GLBT groups join Keating criticism

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Update - posted 1-13-01: According to information provided by Paul Barby, the Ethics Commission hearing originally scheduled for next Thursday will in fact take place as originally scheduled. The report that the meeting had been moved to yesterday turns out to have been in error. The Ethics Commission hearing will take place Thursday, Jan 18, 1:30PM in Room 104 at the State Capitol.

(Posted 1-12-01)

Two of Oklahoma City's GLBT groups have joined in the recent criticism of Gov Keating's acceptance of 'gifts' from financier Jack Dreyfus. Both the Oklahoma Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus and Central Oklahoma Stonewall Democrats are calling for people to attend a meeting of the state Ethics Commission scheduled for today at 1:30PM to 'voice their concern' at Keating's latest perceived lapse of ethical judgement. The Ethics Commission will be holding a public hearing on some new rules at that time in Room 104 at the State Capitol. (The meeting was originally scheduled for next Thursday.) The hearing will be open to the public. According to an e-mail sent out by a spokesperson, people are invited to "just sign in and talk. This place ought to have 50 irrate citizens...200 would be better, demanding an investigation of Frank Keating and ridiculing Marilyn Hughes view that a gift is not income."

The e-mail offers the following 'talking points':

"1. This potentially violates Oklahoma Ethics Commission rules, state laws and Frank Keatings oath of office. You simply can't be an elected public official and receive a quarter of a million dollars in secret payments in return for favors large or small. State Ethics commission rules (Rule 257: 15-1-7(a)), backed by state law, require Governors to report annually sources of income over $5,000. Mr. Dreyfus's "gifts" were never reported even though gifts to minor children would normally be considered part of the reporting requirement. State Ethics Commission rules also places a cap on contributions to state officials or their immediate family of $300 from lobbyists, lobbyist principals, anyone seeking to do business with the state or is doing business with the state or has a substantial financial interest in matters that can be affected by the official (Rule 257: 20-1-9(b).

2. Oklahomans deserve an answer. Frank Keating has not released when these funds were paid to him and exactly how they were spent. Were the funds co-mingled with his personal funds? How were they spent? Where is the documentation for the receipts and expenses? Where is the documentation from all these attorneys who said it was ok? What business is Dreyfus actually doing with Oklahoma government? Time to put some people under oath!

3. How is this different from the Health Department Scandal. Oklahoma is preparing to send a former agency head to prison who took $1000 from someone in return for doing the contributor a favor. Newsweek magazine quotes Jack Dreyfus, who gave Keating $250,000, as saying about Keating, "He's the only public official who has ever gone out of his way to help." Frank Keating needs to tell Oklahomans what "help" Jack Dreyfus is talking about and why bribery laws that apply to agency heads should not apply to him.

4. Dreyfus does business with the State of Oklahoma. Dreyfus became a deferred comp option on January 1, 2001 for state employees and gets $23 million of business. Now that they are doing business with the state and probably desired to do business earlier Rule 257: 20-1-9(b) would apply.

5. Explain this one Frank. Why does Frank Keating take handouts from wealthy contributors to subsidize his kids educations at the same time that he is vetoing funds for Head Start programs (1995)?

What Can You Do?

Call in to talk radio shows: The two most prominent shows is the Mike McCarville show in OKC from the hours of 4:00pm to 8:00pm. The call in number is 405-840-1000. The most dominant Tulsa area call in program is the John Erling program at KRMG between the hours of 5:00am and 9:00am. The call in number is 918-460-5764.

Write a letter to the editor: The criteria for letters is listed on the editorial page. For the Daily Oklahoman Letters to the editor submitted on paper must carry the author's signature and address. Letters submitted online must include name, address and your e-mail address. All letters are subject to editing, with every effort made to preserve a letter's essential meaning."

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