AG Completes Investigation into AJS Calls

From AG press release:

Attorney General Drew Edmondson today said his office has completed its investigation into political telephone calls that targeted a Republican congressional race on the eve of July’s primary election.

The focus of the probe, Americans for Job Security, Inc. (AJS) and its telemarketer, Advantage, Inc., have signed an assurance of voluntary compliance requiring them to comply with the federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) when placing automated, prerecorded telephone calls to Oklahoma residents.

OKPNS wonders if Denise Bode will be calling Mick Cornett to apologize.

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"Non Partisan Organization" Forms; Opposes Tabor

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Robb Gray
August 23, 2006 405-615-2880

WHAT:
Announcement of the formation of a new non-partisan organization “Oklahomans for Responsible Government” as a ballot committee to defeat SQ 726 (TABOR), an extreme, out-of-state driven initiative that could be on the November general election ballot.

WHO:
Oklahomans for Responsible Government leaders, representing key state business interests, advocacy organizations, and civic groups, will discuss the creation of the committee and its purpose.

WHEN:
Thursday, August 24, 2006 at 10:30 am

WHERE:
Oklahoma State Capitol, Media Room
2300 N. Lincoln Boulevard
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

________________________________________
OKLAHOMANS FOR RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT is a non partisan, broad-based coalition of organizations and individuals who oppose State Question 726 (TABOR).

Ad Watch: Brad Henry

Brad Henry has unvieled his first TV ad in his bid to for re-election.

The Oklahoma Political News Service will investigate all claims in the ad.

Askin and Hiett To face Off In The General

From the Norman Transcript:

With all of the state’s 2,224 precincts reporting, Oklahoma state House Minority Leader Jari Askins drubbed congressional aide Pete Regan by more than 14,000 votes to secure the Democratic nomination, while House Speaker Todd Hiett slipped past state Sen. Scott Pruitt by 2,405 votes to earn the GOP nod.

Dank Beats Keating

David Dank has won a runoff to be the Republican nominee in the central Oklahoma district his wife had held for 12 years

Anti-Incumbent Mood in OK?

From KTEN

OKLAHOMA CITY Republican state House member Dale DePue has become the first incumbent knocked off this election year

From The Tip Line: Lt. Gov. Fallin’s Communications Director Resigns

Tony Vann accepts “exciting career opportunity”.

Dear Colleagues:

After serving Lt. Governor Fallin for three wonderful years as her communications director, I have accepted another exciting career opportunity. On September 5, 2006, I will take the reigns of the communications department as the communications manager for the city of Mesquite, Texas.

This move is a great career opportunity for me and my family. It also moves us closer to our relatives in the Dallas area. After living in Oklahoma for 16 years this has been one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make. Please stay in touch. My personal e-mail is (redacted)

From The Tip Line: Lt. Gov. Fallin’s Communications Director Resigns

Tony Vann accepts “exciting career opportunity”.

Dear Colleagues:

After serving Lt. Governor Fallin for three wonderful years as her communications director, I have accepted another exciting career opportunity. On September 5, 2006, I will take the reigns of the communications department as the communications manager for the city of Mesquite, Texas.

This move is a great career opportunity for me and my family. It also moves us closer to our relatives in the Dallas area. After living in Oklahoma for 16 years this has been one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make. Please stay in touch. My personal e-mail is (redacted)

Fallin Wins Republican Runoff for 5th District Nomination

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Three-term Lieutenant Governor Mary Fallin has won the Republican nomination for Oklahoma’s 5th District Congress seat.

Fallin has received about 70 percent of the vote in each of the three counties in the district, which includes Oklahoma City. Her runoff opponent was Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett.

Fallin advances to face Democratic nominee Doctor David Hunter in the November election.

The candidates are running to fill the post that seven-term Republican Congressman Ernest Istook is giving up to run for governor.

Note: The strictly unscientific OKPNS poll closely mirrors the final result.

Bitterness Has A Name: Denise Bode

OKPNS EXCLUSIVE:

“I worked for Denise because she was a good conservative. So is Mick Cornett,” went an auto-dial phone call yesterday, in part, from former Bode consultant Kyle Loveless on behalf of his new client Mick Cornett. “ROBOCALL DECEIT,” responded Bode in a tersely worded email last night.

“I think [Bode] is upset she lost and isn’t still in the race,” said a state GOP elected official who asked not to be named. “This was a positive race between two candidates until Denise Bode got involved again.”

OKPNS has obtained transcripts of both the Loveless phone call and the Bode email. We provide them to our readers below:

The Loveless phone call reads as follows:

Hi, this is former Denise Bode for Congress consultant Kyle Loveless calling to ask for your vote for Mick Cornett on Tuesday. I worked for Denise because she is a good conservative. So is Mick Cornett. And in this runoff, Mick is the conservative running. Mick has balanced the budget six consecutive times and helped lower property taxes. He’s 100% pro-life, just like Denise, and has been married for 28 years to his high school sweetheart. No one has ever questioned Mick’s conservative credentials, and that’s because he is a strong conservative, a fine Christian and a great leader. Having worked for years for Congressman Ernest Istook as his campaign manager, there is no one I’d rather see take Ernest’s place in Congress than Mick Cornett – and I hope you’ll join me in supporting Mick on Tuesday. Thank you. ANNCR: Paid for by Mick Cornett for Congress, 265-2006.

The Bode Email Reads as follows:

RE: ROBOCALL DECEIT

Dear Friend:

Once again, outrageous election eve robocalls have been launched in an effort to hurt Mary Fallin. Please join me in standing against the robocall’s deceit by voting for Mary Fallin. As I write you this e-mail, my phone has been ringing off the hook from close friends who have received robocalls today from the Cornett campaign. The calls say that they are from “a Denise Bode for Congress consultant.” I’m astonished that my name would be used in a Mick Cornett campaign advertisement. The calls refer to me no less than three times – no wonder people understood the calls to suggest that I am supporting Mick Cornett. I don’t. I’m proudly voting for Mary Fallin. MARY FALLIN IS MORE RELIABLE CONSERVATIVE, AN ETHICAL CAMPAIGNER. (sic) Oklahomans are people of integrity. The key to representing Oklahoma in Congress should not be cleverly-worded deceits. We can and should do much better. We can and should elect Mary Fallin to Congress. Please vote tomorrow, Tuesday, August 22. God bless.

Denise A. Bode