Update: Istook and Illegal Immigration

The boys respond

In the ongoing saga that is Bob Sullivan’s attack on Congressman Ernest Istook’s record on immigration, the two immigrants helped by Congressman Istook have entered the fray. The Oklahoma Political News Service has obtained a copy of the boy’s statement on the Sullivan press release.

In the statement, the pair say that Istook’s bill “helped save their lives” after their “father was arrested and murdered by Islamic radicals for participating in an anti-revolutionary protest in 1981.”

The pair then goes on to condemn Sullivan, stating “It is disheartening that Mr. Sullivan chose to turn a truly altruistic act by Rep. Istook into a political attack. It occurs to us that Mr. Sullivan’s lack of research into the matter before making such comments is indicative of his political inexperience.”

The Oklahoma Political News Service will continue to follow the story.

Candidate Profile: Pete Regan

Periodically throughout the campaign season, Oklahoma Political News Service will profile major candidates for state and federal offices. Our first profile is Democrat and Lt. Governor candidate Pete Regan. The 36 year old Tulsa native is one of ten siblings who was one of the first members of his family to graduate college. While finishing his degree in the evenings, Regan worked full time as a school administrator with former governor George Nigh, while Nigh was University of Central Oklahoma President. Former Gov. George Nigh and his wife, Donna, are co-chairs of Regan’s campaign. Regan continued his education by earning his Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and his Master’s Degree of Public Administration at the University of Central Oklahoma, graduating with honors. He earned his law degree from the University of Oklahoma while also working full time.

Regan says as Lt. Governor, he wants to be an “ambassador for the state.”

“I believe the lieutenant governor should be a voice for the underserved and for small business. We just want our families to have jobs, continue to live in their communities, stop the brain drain to the east and west coast and to quit losing our teachers to Texas.”

Regan is running on a platform of ethics reform. His proposals include making it illegal to solicit or accept political contributions 30 days before or after legislative session, as well as during the session. Regan is also calling for closing an existing loophole that allows term limited legislators to raise money for offices they are legally prohibited from seeking.

“The legislative session should be for doing the people’s business — not for political campaigning and certainly not for fundraising.”

Pete Regan and his wife, Amy, live near Afton.

Tronox Reiterates Committment To Oklahoma City

The Journal Record (excerpt)

We noted yesterday Mick Cornett’s role in keeping chemical maker Tronox from relocating their world headquarters. After the sale of Kerr McGee to Anadarko last week, Tronox officials are assuring Oklahomans that it is keeping its 3oo workers in Oklahoma City.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Tronox Inc. – formerly the chemicals division of Kerr-McGee – continues to consider its options regarding a move out of the Kerr-McGee Tower, company spokeswoman Debbie Schramm said Monday.

Tronox, which Schramm said will likely remain in Oklahoma City, was spun off on March 30 and became an independent company the following day.

“We are leasing from Kerr-McGee, and in the downtown office we have approximately 200 workers,” Schramm said. “We have 100 employees at the Tech Center at NW 150th and Portland, which Tronox owns.”

“The state Legislature (through SB 1577) gave incentives for us to keep our headquarters here,” Schramm said. Chairman and CEO Tom Adams is expected to advise the Tronox board of intentions to stay in the city.

Children And Teens Well Being Worsens Under Henry

OK Ranked 40th among the 50 states

The annual Kids Count Report released today will show that Oklahoma’s ranking of well being of children and teenagers has worsened from last year. Oklahoma ranked thirty-eighth last year, slipping two points. Also worsening under the Henry administration was Oklahoma in six categories including child death rates, teen death rates and low birthweight babies. According to the report, there was an increase in the percentage of children living in single and unemployed, female headed households.

Henry Gives Own Party "F" For Tardiness

Governor Henry blamed his own party for the delayed budget yesterday saying they deserved an “F” for tardiness. He didn’t explicitly blame his party, but it was in effect what he was doing, since Senate President Pro Tem Mike Morgan and the Democrats in the Senate were stalling action on the bill, even at one point threatening to “Stay as long as it takes.” In the AP interview, Henry said he was “extremely disappointed that it took so long to reach an agreement when the basic framework was in place weeks ago.” From the AP:

Henry, a Democrat, floated a compromise budget plan on May 15th. Republican House Speaker Todd Hiett accepted the Henry compromise, but Senate Democrats rejected it.

What followed was a month of negotiations, mainly through surrogates for Hiett and Senate President Pro Tem Mike Morgan, as the adjournment deadline for the regular session expired on May 26th.

A firm budget agreement was not announced until exactly a month after Henry disclosed his compromise budget proposal. House and Senate members reconvened in the middle of last week in a special session and finished approving a record 7-point-1 (b) billion dollar spending plan on Friday.

Email to GOP Leaders Asks Bob Sullivan to Pull Negative Attack Ad

Declares Sullivan broke 11th commandment pledge

The controversy over Bob Sullivan’s attack ad continues to grow, as county GOP Chairmen call for Sullivan to take down the ad.

Republican leaders and grassroots activists Angie LaPlante, Debra Henley, Nathan Bouvia, and James Cruson, sent an email sent around the state calling for Sullivan to take down an ad which attacks Congressman Istook’s record as a fiscal conservative.

The Oklahoma Political News Service will continue to report on the emerging controversy.

Below is a complete transcript of the email:

June 22, 2006

Mr. Bob Sullivan
1601 S. Main, Ste. 102
Tulsa, OK 74119

Dear Mr. Sullivan,

As Republican Party Chairmen we’re very concerned by the tone and tenor of your campaign. Your ad is a gross violation of the 11th commandment pledge you recently signed to be fair and honest. It distorts the actual record of Ernest Istook.

The thrust of your attack against Congressman Istook does not square with Congressman Istook’s actual record.

For example:

* He’s the principle author of the balanced budget amendment

* Congressman Istook was the only Chairman of an Appropriations Subcommittee who spent less than inflation over the entire time he was a Chairman. He lost his chairmanship for opposing pork barrel spending.

* That’s why no less an authority than Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform said, “Ernest Istook is one of the few members of Congress – Republican or Democrat – who has stayed faithful not just to the fight for lower taxes, but also to the conservative doctrine of spending discipline.

“Even when it meant standing up to the leaders of his own party, Ernest Istook has worked hard to rein in spending.

“Unfortunately, his has too often been a rare voice in the Washington wilderness of political and economic excess.

“Ernest Istook’s courageous stand in the face of overwhelming political pressure proves he is exactly the kind of principled, honest, and responsible governor Oklahoma needs to strengthen the economy and create better, higher paying jobs for working families.”

As we all know Congressman Istook has been recognized by a variety of organizations including Citizens Against Government Waste, Chamber of Commerce, National Taxpayers Union, Americans for Tax Reform, National Associated Businessmen, National Federation of Independent Businessmen and others have honored him for his fiscal discipline and his record of reducing taxes and fighting government waste.

We find it odd that 2 years ago, before you were a candidate for Governor against Ernest Istook, you supported him and made a financial contribution to his campaign.

We can only assume that your present candidacy is what motivates your current attacks on Congressman Istook. Because his record is consistent with what it was 2 years ago when you donated to his campaign.

As Republican County Chairmen we’re concerned your distortions of Congressman Istook’s record threatens our opportunity to win the Governor’s race in November. We urge you to cease and desist from your unfair and untruthful full attacks on Ernest Istook.

We call on you to stop this negative advertisement immediately.

Angie LaPlante
Chairman
Republican Party of Oklahoma County

Debra Henley
Chairman
Republican Party of Creek County

Nathan Bouvia
Chairman
Republican Party of Comanche County

James Cruson
Chairman
Republican Party of Murray County

Please click here to add your name to the letter above.

Istook and Illegal Immigration: UPDATE

Fmr. Senator Boren worked on behalf of the boys

As previously reported by the Oklahoma Political News Service, Congressman Ernest Istook, Republican candidate for Governor, has been accused of grandstanding on the issue of illegal immigration by Bob Sullivan, his opponent in the GOP primary. Specifically, Sullivan cites H.R. 848,1999, a bill sponsored by Congressman Istook that granted citizenship to two boys from Iran.

An examination of the bill and Judiciary Committee Report indicate that Sullivan’s attacks are disingenuous at best. From the report:

“The boys’ father was executed in Iran in 1984. The mother and her young sons hid in Iran for a year before coming to the U.S. and applying for political asylum. The boys were 7 and 8 years old when they came to the U.S. After 12 years, the application for asylum was denied in April 1997. In the meantime, these young boys grew up in Oklahoma, graduated from high school, were students at the University of Oklahoma, and now are both working. They have lost both parents, neither boy has any connection to Iran, and they have very little knowledge of the Muslim faith, Iranian culture, or the Farsi language. The boys currently live with their aunt and uncle–their mother’s siblings–in Oklahoma.”

Moreover, Sullivan seems to be treading in murky water given that the bill enjoyed strong support in Oklahoma. Former Senator and current president of the University of Oklahoma, David Boren, even wrote a letter on behalf of the two boys. In the letter, Boren called the bill, “an opportunity to positively impact the future of these boys and their education.”

Oklahoma Political News Service will continue to investigate.

Hiett Campaign Stumbles After Final Session

“Overzealous campaign worker” distributes campaign signs in capitol parking lot

With less than month left until the July 25th primary, Speaker Hiett’s campaign is not wasting any time promoting their candidate, even if it means violating state ethics laws. The AP is reporting that dozens of yard signs promoting House Speaker Todd Hiett’s campaign for lieutenant governor were distributed in a state Capitol parking lot Friday. From the AP:

“Hiett, said he did not know the signs were distributed to some House member’s cars and trucks in the Capitol’s east parking lot and ordered them removed as soon as he learned about it. Hiett attributed their distribution to an “overzealous campaign worker.”

“Their intentions were good. They just didn’t use good judgment,” Hiett said. “That is clearly inappropriate.” Hiett did not identify the campaign worker and said no action is planned.

Hiett said he has not used his office for campaign purposes but has been focused on state budget issues. Hiett was presiding over the House during its special budget-writing session when he learned of the yard sign issue.

Ethics Commission rules prohibit the distribution of political campaign material “on sidewalks, common grounds or parking lots and within public buildings” used to conduct state government business.

The signs were placed against the sides of several parked cars, pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles driven by Republican House members and staffers who had requested them. Others were placed in the beds of lawmakers’ pickup trucks.

One House member, Rep. Odilia Dank, R-Oklahoma City, said she had not considered the ethical implications of distributing the campaign signs on state property.

“Somebody told me they might put them there,” Dank said. “I will see that they get removed.”

Another, Rep. Thad Balkman, R-Norman, said he agreed to take several of the signs a few weeks ago. A bundle of blue plastic signs, bearing the words “Hiett Lieutenant Governor” in white letters, were left leaning against his pickup truck.

Hiett said he was not consulted before the signs were distributed.

“I knew better,” he said. “It’s clearly inappropriate and it shouldn’t have happened.”

The House’s Democratic leader designate, Rep. Danny Morgan, D-Prague, said he was concerned about the use of state property for Hiett’s campaign activity. He said ethics guidelines prohibit campaign activity in “our offices, our desks and I’m assuming our parking lots.”

Sen. Scott Pruitt, R-Broken Arrow, who is also running for lieutenant governor, said distribution of the signs at the state Capitol “could be a problem.”

Hiett faces Pruitt and Sen. Nancy Riley, R-Tulsa, in the July 25 Republican primary for lieutenant governor.”

Club For Growth Founder Skeptical Of Budget Deal

Stephen Moore, founder and former president of Club for Growth, opines that the recently completed budget agreement is a mixed bag at best. Moore applauds the tax relief for Oklahoma taxpayers, but worries about the increased spending that is slated to accompany those tax cuts.

Sooner Tax Cuts Can’t Come Soon Enough

Oklahomans will get a tax cut this year after all. Late last week
Democratic Governor Brad Henry agreed to terms with Republicans in the
legislature on a compromise that features $600 million in tax cuts over
the next four years. These include a roughly 20% reduction in the income
tax rate over four years and a three-year phase-out of the state death
tax.

That’s a hefty and highly pro-growth tax cut for a state that has been a
perennial economic laggard. Oklahoma remains overly reliant on oil and
gas, which has led to periodic booms and longer busts. But today’s $70
oil prices have made budget trade-offs suddenly seem like child’s play.
Thus, for going along with the tax cut, Mr. Henry will get a whopping
$3,000 across-the-board pay raise for teachers — twice what he had been
seeking for this traditionally Democratic voting bloc.

No wonder the free-market folks at the Oklahoma Public Affairs Council
say they’re “not jumping up and down with joy” over the tax-cut deal.
Increased spending is still slated to soak up 75% of the bumper revenues
created by the oil boom. But the state’s Democratic governor is smiling
– Mr. Henry calls the budget deal “a very nice balance between
historical tax relief for all Oklahomans and in particular working
Oklahomans as well as record investment in education, in research
infrastructure, in health care, job creation, public safety and roads
and bridges.”

Not all Democrats are thrilled. Even with 75 cents out of every dollar
going to higher spending rather than tax cuts, Senate President Mike
Morgan worries that Oklahoma has gone “tax-cut crazy.” Unfortunately,
the state is a long way from that, but Sooner State taxpayers have at
least some reason to applaud a rare victory this year. Given the need to
boost the lagging non-oil sectors of the economy, even higher spending
may be a price worth paying for the stimulative tax cuts.

Line Item Veto Passes U.S. House

The U. S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 4890 (“Legislative Line Item Veto Act of 2006″) last evening by a vote of 247-172. All five members of the Oklahoma delegation voted in favor of the bill. Congressman Ernest Istook released this statement after the vote:

“I don’t call this a line-item veto. This bill is better than nothing, but let’s not overplay what it is. Until we have a Balanced Budget Amendment–which I’m continuing to push–Congress won’t get serious about controlling spending and won’t stop wasting money. All the other budget process reform and earmark reform ideas are minor and technical compared to what a constitutional balanced budget requirement would accomplish.”

The AP has a link on how the Line Item Veto would work.