EVALUATING THIS YEAR’S LEGISLATIVE SESSION

++ AGENDA FOR THIS WEEK’S MEETING
++ ANNOUNCEMENTS
++ EVALUATING THIS YEAR’S LEGISLATIVE SESSION


++ AGENDA FOR THIS WEEK’S MEETING

Our 12 noon luncheon for Wednesday, June 2nd will be held at
Italiano’s restaurant, 4801 North Lincoln, in OKC. Our program this
week will feature the 2 Republican candidates for the State Attorney
General’s office. Ryan Leonard announced for the position at the state
Republican convention a little over a years ago. While Ryan didn’t
have a lot of state wide name recognition, he has worked hard and done
well at fund raising. The other Republican candidate and former State
Senator from Tulsa, Scott Pruitt announced a couple of months ago.
However, Scott barely lost a run-off bid 4 years ago in the Lt.
Governor’s race, so he already had a little more name ID for a state
wide race than Ryan. Scott has also shown in the past an ability to
raise campaign funds. I expect this to be a close vote among our
members as both of these men appear to be strong candidates and the
winner of the primary will most likely be the next Attorney General.
While all state wide races are very important, perhaps the 3 most
important state wide races this year, since it appears Senator Coburn
will not draw a credible opponent, will be Governor, Attorney General
and State Auditor.

So far, there has not been a Republican candidate for State Auditor to
step forward and announce. As such we had a little controversy erupt
last Wednesday regarding the possible candidacy of Republican State
Party Chair, Gary Jones. Jones was the Republican nominee in 2002 and
2006 and during the race for party chair, he stated clearly that he
would not run for the position again, though his opponent for the
Chairman position said he was running for the position to launch
another campaign for Auditor.

I saw Gary a week ago Saturday and he told me some folks were asking
him to run again and what did I think about that possibility? It is a
vital position as the auditor investigates corruption and the Attorney
General prosecutes it. I don’t believe the Republicans since
statehood, have ever had the two offices at the same time. I would
like to know what you, the readers of this e-mail think about another
possible Gary Jones bid for Auditor? Should he stick with his
commitment not to run or, that was then and now is now, and as such it
is just too important to not have a candidate for this vital position?
Especially in what is expected to be a Republican year on the state
level in November?

Send me an e-mail with your thoughts. Also, if he should file for the
office, should he resign the State Chairman’s position? Can a person
give the necessary time to the duties of the Chairman and all the
candidates running for office and run for office at the same time?
Would it be ethical for him to run for the Auditor’s position as State
Chairman if another Republican enters the race at the last minute?
Please send your thoughts to charliemeadows7@gmail.com .

++ ANNOUNCEMENTS

* THURSDAY EVENING - CHICKASHA AREA - The Grady County Tea Party
will meet Thursday evening, June 3rd at the Canadian Valley Technology
Center, 1401 Michigan in Chickasha. The meeting will begin at 7:00
p.m. They will have, Jason Hicks, one of the candidates for District
Attorney, a representative for American Majority and perhaps Jason
Reese, candidate for State Labor Commissioner as part of their
program. As a point of interest, I heard from several that Jason Reese
encountered some stiff opposition last month in Tulsa for his
opposition to HB 1804, the legislation to deal with the illegal alien
invasion, and the fact that he is an immigration attorney.

* SATURDAY MORNING - OKC AREA - The organization, American
Majority, will hold another candidate training session this Saturday
morning beginning at 9:00 a.m. and run until 1:00 p.m. These training
sessions are for candidates for any office or activists helping in
campaigns. The location will be at the Character Training Center, 520
West main in downtown OKC. The cost to attend is $20 if you register
on line or $30 at the door. For more information log on to www.americanmajority.org
or call Seth Brown at (405) 605-6338).

++ EVALUATING THIS YEAR’S LEGISLATIVE SESSION

June 9th will be the Wednesday we have invited all the Republican
lawmakers to our OCPAC meeting to debate which bills should, or should
not, be used in this year’s Conservative Index. I believe this will be
one of the more difficult sessions to evaluate as to its performance.
There were some really good bills passed and some really bad
legislation also. Speaker Benge’s legacy may be the new creative way
to borrow money? We will make cuts in spending now, but pay you back
later when things get better? Overall we didn’t do a very good job of
dealing with the shortfalls that are before us, but rather put them
off for the future. Because of the gross production tax stabilization
fund created by Benge, it could be a long time before Oklahoma ever
sees new growth monies available for new expenditures such as occurred
in the past. It may also take several years to pay back some of the
funds saved by temporary cuts in spending.

While I was at the Capitol this past Thursday, one lawmaker suggested
some of the revenue enhancements (tax and fee increases) out of a
Republican controlled legislature were a bit of revenge for term
limits. A couple of key members of leadership were term limited out
and like the Governor, they don’t have to face the voters again this
year. Therefore, they can govern any way they want, which is the down
side of term limits, though overall I still favor them.

Because of a busy Memorial day weekend and a need to leave for work
early I must keep this short. I look forward to seeing everyone this
Wednesday.

Charlie Meadows