoma."

Mike Edwards: "Saddened to hear of the passing of Mike McCarville. He was a trailblazer and giant in covering Oklahoma politics for decades. Before Drudge, before the Huffington Post, there was The McCarville Report. I will truly miss reading his insight and analysis."

Josh Kivett: "RIP Mike McCarville - an Oklahoma original, conservative icon and legendary journalist."

Charles Hill (also a blog post here): "This local media scene owes much of its very existence to Mike McCarville: he was blogging before there were any such things as blogs. RIP."

OHP, Loveless comment on ERAD card reader usage

Civil asset forfeiture has been a brewing controversy over the past few years, both in Oklahoma and across the nation.

What is civil asset forfeiture? Here's an explanation from the Cato Institute:

Under state and federal law, police departments can seize and keep property that is suspected of involvement in criminal activity. Unlike criminal asset forfeiture, however, with civil forfeiture, a property owner need not be found guilty of a crime—or even charged—to permanently lose her cash, car, home, or other property.

Oklahoma is widely recognized as a state with many abuses in the civil asset forfeiture practice. Mike McCarville of The McCarville Report has posted extensively about this topic. One recent case took place right here in Muskogee County, when Burmese Christian band manager Eh Wah had over $53,000 in sales proceeds and donations seized by the Muskogee County Sheriff's Department after being pulled over for a broken tail light. Wah was never charged with a crime, and after the story hit national media Muskogee County District Attorney Orvil Loge dropped all charges and returned the money.

Recently, news broke that the Oklahoma Highway Patrol had acquired new technology that can be used in asset forfeiture. Enter the Electronic Recovery and Access to Data (ERAD) Prepaid Card Reader. Here's this from the Department of Homeland Security:

During arrests of criminal couriers, law enforcement officers rarely find bundles of cash wrapped in rubber bands anymore. Instead, they find stacks of plastic cards — bank credit and debit cards, retail gift cards, library cards, hotel card keys, even magnetic-striped Metrorail cards — that have been turned into prepaid cards.

The Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate’s Electronic Recovery and Access to Data (ERAD) Prepaid Card Reader is becoming a vital tool for law enforcement seizing these cards and funds associated with criminal activity.Several credit cards, hotel key cards and other cards with magnetic strips

The ERAD Prepaid Card Reader is a small, handheld device that uses wireless connectivity to allow law enforcement officers in the field to check the balance of cards. This allows for identification of suspicious prepaid cards and the ability to put a temporary hold on the linked funds until a full investigation can be completed. The project, developed by S&T’s First Responder Group (FRG), began in March 2012.
[...]
FRG transitioned the card reader to the commercial market, and it is now available for law enforcement use.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol acquired between 15 and 20 ERAD devices from ERAD Group, Inc., in April. According to the contract (PDF link), OHP is paying a one-time implementation charge of $5,000, in addition to 7.7% of all funds seized through the readers and up to $1,500 for training.

I spoke with OHP public information officer Capt. Paul Timmons yesterday about the program. According to Timmons, "The [ERAD] readers have been used in other states across the country for quite some time; Oklahoma has had them for approximately 3 weeks." He didn't have any information about surrounding states using the readers. Due to the amount of readers purchased, only a small number of patrol cars have the devices.

I asked how many incidents have resulted in seizing of funds, and he said that "there have been no seizures of funds to date." 

He further said that two arrests have taken place as a result of OHP implementing the ERAD readers. "There have been charges filed for taking a credit card without consent, false making of credit/debit cards, possession of unsigned credit/debit cards, and possession of incomplete credit/debit cards as a result of having the [ERAD] machines. Other charges filed include possession of falsely/embossed bank cards and possession of drug paraphernalia. Total arrested so far 2 subjects with charges totaling over 260 felony charges.  Arrest warrants have been issued for two other suspects." The two individuals arrested had 129 cards with them.

When asked under what circumstances the readers are used, Capt. Timmons likened it to a DUI stop. The individual has to meet certain benchmarks before being pulled over, and if the officer determines there is enough probable cause or reasonable suspicion, they obtain consent to search vehicle and to run cards through reader. If the information listed on the card doesn't match what shows up when the card is scanned, the ERAD reader gives an error message, at which point they can pursue to an arrest and/or seizing of the card(s).

Capt. Timmons said that the biggest misconception about the readers is that they can scan bank debit or credit cards and pull banking information off. He said that is not the case; the readers only work on preloaded gift cards and similar cards. "We absolutely will not ask for your banking information" or credit card information.

According to Capt. Timmons, OHP is using the devices primarily to investigate credit card fraud and identity theft.

State Sen. Kyle Loveless, the primary legislative author of civil asset forfeiture reform, has strong concerns about the program.

Overreach by the government without any or little due process is what we fought the British over 200 years ago.

Rewind your clock a year, we were told NO innocent people's property was ever taken, and we only could use the property on drug interdiction efforts and law enforcement purposes.   That sounds great- but it is patently FALSE.

Ask the Goss family of Creek County or Chief Steven Mills of Apache, Oklahoma or the famous case out of Muskogee – of international fame because of Mr. Wah who was the manager for the Christian band that traveled around the US raising money for missions, and for orphans in Burma.

If their money isn't safe neither is yours or mine. These ERAD readers are forfeiture on steroids.

Their own promotional materials boast of taking months of wasted time and process where we can drain the funds from these cards in seconds—from months to seconds. They leave two words out – DUE PROCESS.

The legislature was never told about these purchases and when 25 states had legislation to reform their terrible forfeiture laws- Oklahoma double downed and went the opposite direction.  The timing of hearing about this after session is lost on no one.

We are hearing of how business and tourism will be effected by this unacceptable, unconscionable, un-American and the opposite of what Oklahomans want.  This is a slap in the face of every Oklahoman.  Guess who the biggest card issuer is of prepaid debit cards?  The state of Oklahoma uses pre paid cards for all kinds of reasons.

I will continue to fight, there is no left or right up or down – there is wrong and right and this is plain wrong.

According to OklahomaWatch, the ERAD readers are also in use by "a joint law enforcement drug interdiction team under the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office".

What do you think about the program? Comment with your thoughts.

OCPA Impact airs ad against proposed Medicaid expansion and tax hikes

Amid talk that the Republican-led Oklahoma legislature may approve major tax increases and a Medicaid expansion, OCPA Impact is out with a television ad against the proposals. Watch below:

From the McCarville Report:

Jonathan Small, president of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, explained the commercial to The McCarville Report: “Unfortunately we had to resort to that because as we speak, behind the scenes legislative leadership is trying to force the Republican caucuses to vote for about $1 billion in tax increases or structurally damaging one-time schemes….we are making sure to stay in touch with the non-leadership members of the House and non-leadership members of the Senate. There is growing sentiment, rightly so by non-term limited Republicans, that they are being set up again for having to support a really bad budget.”

Ad transcript:

Politicians in the state capitol have a spending problem. [images of David Boren, House Minority Leader Scott Inman, and Governor Mary Fallin flash on screen]
Instead of balancing the budget, they want to expand ObamaCare and increase government spending by billions.
Who's going to pay for it? You are. You, and working families across Oklahoma.
Call your state legislator today and tell them 'Enough is enough'.
No new taxes.

Lankford endorsed by 4 Tulsa State Senators, Shannon by 4 OKC State Senators

In the past week, U.S. Senate candidates James Lankford and T.W. Shannon each gained endorsements from four metro state senators: Lankford was endorsed by four Tulsa-area senators, and Shannon was supported by four OKC-area senators.

Lankford's press released, posted on the McCarville Report:
Four Tulsa area state senators have endorsed Congressman James Lankford in his bid to win the Republican nomination for the U. S. Senate.

“I endorse James Lankford with confidence because I know he will fight for Oklahoma’s working families and small businesses during tough economic times, while standing up for Oklahoma values and the Right to Life at all times.”
Senator Rick Brinkley - District 34

“Oklahoma families have been presented with difficult decisions as the economy struggles to recover.  I know that James Lankford shares my belief that government should not make decisions even more challenging for our families, and I trust him to fight for lower taxes and responsible spending on behalf of Oklahoma taxpayers.”
Senator Mike Mazzei - District 25

“I’m excited to see the groundswell of support for James Lankford in our great state. More than ever, it’s critical that we send leaders to Washington, D.C. who understand what matters to Oklahomans because they’re listening to us and working on our behalf.  James Lankford will be that type of leader in the U.S. Senate.”
Senator Dan Newberry -District 37

“As a small business owner, I believe it is important to elect someone who will fight to keep federal agencies from burdening our businesses with massive regulations that are stifling economic growth and job creation in our state. Because of his managerial experience, his passion for our state, and his commitment to our hardworking families, I’m proud to endorse James Lankford.”
Senator Gary Stanislawski - District 35

Shannon's press release, posted on TheOkie:
Conservative Oklahoma state Senators David Holt (District 30), Kyle Loveless (District 45), Rob Johnson (District 22), and Ralph Shortey (District 44) today endorsed T.W. Shannon for U.S. Senate.

“Addressing our nation’s unprecedented challenges will require the kind of consensus we have rarely enjoyed the last three decades,” Senator Holt said. “Building that consensus will demand extraordinary leaders who can relate to the America of 2014. T.W. represents a new generation of leadership. He stands for common sense fiscal conservatism and free market values. He has a proven record of success as Oklahoma’s Speaker of the House. He is an Oklahoman, born and raised. He is a principled man of faith supported by a loving family. He has demonstrated his willingness to do what must be done, even if it makes some special interests uncomfortable.”

Senator Loveless said, “Having worked in Washington, D.C., and now as a state senator, I have worked with and known T.W. Shannon for over ten years. He is a conservative stalwart. He is a leader, he is a great dad, and he led the effort to ensure that those on welfare that were able-bodied had to work to get their benefits. As a small business owner, we need leaders like T.W. who have a background in business and who understand the burden the federal government is to economic growth in Oklahoma. He will be an excellent U.S. Senator for Oklahoma, I am proud to endorse T.W. Shannon for the U.S. Senate.”

“I have worked closely with T.W. in the legislature,” Senator Johnson said. “He’s a true conservative and a man of faith, vision and character. T.W. is a natural leader and we need him to bring that leadership and vision to Washington, D.C., as our next U.S. Senator.”

“I have had the wonderful opportunity to work with Speaker Shannon on many conservative issues,” Senator Shortey said. “Not only have I been impressed by his strong conservative principles but also by his leadership in advancing those principles. Whether it was by creating the States’ Rights Committee or standing against increasing bonded indebtedness in our state, T.W. has shown constant conservative leadership. I believe he is the conservative leader we need in the U.S. Senate and am honored to offer my support and endorsement.”

“Though still just a candidate,” said Senator Holt, “T.W. Shannon has already captured the imaginations of Oklahomans and Americans across the nation, and this is nothing for which he should apologize. T.W. possesses the rare gifts that make great leaders. T.W. Shannon is the man for this moment. It is an absolute certainty that he will be a national leader immediately upon his election. Our party needs that leader. Our nation needs that leader. Oklahoma can deliver that leader.”

“I’m humbled to receive the endorsements of my colleagues in the Senate,” Shannon said. “As conservative legislators we worked together in the fight to reduce debt, cut spending and reform welfare for Oklahoma.”

"Not Well-Suited" for public office? Mike McCarville's platform

Mike McCarville, author of Oklahoma's premier political blog, has no intention of running for office, but his campaign platform has the makings of a winner.

The 73-year old political media veteran says that his platform "likely will offend many", but "so be it."  McCarville says he's "not well-suited", but I'll let you decide.

Here are Mike's first three planks:

1 – Elimination of the Internal Revenue Service and thus, the federal income tax.
2 – Elimination of the Oklahoma personal income tax.
3 – Removal of the federal government from the operation and/or oversight of public schools.

Sounds pretty good, huh? Read the rest here.

WaPo lists Bates, McCarville, Faught top Oklahoma political bloggers

Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post's The Fix recently compiled a list of the "best state-based political blogs" in the country, based on recommendations from readers and political junkies.

Representing Oklahoma on The Fix's list are Michael Bates' BatesLine, Mike McCarville's The McCarville Report Online, and Muskogee Politico (authored by yours truly).

I am humbled to have been included with these two fine gentlemen on this list. Blogging has been a very good experience for me, and I hope I have been able to pass along good information to my readers, and given them reason to come back often!

OCPA: Reform State Board of Education

OCPA: Legislature Should Reform the State Board of Education

The actions taken by the State Board of Education today—not allowing the newly elected superintendent to hire her own staff—are a perfect illustration of dysfunction in state government. It’s time for the state Legislature to reform the state Board of Education.

Though the state constitution does require the establishment of a State Board of Education, it explicitly states that, in addition to its composition, the board’s “powers and duties shall be prescribed by law.” The Legislature, therefore, can restrict or even take away the board’s managerial powers; at a minimum, the Legislature must ensure the superintendent possesses sufficient power to hire staff and manage the department as she sees fit. The Legislature can also reform the board by altering the length of its members’ terms and how they are appointed.

The members of the board, except for the superintendent, are currently appointed by the governor and hold six-year terms. The Legislature could easily revise the law to require that the term of each incumbent member ends with the election of a new governor and that each new member is appointed by the new governor or, maybe better yet, by the superintendent. The larger point is that control of our public education system is the hands of the Legislature and governor—they should be held responsible for remedying the board's unconscionable acts.

Today’s actions are a perfect example of why our government is dysfunctional. We tie down our executive officials with a dizzying array of boards and commissions that act like leeches on our public circulatory system. Why? Because we are unwilling to trust either the individuals the people have chosen to do their jobs well, or to trust the people to throw these officials out if they have performed poorly.

The architects of our national government long ago explained that the prerequisites for good government are energy, stability, and accountability. There is no doubt having our educational system run by Gov. Brad Henry’s people long after his departure makes for a more stable government. But a government that both lacks the power to reform itself and ignores the clear command of the people to change is no good at all.

To learn more about the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA), visit their website.

[MP note: for more information on the brouhaha at the Board of Education, visit Oklahoma Watchdog and the McCarville Report.]

Brogdon's take on the two-year moratorium

As controversy continues over the appointment and/or hiring of ex-legislators by Governor Fallin and Insurance Commissioner John Doak, former State Sen. Randy Brogdon weighs in with his take. Brogdon, now with a job in the Insurance Department, is one of the three hires in question.

Many of my supporters have been asking what I will be doing in the future, so I want to give you an update.  I have been asked by Insurance Commissioner John Doak to serve as his Deputy Commissioner of the Fraud Division.  I am honored to serve and am excited about the opportunities to protect the citizens of Oklahoma. 

There has been a lot of discussion whether or not legislators can work for a state agency within two years after their legislative service is over.  The answer to that question is yes.  As a matter of fact there have been several Supreme Court decisions as well as Attorney Generals opinion stating the affirmative.  Following is an honest appraisal of the facts along with the spirit and the intent of the law.

The bill has three distinct provisions.  First, no member of the legislature can be appointed to an office that was created during his term of office.

Secondly, no member can receive an appointment from the Governor during his term of office.

The third provision of the bill deals with the two year moratorium which is often mischaracterized. The moratorium specifically restricts a legislator from entering into a “contract” with any state agency that was authorized during his term of office.

For example if the legislature created the “Department of Prescription Drugs” during his term of office he could not serve or contract with that department for a period of two years after his term was over.

The letter of the law and the spirit of the law are not to restrict a former legislator from working for a state agency, it is simply designed to prevent a legislator form having influence in creating a position and then moving directly in to it.

Other Oklahoma bloggers have been discussing this topic as well. Mike McCarville posted a poll asking if the appointments violated the spirit of the "no hire" law; 60% said that it went against it. Ron Black agreed with McCarville's poll respondents.

I'll be posting more on this issue later. The section of the Oklahoma Constitution in question is here.

Switzer and Miller: 'Spy' Cams and Tax Credits

There is a common thread between two controversies covered by prominent Oklahoma bloggers and watchdogs.

Ken Miller and Barry Switzer - the InsureNet 'Spy' Camera Controversy

Mike McCarville, of the prominent and widely respected McCarville Report Online, has covered the InsureNet "Spy Cam" controversy very thoroughly in the past few months. His work uncovered several individuals who played key roles in the process.

Former football coach Barry Switzer has been involved in a nationwide move with InsureNet to land contracts for highway cameras designed to scan license plates. The first step in the process here in Oklahoma was to get the system moving through legislative means. Entering the scene here is State Rep. Ken Miller, who is now running for State Treasurer. Switzer has donated the maximum contribution of $5,000 to Miller's Treasurer race.

McCarville has many posts on this particular issue, but there are two specific posts that detail the involvement of Switzer and Miller. The first post is here, and the second is here.

Ken Miller and Barry Switzer - Controversy over Tax Credits

There is another tie between Miller and Switzer, dealing with tax credits.

From Andrew Griffin at Oklahoma Watchdog:

Investigative researcher and writer Nick Baker who goes by the handle “The Prowling Owl” and runs prowlingowl.com wrote a story in 2009 headlined “Tax credit fraud details found in Foxborough prospectus.” Involved in Foxborough, reported Baker, was Foxborough board member Barry Switzer, a figure, the researcher believes is involved in a program “to steal public funds, through tax credit scams.” This prospectus, Baker notes, is basically saying: “Our goal is tax credits,  we don’t want companies with employees. We only want companies that don’t need money and have the free and clear assets to borrow the money to give us on paper so we can give it back, call it an investment and get tax credits.”

In another post, headlined “OTC (Oklahoma Tax Commission) gives Switzer’s and partner’s $48 million in tax credits for investing $5 million,” Baker writes: “The fraud is executed in the Oklahoma Tax Commission, which comes under the supervision of the state treasurer. Barry Switzer just had a fundraiser for Rep. Ken Miller, running for state treasurer. Miller is currently chairman of the House Appropriations and Budget Committee, one of the most powerful positions in the legislature, while tax credit fraud runs rampant and ignored. While Switzer and cronies pillage the state treasury.”

The rest of the OW story is here. Nick Baker, of ProwlingOwl.com, has written extensively about hundreds of millions of dollars in tax credit fraud, which, in addition to Switzer, Miller, and numerous other individuals, also implicates 5th District congressional candidate Kevin Calvey.

Happy Birthday, Mike McCarville!

Widely read and respected Oklahoma policical blogger, Mike McCarville, is turning 70 today.

Read his post here.

From the Muskogee Politico and his readers: happy birthday, Mike!

Brogdon Misquotes, Misrepresents McCarville in Campaign Email

In his latest campaign email, Republican gubernatorial candidate Randy Brogdon speaks about his latest television commercial. You know, the one I was critical of, and called 'deceptive'.

His email says the following:

I find it extremely important that voters are presented with all the facts before they go into the ballot box July 27th.  I have been very open and honest with my record of promoting smaller government, protecting your freedom, and lowering taxes. Unfortunately, my opponent has been dodging her record of voting for the bailout over the last year.

Watch our latest T.V. advertisement now!

The bailout vote gave one TRILLION dollars of YOUR money to bail out financial institutions and gave the federal government control over certain private businesses.  This was not small government, fiscal responsibility, nor Oklahoma values.  So, I find it very important Oklahoma Republican voters are aware of Representative Mary Fallin’s voting record.

McCarville, an Oklahoma political reporter, recently wrote:

" Republican gubernatorial candidate Randy Brogdon's campaign warchest is thin compared to opponent Mary Fallin's and some observers say Fallin should give thanks for that. They point to this Brogdon commercial, which some believe would resonate with voters if Brogdon had enough money to saturate the television airwaves with it."

Dedicated to Liberty,

Randy Brogdon

[emphasis as in original]

However, there is a huge inaccuracy in the attribution of Mike McCarville's statement that I, as a "brother" blogger, feel compelled to correct.

On Thursday, July 8th, Mike McCarville wrote two posts about Brogdon TV commercials.

At 1:59pm, he posted about Brogdon's attack ad. In the post itself, there was no commentary - just the YouTube video of the "Mary Fallin Compromise" advertisement.

Again, let me reiterate. He wrote no commentary about the ad. You can see for yourself here.

But, that was not his first post of the day about a Brogdon commercial. At 5:27am, he posted about Brogdon's excellent "Freedom" ad.

It was about that ad, a positive commercial about Randy, that McCarville made the following commentary:

Republican gubernatorial candidate Randy Brogdon's campaign warchest is thin compared to opponent Mary Fallin's and some observers say Fallin should give thanks for that. They point to this Brogdon commercial, which some believe would resonate with voters if Brogdon had enough money to saturate the television airwaves with it.

Again, here is the link to this particular post by McCarville.

As you can see with your own eyes, McCarville did not make that statement about the attack ad, but about the previously released positive ad.

This was a blatant misquote and misrepresentation by the Brogdon campaign. The implication in the campaign email is that Mike McCarville, the most widely read and prominent political blogger in Oklahoma, posted that particular quote about a widely criticized ad. Unfortunately for the Brogdon campaign, that was absolutely not the case, and they have been caught in something that cannot be explained away. There is no excuse, there is no justification for such blatant untruthfulness.


Oklahoma Values have been a topic that has been much discussed by the candidates for governor.

One of the premier Oklahoma Values is that of Honesty.


**UPDATE**: Mike McCarville now reports, "Randy Brogdon has apologized. He said the error is his."

License Plate Camera Controversy

There is a controversy brewing over plans in the recently announced state budget agreement to install cameras on Oklahoma highways to check for insurance verification.

Click here to get the whole story from Mike McCarville.

This issue involves current and former members of the legislature (including a certain state house member who is running for statewide office), Barry Switzer, Brad Henry, and a host of other participants.

Be sure and read all about it at the McCarville Report.

McCarville Too Much for Red China

The McCarville Report is, apparently, too much for the Chinese government. Oklahoma City politico Pat McFerron reports that the conservative blog is blocked by government internet censors.

He wrote to Mike McCarville, "Thought you might like to know that apparently your site is blocked by the Chinese government. I've been in Beijing and am now in Shanghai, and yours is the only website I regularly visit that have I have not been able to access. You should wear this as a badge of honor!"

Coffee Refutes ODP/OKPNS Smear

From the McCarville Report:

Senate President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee today refuted a claim by former Democratic Party Chairman Ivan Holmes in which Holmes alleges an intoxicated Coffee called him at home last week and threatened him. Coffee's comments came in response to an inquiry from The McCarville Report Online after a Missouri blog posted a story in which Holmes infers it was Coffee who called him last Thursday night, but then says the caller "claimed to be" Coffee.

[...]

"This (blog) is absolute sleaze," said one infuriated former Oklahoma Republican Party official. "Did Holmes pay to have this printed? I know blogs don't follow journalistic guidelines, but this one seems intent on constantly printing lies and attacking Republicans with lies."

Click here for the rest of the story.

I agree with the unnamed Republican official. Oklahoma Political News Service likes to tout themselves as a reputable blog, but most of their material is just political sleaze and unproven smears. Ironically, OKPNS isn't even based in Oklahoma - it's run out of Missouri. Unfortunately for the blogger at OKPNS, he has discredited himself too many times to be taken seriously.

Comparing Oklahoma Politicians/Candidates on Facebook

The McCarville Report Online reported this morning that 5th District Congressional Candidate James Lankford recently surpassed the 10,000 Facebook supporters mark, making him the first Oklahoma candidate or politician to reach that milestone.

Admittedly, I was in some disbelief that Lankford, a newcomer to politics, could have more Facebook fans than every other major politician in Oklahoma. So, I logged into Facebook, and conducted a very thorough search of politicians and candidates in Oklahoma, and the number of fans they had.

The results stunned me.

Not only does Lankford have the most Facebook support, he has over 2 1/2 times more fans than the nearest competitor. Ironically, that person is the incumbent of the office Lankford seeks - Mary Fallin (who is running for Governor).

For those political junkies out there, here is the list of politicians and candidates that I compiled, with a few notes. There may have been a few who slipped between the cracks, but not many could have. I compiled this between 2pm-3pm today.

Name / Current Office / Office Sought / Facebook Fans

James Lankford.... n/a............ Cong Dist. 5..... 10,069
Mary Fallin........... CD5........... Gov.................. 3,833
Tom Coburn......... US Sen....... US Sen............. 3,351
Brad Henry.......... Governor..... n/a.................. 2,008
Andrew Rice......... State Sen... State Sen......... 1,830 *
Drew Edmondson.. Atty Gen..... Gov................. 1,739
Jim Inhofe........... US Sen....... US Sen............. 1,654
Randy Brogdon..... State Sen...Gov................... 1,534
RJ Harris.............. n/a........... CD4.................. 1,514
Brittany Novotny... n/a........... State House....... 1,294 **
Dewey Bartlett..... Tulsa Mayor.... (just won)..... 1,158
Jari Askins........... Lt Gov......... Gov................. 1,116
Kenneth Corn....... State Sen.... LtG................... 978
John Sullivan....... CD1............. CD1.................. 960
Al McAffrey.......... State House... State House.... 940 ***
Tom Adelson....... State Sen..... State Sen.......... 935
Rob Johnson........ n/a.............. State Sen......... 760
Todd Lamb.......... State Sen..... LtG.................. 726
Ryan Leonard...... n/a.............. AG................... 692
Shawn Hime........ n/a.............. State Super....... 653
Charles Key........ State House... State House..... 633
Steve Gallo......... n/a............... State House..... 609
John T. Hammons. Muskogee Mayor..... Mayor?.... 573 ****
David Holt.......... n/a............... State Senate..... 560
Dan Boren.......... CD2.............. CD2................. 541
Frank Lucas........ CD3.............. CD3................. 527
Tom Cole........... CD4............... CD4................ 499
David Hogan....... n/a................ State House.... 494
Mike Sanders...... State House.... State House.... 483
Randall Gorman.. n/a................ State Super..... 414
Jay Paul Gumm... State Sen....... State Sen........ 410
Kevin Calvey........ n/a............. CD5.................. 392
Dan Arnett......... n/a................ CD2................ 370
Susan Paddack.... State Sen....... State Super..... 360
Seneca Scott...... State House.... State House..... 291
Nathan Dahm..... n/a................ CD1................. 279
Janet Barresi...... n/a................ State Super...... 241
Jason Reese....... n/a................ Labor Comm..... 232
Mick Cornett...... OKC Mayor....... OKC Mayor....... 230
Johnny Roy........ n/a................. CD5................ 221
Shawnnessy Murphy.. n/a........... State Sen........ 205
Lee Denney........ State House.... State House.... 191
Clark Jolley......... State Sen........ Atty Gen........ 187
Kathy Taylor....... Tulsa Mayor.... n/a................. 183
Mark McCullough.. State House.... State House.... 178
Scott Martin........ State House.... State House.... 164
Sean Burrage....... State Sen...... State Sen........ 158
Dan Newberry..... State Sen....... State Sen........ 152
Jeff Cloud........... Corp Com....... CD5................ 151
Steve Burrage..... State Auditor... State Aud....... 139
Mike Thompson... State House.... CD5............... 129
George Faught.... State House.... State House.... 119
Charles Thompson.. n/a............ CD2................ 100
Owen Laughlin.... n/a............. State Treasurer.. 100
John Wright........ State House... LtG.................. 96
Howard Houchen.... n/a............ CD2.................. 94
Cory Williams...... State House... State House..... 92
Shane Jett.......... State House.... State House.... 58
John Sparks........ State Sen....... State Sen......... 55
Daniel Edmonds... n/a............... CD2................. 44
Sally Kern........... State House... State House..... 32
Oden Grube........ n/a............... State House...... 28
Chris Pierce......... n/a............... State House..... 22
Anthony Sykes.... State Sen...... State Sen.......... 20
Doug Cox........... State House.... State House..... 18
Gary Stanislawski.. State Sen.... State Sen.......... 12
Mike Mazzei........ State Sen..... State Sen............ 1

Notes

* - 2008 Democrat Senate nominee ** - Bisexual, and running against controversial conservative Rep. Sally Kern. Most of Novotny's numbers are likely from the homosexual/etc. community across the nation. *** - Homosexual. See final point above. **** - Famous as the youngest mayor in America, hence high figure.

As you can see, Lankford has a very high amount of Facebook support. There are several other interesting notes in the list, if you look at it enough (for instance, the difference between congressional candidates' figures).

UPDATE: I only used figures from fan pages and groups, not personal profiles. In instances of multiple groups, I picked the one with the most members, except in one instance (Kenneth Corn has several groups, but has discontinued all but one, and directed the members to join his newest group, which had slightly fewer members to date).

If you run across someone I missed, I would appreciate the notice! You can email me at muskogeepolitico@gmail.com.

Congrats to McCarville on 30 Years

The McCarville Report Online, what I consider to be Oklahoma's premier political blog (and conservative, to boot), is celebrating its 30th year in existence today.

Originally in newsletter form as The McCarville Report, TMRO has undergone name and format changes in its thirty-year life.

TMRO is probably the most widely read and most influential political blog in the state. I highly recommend putting TMRO on your must-read blog list.

So here's a big congratulations to Mike McCarville on this milestone, from the Muskogee Politico and his readers!