Henry’s Three-Hour Tour

Message from Chairman Jones

We learned last week that Governor Brad “Blackjack” Henry is on a Brazilian fishing trip with some of Oklahoma’s most prominent trial lawyers. On the current trip are a member of the Oklahoma Judicial Nominating Commission and two former members, and three past presidents of the Oklahoma Trial Lawyers Association.

So does Henry’s three-hour tour signal a future third tort reform veto?

After promising Oklahoma taxpayers Texas-plus tort reform, Henry proceeded to veto tort reform legislation last session…twice. Seems like Henry’s trial lawyer buddies are getting a good return on their investment.

In Henry’s first campaign for governor in 2002, Lawyers accounted for over 27% of Henry’s receipts, far outpacing his second most lucrative source, a category referred to as “Self.” In 2006, trial lawyers came through again, with 20% of his contributions, outpacing the number two category – healthcare – by an almost 4-1 margin.

“For him to be vacationing with the leaders of the Trial Lawyers Association just tends to show that he is way too close to that organization,” said State Senator James Williamson, the author of the tort reform bill vetoed by the Governor just five months ago. “He should show impartiality in this issue and there’s a standard of trying to avoid even the appearance of impropriety.”

With Henry chummy as ever with Oklahoma’s most powerful trial lawyers, it looks as if we are set for another tort reform showdown next legislative session. Republican lawmakers shouldn’t back down from this fight, but Henry’s current schmooze-cruise doesn’t make the fight any easier.