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Just shows you that all the money in the world can’t defeat a man of the people!
Survey USA:
In an election for Oklahoma state House of Representatives in Oklahoma’s 53rd legislative District today, Republican incumbent Randy Terrill defeats Democrat Troy Green 56% to 39%, according to this latest exclusive KFOR-TV poll conducted by SurveyUSA. Read more…
Related:
“Flashpoint will be having Randy Terrill and Harry Coates on this Sunday. If anyone wants to give Mike some fodder, please send to me.” Susan Turpen
“In fact I think we should get together with Harry [Sen. Coates] if he has time and discuss not even really getting into a debate with Randy but merely pointing to the need to move more cautiously.“
“I suppose lastly I might ask him [Terrill] about his family tree”
Tom Price Jr. – Sr. VP Chesapeake Energy Corporation
“Am I crazy, it is 10:30 and I have had lots of wine but I really like this argument!” Otie Ann Fried – Fried Kilpatrick Guinn Consulting
Is the Tulsa World beating a dead horse?
Our second favorite Oklahoma newspaper the Tulsa World – at least they didn’t threaten to sue us like The Oklahoman – continues to show their biases against Republicans as this OKPNS post from last year clearly demonstrates:
“World publishing Chairman Richard E. Lorton donated $2,000 to the Edmondson re-election effort last year. Coincidentally, Edmondson also won the World’s endorsement.” Read more…
Today, they felt it warranted to do another, almost identical story from the preceding day, (modified twice) of the politically motivated reopening of Rep. Randy’s Terrill’s bankruptcy case. And as in the first story, you have to read halfway through the story before you come to this one important sentence:
“Terrill’s purchase of the tickets with campaign money apparently does not violate state ethics laws.”
Sad. To borrow a couple of words from our friend Sen. Harry “Turn” Coats “stolen” emails press conference: “It’s sad that a few fanatical individuals” – who have the responsibility to be fair and balanced – can’t keep their obvious biases out of reporting the news.
Related:
The Lost Ogle: Apparently racists like OU football, too
The “Your Vote Counts” gang discusses the week in politics on the Sunrise News program with Ken Johnson & Randy Renner. YVC can be heard every Wednesday morning at 7:45.
Click here to listen to the entire show.
“Geniuses” to seek Ahmadinejad endorsement?
When we told you that Republican Oklahoma County Commission District 2 candidate J.D. Johnston had fired his second team of campaign consultants and hired a third batch, we also suggested that the former Bethany Mayor would be tempted to go silly negative in his uphill battle to catch Brian Maughan.
We were right, and it’s curtains for Johnston’s reputation.
Sources tell OKPNS Johnston hired a gaggle of undistinguished operatives known mostly for poorly orchestrated dirty tricks. The so-called consultants have been tied to the catastrophe that was the campaign against Rep. Randy Terrill in the District 53 Republican House primary. Insiders says some of the faction that instigated the lawsuit against the State of Oklahoma for not offering driver’s license tests in the Iranian language were donors to the ill-fated anti-Terrill campaign. Johnston’s new “advisors” participated in that epic bungle, which was replete with slimy dirty tricks. They also have been tied to failed slimy behavior against State Rep. Jason Murphey. Heck of a resume’, huh?
“From what I’ve seen, they’re who you want handling your campaign if you’re running for dogcatcher or some local yokel office, but basically they’re awful,” one county insider says about the new advisers. And on Thursday, as predicted, a fecal flinging e-mail circulated. Here are some excerpts:
“The extremist groups, those that have Republican sounding names, are
blasting me and it is my belief this is a sure sign of the weakness and lack of experience my opponent has and how desperate they are to elect another Stan Inman/Brent Rinehart clone to county office they can control with
their anti-government agenda.”“There are some in both parties who are admitted libertarians that oppose all government. Inman/Rinehart earned the endorsement of these groups because of their extremist, out-of-the-mainstream, Republican-sounding ideas that pander to the lowest common denominator.”
“My opponent may have an endorsement of a ‘Republican sounding group’ but he has a lack of experience. We need an experienced leader, not an unproven former county worker who, much like a ghost, has left no footprints of leadership anywhere he has worked in political-based jobs.”
“I’m a grown up, I have a lifetime of experience and will serve the
voters full-time as county commissioner that is my goal. I’m interested in
serving the county I have lived and worked all my life. My opponent, endorsed by extremist groups that have brought ridicule to Oklahoma County, meets the requirements to file for office, but lacks the experience to effectively serve the people of our great county.” (Click here to read entire email)
We’re glad to know Johnston is a “grown-up”: after the hire of the “geniuses,” we were a little shaky on that. And labeling the 69% of Republicans who didn’t vote for him as “extremists” is really a clever way to gain support, huh?
The imbecilic e-mail slandered activist Republicans and, in an attempt to fool all the people all the time, attempted to link Maughan to the man he defeated in the July 29th primary, Brent Rinehart. Maughan far outdistanced Johnston, 47% to 32%, in the race. Maughan’s entire campaign was based on getting Rinehart out of government, and he had publicly declared that in the event he finished out of the money, he (Maughan) would endorse Johnston.
So now Johnston has violated his promise to run a positive campaign on the issues by either sanctioning the dirty trick or by being asleep at the switch as his team of campaign miscreants executed a ridiculous political scam. Whether he was too clever or too clueless, it was an incredible political miscalculation. Either way, it was a very, very bad week in the political career of J.D. Johnston. After this idiotic move, with the consultant’s ties to him, getting the Iranian President’s endorsement won’t seem like such a silly idea after all!
Sort of…In one of the more bizarre admissions we’ve seen in some time, The Oklahoman editorial Thursday touting the results of a study by the Center for Immigration Studies, a pro-immigrant group, suggesting tougher enforcement of immigration laws is leading many illegals to leave the country voluntarily. It’s a tacit admission that paper was wrong about Rep. Randy Terrill and HB 1804 all along; we’re just not sure if they actually realize what they’ve done.
The report says the illegal outflow began in August 2007, and in a spectacularly illogical conclusion, cites Congress’ refusal to deal with meaningful immigration reform as one of two reasons. We thinks not.
The second reason? Returning to life on this planet, the report claims “..that and stepped up efforts to penalize employers who hire illegal aliens were identified as key factors in the decline,” something the paper and their pro-illegal friends in the legislature have continued to battle to this very day. On this we agree, but you didn’t get “stepped up” efforts from a snoozing congress, do you?
Now let’s think this through: just where was it that stepped up efforts to penalize employers who hire illegal aliens? Could it be Oklahoma? We thinks so!
What seems more plausible is the role of HB 1804, Terrill’s immigration reform bill. The law was signed into effect on May 11, 2007, and the report says by August, the illegal tide was begin to flow the other way. It’s no coincidence: HB 1804 was much more than a little law in a small state, as the law and Rep. Terrill became part of the national conversation about illegal immigration. In short, HB 1804 became famous and popular nationwide as a symbol of the the common man and woman’s frustration with congress’ refusal to act on the issue. To remind you just how popular, State Sen. Harry Coates politely shared polling results with OKPNS readers. Terrill and HB 1804 were, to quote ZZ Top, “Yeah we bad, we’re nationwide.”
Perhaps printing this study is a signal that the editorial staff and the business leaders who continue to flood the legal system with frivolous lawsuits (tort reform, anybody?) that seek to elevate the rights of criminals over the rights of the law abiding have finally seen the light. Is it an admission of defeat, or can they not read between the lines? They’ve tried and failed to harm Terrill’s reputation and at the ballot box, and have failed miserably. Perhaps they’re ready to get on board with what’s good for America, and drop their anti-American pro-criminal stance. We sure hope so.
And speaking of Randy Terrill, capitol insiders say Devon Energy CEO Larry Nichols is hopping mad at Terrill for publicly lumping his company in with the spectacular failure by the business group that failed to defeat the Moore Representative.
Devon, through Nichols personally and the Devon PAC, contributed $10,000 to Terrill’s opponent, who he then stomped at the polls. Terrill then laughingly called out the business leaders who had wasted their reputations and money, something the Devon CEO probably did not anticipate. But as they say, politics is a full-contact sport, something at which Terrill excels.
Observers say Chesapeake’s Tom Price, whose poor political instincts are well documented, is the one responsible for talking Nichols, who has a sterling reputation for integrity, into the ill-fated venture.
Read the Editorial in The Oklahoman: “A new analysis of census data argues enforcement activities other than deportation apparently are working in getting illegal immigrants to return home voluntarily.“
Related:
Tulsa World: Judge orders reopening of Terrill bankruptcy
From The McCarville Report Online Blog yesterday:
Bullet-Proof: Republican Rep. Randy Terrill, having survived an all-out assault in the primary over his sponsorship of the state’s new immigration law, is now viewed by many as politically bullet-proof. Said a GOP consultant: “His enemies shot their wad in the primary and he killed ‘em. He’s got bigger bullets than they do. So what’s next: Terrill for governor?”
It’s pretty clear that the attempt by the pro-illegal alien lobby to rub out State Rep. Randy Terrill has failed. Terrill’s beaten his opponent in the November election twice before, with the Democrat failing to break 30%. It’s over: as we’ve stated before, Randy Terrill, love him or hate him, is going back to the House of Representatives as Chairman of the Revenue and Tax Committee.
But what about the cabal of characters that attempted to push a button on Terrill? The chamber of commerce/Chesapeake/Devon/Express Personnel/Fast Eddie Kelley gaggle did indeed try to ruin Terrill’s career. They were even joined by some of those involved in that ridiculous lawsuit against Oklahoma over driver’s license tests not offered in the Iranian language. Although hapless and incompetent, (that last-minute spin on Terrill’s bankruptcy by Kelley and other liberals was just awesome, huh?) they did try to politically assassinate Terrill, using his words.
So what now? All eyes will shift to Speaker Chris Benge. Up until now, groups attempting political harm to a member of the legislative leadership are usually called into the woodshed. But there is some suspicion that may break tradition and not punish the conspirators. Why? The promise of campaign money, perhaps?
One year ago at this time Benge was the Chairman of the powerful Appropriations and Budget Committee, but not seen as a potential political leader in former Speaker Lance Cargill’s team, and was not even the second choice for speaker when Cargill resigned as a result of the campaign finance scandal revealed by OKPNS and News9’s Stacey Cameron. Some insiders say he may be too timid to do what’s right: punish those who tried to harm one of his leaders. If he doesn’t there will be repercussions from members, and there are plenty of Terrill supporters in the House Republican Caucus.
This story bears watching, and we will.
Developing…
Can you say…sour grapes?
We love to see candidates knocking doors and connecting with constituents. We’re not so fond of big corporations attempting to buy lawmakers. This proves our point. Don’t tell us ‘money talks’!
As Mick Hinton reports it in The Whirled, Money Can’t Buy Votes Here.
Tom Price, a spokesman for Chesapeake Energy, said Wednesday that Terrill “is not deserving of us to comment on him in particular.”
It’s OK, Tom, Randy doesn’t need your comment or your big corporate bucks!
The flaccid liberal wing of the Oklahoma business lobby was thumped once again by State Rep. Randy Terrill last night as their candidate, Curtis Bruehl of Moore, finished a distant second to the Immigration and Reform Act author. The House District 53 incumbent soundly defeated his opponent 74% to 26%. Bruehl’s campaign coffers were flush with money from business groups who apparently favor illegal aliens running wild in Oklahoma. Terrill was outspent more than 3-1, according to officials in his campaign.
It’s been a tough month for the Moore Republican, whose enemies attempted a last-ditch effort to spin details of his bankruptcy into a full blown scandal. The attempt failed. Terrill will face Democrat Troy Green, a candidate he’s defeated twice before, in November.
Related:
By M. Scott Carter Norman Transcript : Calling his primary win the equivalent of “surviving an assassination attempt,” an angry Randy Terrill blasted his Republican opponent and an “Oklahoma City oligarchy” which tried to defeat him Tuesday evening.
No doubt, after several days of gleeful deliberation, the Oklahoma City paper unveiled their insipid and petty anti-Randy Terrill personal attack.
The paper, still smarting from their frequent drubbings by Terrill, printed a sarcastic and venomous rant designed to be funny, but it isn’t; and invented a second-shooter-on-the-grassy -knoll conspiracy when it hinted Terrill had “hidden” assets in his bankruptcy filing. We’re betting Lee Harvey Oswald is helping Terrill hide those “assets,” and we’re sure Terrill is responsible for Princess Diana’s death. What a cad!
No authoritative person has hinted at “hidden” assets, but we’re sure it felt good to introduce that exaggeration. After all, the National Inquirer would, right? Having failed to convince the public that illegal aliens running amuck in Oklahoma is a good thing, they resorted to a personal attack on the Terrill family’s financial misfortune, and inserted in the canard the “hidden assets” non-sense. We bet old Murrow’s grave-spinning RPM’s are off the scale right now!
To attack a person’s character when one is not able to refute the person ’s arguments is known as an ad hominem, and when you see those attacks, you know the attacker has lost the case, and now must resort to vacant and stupid emotional tactics. That’s precisely what the editorial did today, and it reminds us of the stuff that W.A.D. Edmondson says is flowing so freely into eastern Oklahoma streams.
Despite today’s snotty little editorial, most observers think Terrill will overcome the slimy immigration lawyers and their liberal press enablers who hate Terrill for his law-and-order stances. Slimy lawyers and gutless editorial writers aren’t on the ballot, and they’re not going back to the legislature next year, but Randy Terrill is. How’s that for irony?
Related:
Ft. Hard Knox: Intimidation Tactics by Muslims Fighting Oklahoma’s Anti-Illegal Immigration Law
The Oklahoman: Terrill pays ex-speaker for help
The Lost Ogle: Bankruptcy: Blame the Mexicans!!!
OKPNS has been aware for some time now that anti-Randy Terrill forces were peddling some negative spin regarding a personal bankruptcy filing in 2005. The story broke on a Democrat bulletin board, and that was good enough for drive-by bloggers and print reporters to immediately began the super-heated pursuit.
As any regular reader of this blog knows, we are often critical of the Oklahoma press, specifically the capitol press, for their zealous prosecution of a case when the targets are conservatives, and their indolent and lazy attitude toward stories when it appears the offending parties are “progressives.” Ed Kelley probably didn’t sleep last night, quivering with excitement about those anti-Terrill editorials he gets to write. We’re thinking that this story may trump that sensational follow-up story about Dirty Harry Coates insinuating a phony computer hack job to cover-up his losing those documents last session, but we digress.
Rep. Terrill has cultivated many enemies in his HB 1804 effort. The drive-by Oklahoma City media, the same bunch that has looked past worst transgressions by the likes of Mike Turpen and Coates, is reporting the bankruptcy story with manifest glee. The Associated Press is jacked up enough to actually file two stories. Major television stations are reading the AP wire copy, but Terrill quotes are few and far between.
Here’s what we know thus far: the bumbling anti-1804 cartel that Terrill thwarted this past legislative session is NOT responsible for this last-minute bankruptcy ‘revelation.’ Multiple sources tell OKPNS that a group of immigration lawyers have been hustling the information like cheap porn in a plain brown wrapper, complete with ’spin’ regarding some so-called ‘irregularities’ in the filing. Terrill has denied any wrongdoing, but reports are the trustee in the bankruptcy case felt pressure, and now he’s logging more press time than Brent Rinehart.
Bankruptcy filings are not hard to discover, but the capitol press corps and the anti-1804 cartel headed by the incompetent Coates couldn’t and didn’t do it. The Terrill story has been prepared by a group of immigration lawyers, hell bent on overturning the law. They believe a last minute smear of Terrill will further that goal, and they’ve done the dirty work for the press and even prepared for them a story line, all without going on the record, and with incredibly suspicious timing. You know, just like they teach you in journalism school!
The bankruptcy is a legitimate item for public discussion, but the timing and the pre-fabricated story line smells like a last-minute campaign hatchet job. That hasn’t stopped the Oklahoma City press from swallowing the stink bait hook, line and sinker. We readily agree that the story about a high-profile public official deserves to be heard, but the hustlers of this information purposefully waited until the last minute to bring this to the attention of the public in a manner befitting an old Soviet Union spy, but the Oklahoma City press was ready to buy anything that harms Terrill. Caution, be damned!
Because of the suspicious-to-all-but-the-press timing, some restraint and care should have been exercised, but that wouldn’t fit into the press agenda, now would it? Somewhere Edward R. Murrow is rolling over in his grave!
We’ll be watching for the next set of stories the immigration lawyers, er, rather the press writes in the next few days.
DEVELOPING……