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Wanda Jo
Leader
1355 Posts |
 Posted - April 27 2009 : 07:48:11
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Arnold Hamilton,Editor, Oklahoma Observer, has permitted me to post this article on DemoOkie.The article (cleverly illustrated and with a different headline) is the front-page story
in the current issue (4-25-09)of the Observer. www.oklahomaobserver.net
OKC MAYOR MICK CORNETT, FOLLOW THE MONEY
By Wanda Jo Stapleton
I started this research to determine why Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett so adamantly opposes saving Union Station’s rail yard from destruction. The most strategic rail lines in Oklahoma meet and link at this spacious rail yard in Oklahoma City, thus enabling a unified, harmonious flow of rail traffic statewide.
Shawnee, Norman, Chickasha, El Reno and Lawton have passed resolutions in support of saving the rail yard. These city councils object to running the relocated I-40 Crosstown expressway straight through this rail yard when sensible alternative routes for the Crosstown exist.
In contrast, Cornett favors destroying this strategically located, virtually irreplaceable, and enormously valuable asset and has publicly blocked the OKC Council from taking
a second look at this issue---an issue which profoundly affects the future of rail transportation in Oklahoma, both freight and passenger.
During my research, I found some politically intriguing stories which need to be told. Each story centers around a campaign contribution to Cornett. Documentation for
campaign contributions listed below came from the Oklahoma City clerk’s office and the Federal Election Commission.
EMINENT DOMAIN
In 1995, Oklahoma City took an elderly widow’s property (5,944 square feet) through eminent domain and paid her only $33,395 for a house on enormously valuable land located on the SW corner of North Classen and Grand Boulevard. She tried to fight back, but OKC sued, and, of course, won (book 6769, page 0024).
Enter Chesapeake Energy with $20,100 cash in hand for Mayor Mick Cornett’s campaigns from 2004 through 2006 ($8,000 from Chesapeake Energy, $11,100 from
owner Aubrey McClendon, and $1,000 from the company’s land manager).
Chesapeake wanted the widow’s property because the company owned adjoining land and aspired to have the entire area (about 9.5 acres) rezoned as commercial, from single-family residential, limited office, and agricultural. Commercially zoned property is generally far more valuable than areas zoned residential, office, or agricultural.
Chesapeake got both the widow’s property and the rezoning! On July 1, 2008, Cornett deeded the widow’s property (minus a tiny sliver the City reserved for right of way) to Chesapeake for $241,850. On November 4, 2008, the City Council finished declaring the area commercial (SPUD 481).
Huge commercial buildings are now going up over the entire 9.5 acres for restaurants and retail shops, according to workers who are building those commercial structures .
SLAM DUNK
We love the Thunder (formerly Seattle SuperSonics) and are glad that they came to Oklahoma City.
What we don’t love is that Thunder’s owners gave Mick Cornett $33,700 in campaign contributions: (Tom Ward and wife $18,400, Clay Bennett $4,200, and Aubrey McClendon $11,100, the same contribution cited above).
So Cornett fronted a misleading campaign to raise $121 million in sales tax and $11 million in use tax (a sales tax on goods purchased out of state for “use” in Oklahoma). All those millions, a little at a time, come out of our pockets daily when we buy something in Oklahoma City or pay bills requiring a sales tax—all for the benefit of millionaires who are generous campaign contributors.
During the campaign, Cornett kept saying “your sales tax won’t go up.” What he failed to say was that “your sales tax will soon go down one percent, but not if we can help it.” So grandma now pays one percent extra for food, utilities and more because the poor are forced to pay so the rich can play.
PAY FOR PLAY?
Richard Dowell III enriched Cornett’s campaigns by $7,000. What a “coincidence” that on September 12, 2006 Dowell Properties got a $200,000 loan from City-administered Community Development Block Grant funds at ¾% interest—all with Cornett’s blessing! Richard is using the money to rehabilitate one of his buildings in downtown Oklahoma City. This deal is perfectly legal, but the $7,000 in campaign contributions appears to make this a pay-to-play operation.
Same goes for the $18,400 in campaign contributions to Cornett from Domer and Phil Scaramucci and their wives. Domer is the founder and Phil is an executive of Balon
Corporation’s manufacturing business in Oklahoma City. Cornett agreed to and then voted for the City to pay $350,000 to help relocate Balon’s water lines. That
project (WC-0578) is finished.
PAVERS PONY UP
Interestingly, paving contractors and their associates who benefit from highways (as opposed to rail) are the largest single group of contributors to Cornett’s campaigns.
These contractors pay their “dues” with small campaign contributions and get lucrative contracts, often in the million dollar range. Although the lowest and best bidders get most of the contracts, there’s ample work--now and in the future--for everyone because OKC has the second largest land area in the nation.
Below is only a sample of the pavers and associates who contributed. This group paid a total of $25,400 for Cornett’s campaigns. Contributors include Markwell Paving, Atlas Paving, Lemon Paving, Schwartz Paving, T.J. Campbell Construction/Paving, Shell Construction (Paving), Road Paving Machinery, Johnson and Associates, Cobb Engineering, Kirby-Smith Machinery, The Benham Companies, Carter & Burgess, and Love’s (highway) Travel Stops.
By “following the money,” it is clear to me that Mayor Mick Cornett is deliberately blocking the future of rail transit in Oklahoma and benefiting, not only from the pavers and asphalt crowd, but from the super-rich who are currently making another bundle at tax-payer expense.
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JamesMiko
Activist
USA
148 Posts |
Posted - April 27 2009 : 10:16:17
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| Wanda it was because of McClendon and Chesapeake that my site broke from the LGBT Community and refused to back Jim Roth for corporation commissioner (not that we endorsed Dana Murphy because we took her to task over Ralph Harvey and the Marlin Oil Company.). The influence was way too obvious. It just seems that politicians in Oklahoma don't even try to cover the graft up anymore. There's too many of them with the belief they can climb into bed with whoever they want and the voters will still put them in office. |
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Wanda Jo
Leader
1355 Posts |
Posted - April 27 2009 : 13:11:30
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quote:
There's too many of them with the belief they can climb into bed with whoever they want and the voters will still put them in office. JamesMiko
This is the scary part, James. |
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James Nimmo
Leader
USA
1660 Posts |
Posted - April 27 2009 : 14:37:55
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| Wanda Jo also has a letter in the OK Gazette (available in paper copy only) explaining why she and her husband aren't tax leaches as so many GOPer NOpers are. |
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Wanda Jo
Leader
1355 Posts |
Posted - April 28 2009 : 07:18:00
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| Why isn't everyone frothin' at the mouth about this story? |
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Mrs. Ted Nancy
Activist
USA
375 Posts |
Posted - April 28 2009 : 20:56:40
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quote:
Why isn't everyone frothin' at the mouth about this story?
I don't know. Maybe we should say that Obama wants to eliminate rail transit in Oklahoma. The teabaggers will be more than happy to protest. |
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Mule Skinner
Leader
2265 Posts |
Posted - April 28 2009 : 21:59:55
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How many actually know about it? The Observer and the Gazette don't exactly have humongous circulations.
I've mentioned this story to a few people myself, and none of them had heard about it (and all were appalled). |
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demodemo
Grassroots
USA
95 Posts |
Posted - April 29 2009 : 22:42:36
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| It is a sorry state when the answer is, "They are Repubs, it doesn't matter!" |
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JoDavis
Leader
3419 Posts |
Posted - April 29 2009 : 23:47:40
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The first person that figures out why Oklahomans accept anything Republicans do without comment and condemn any Democrat who does the same can save the Democratic party.
Gingrich screwed everything that sat still for 5 minutes and got away with grandstanding and condemning Clinton's extra curricular activities. Inhoffe and Watts both have declared bankruptcy yet they are considered capable conservative financial stewards of taxpayer funds.
You all know I could go on all night with these type of lists.
I think greed is the primary motive for being a Republican. Even most of the fundies want to be wealthy and they are also greedy for a reason to feel like they are better than somebody else. Republicans reinforce both ideas. Many of us can't stomach the part about reinforcing their superiority complex. |
Jo Davis
REAL DEMOCRATS SUPPORT EQUAL CIVIL AND ECONOMIC RIGHTS FOR ALL |
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crusty-rusty
Organizer
France
940 Posts |
Posted - April 30 2009 : 01:18:05
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You're absolutely right. The people in Oklahoma who support these crooks are either 1) Secretly hoping to be rich someday and/or B) They have no awareness of their own animal desires to control others and its consequences. This is framed as belief and belief always trumps rationality because these people are unaware of what their own motivations are. Indeed, they only need listen to their own accusations. They are constantly accusing others of perpetrating wrongs they themselves are, have or shall be doing. They don't care what the repugs do because all politicians do it, regardless of party. All that matters is what the say their beliefs are.
Unfortunately, this knowledge is not going to help the Dems in OK, very much (and they are just as capable of graft and corruption in OK as the repugs). The only thing that can ever bring change to Oklahoma is abject misery that shocks people enough to question their beliefs. Then maybe they will vote for prosecutors who enforce ALL the laws - not just the politically expedient cases.
quote:
Originally posted by JoDavis
The first person that figures out why Oklahomans accept anything Republicans do without comment and condemn any Democrat who does the same can save the Democratic party.
Gingrich screwed everything that sat still for 5 minutes and got away with grandstanding and condemning Clinton's extra curricular activities. Inhoffe and Watts both have declared bankruptcy yet they are considered capable conservative financial stewards of taxpayer funds.
You all know I could go on all night with these type of lists.
I think greed is the primary motive for being a Republican. Even most of the fundies want to be wealthy and they are also greedy for a reason to feel like they are better than somebody else. Republicans reinforce both ideas. Many of us can't stomach the part about reinforcing their superiority complex.
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One finds what one is looking for.
Does anybody else smell frog boiling?? |
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Wanda Jo
Leader
1355 Posts |
Posted - May 03 2009 : 04:34:47
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How many actually know about it? The Observer and the Gazette don't exactly have humongous circulations. Mule Skinner
I'll see that Mick Cornett's opponents know about it when he runs for the District 5 congressional seat next year.  |
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Teucer
Leader
1021 Posts |
Posted - May 03 2009 : 19:07:50
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JoDavis
Leader
3419 Posts |
Posted - May 03 2009 : 19:45:39
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I have been thinking about why Repugs can do anything and found a small glimmer of hope. The whole country ignored a lot of graft, lies, corruption, and arrogance during the first 5 years of the Bush Administration. Finally, the Neo-Cons stepped on so many people, stole enough money for everybody to notice and generally trashed the economy and reputation of the U. S. then 2/3 of the country woke up.
I guess that means when the Repugs do to Oklahoma what they did to the U. S. we will once again have hope for a change. |
Jo Davis
REAL DEMOCRATS SUPPORT EQUAL CIVIL AND ECONOMIC RIGHTS FOR ALL |
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Wanda Jo
Leader
1355 Posts |
Posted - May 04 2009 : 12:18:41
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Great graphic Teucer!
Here's the image which the Oklahoma Observer ran with the article.
I just finished a couple of other articles which I hope will be in the May 10 Observer---one article about how much money Glenn Coffee reimbursed himself and how he got careless in doing so. Estimates which I've seen are way too small. In the other article, I "followed the money" regarding the GOP obsession with outsourcing Oklahoma prisons. You can subscribe to the Observer online at www.oklahomaobserver.net
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Teucer
Leader
1021 Posts |
Posted - May 04 2009 : 21:00:27
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| Thanks for the praise, Wanda Jo. If a Democrat was found to be as corrupt as Mayor Cornett, he would find himself under the jail. |
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James Nimmo
Leader
USA
1660 Posts |
Posted - May 04 2009 : 21:13:14
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quote:
I think greed is the primary motive for being a Republican. Even most of the fundies want to be wealthy and they are also greedy for a reason to feel like they are better than somebody else. Republicans reinforce both ideas. Many of us can't stomach the part about reinforcing their superiority complex.
JO, you've hit the nail on the head. Greed and a need to feel superior says it all!
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Mitch™
Leader
USA
1855 Posts |
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Wanda Jo
Leader
1355 Posts |
Posted - May 07 2009 : 08:20:09
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Great job, Mitch! You're very talented.
We know what Mick Cornett is, and we know his price.
Unfortunately, the OKC Council members represent the Chamber of Commerce instead of us--including my own councilman,who sent me flowers for hundreds of calls which helped him get elected by 30-some votes. It's sickening, just sickening.
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progressv
Leader
USA
1750 Posts |
Posted - May 07 2009 : 10:26:55
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Well, perhaps the Jokelahoman will go out of biz in the near future-----and the Oklahoma World will appear. Cornett's Republican propaganda machine will disappear, (as well as he) and Democratic justice will prevail.
Sorry, I just had a Nostradamus moment, tantamount to a wet dream.
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"America---Change it, or lose it".
"Green is not simply a new form of generating electric power, it is a new form of generating national power---Period."
Rothkopf
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JoDavis
Leader
3419 Posts |
Posted - May 07 2009 : 19:56:51
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I am looking forward to the day the Oklahoman goes. I really think it and several others will quit being a daily in less than 5 years.
Unfortunately, the web can't compete with Fox News because it requires the user to read and sometimes even read above an 8th grade level. While Fox News and most of our local news stations just shovel it into their brains without any interaction from most of it's listeners. |
Jo Davis
REAL DEMOCRATS SUPPORT EQUAL CIVIL AND ECONOMIC RIGHTS FOR ALL |
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Mitch™
Leader
USA
1855 Posts |
Posted - May 08 2009 : 00:08:27
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quote:
Originally posted by crusty-rusty
The people in Oklahoma who support these crooks are either 1) Secretly hoping to be rich someday and/or B) They have no awareness of their own animal desires to control others and its consequences.
WHAT U MEAN SECERTLY?? AINT THEY BUYING NO LOTTREY TICKETS??
THEY'S GREEDY AND CHEEP!!
MITCH
PS= HECK WANDA JO. U HEPPD A BUNCH!! THANX AGIN. |
Edited by - Mitch™ on May 08 2009 00:10:14 |
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southernfriedactivist
Activist
USA
333 Posts |
Posted - May 08 2009 : 12:46:41
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| good research, wanda jo! |
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Wanda Jo
Leader
1355 Posts |
Posted - May 09 2009 : 08:52:21
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Thanks, southernfriedactivist
quote:
I am looking forward to the day the Oklahoman goes. I really think it and several others will quit being a daily in less than 5 years. Jo Davis
The Oklahoman's desperation is showing. Last week we had a newspaper in our yard and an identical issue on our door knob. Inside each paper was a flier offering us the Sunday paper at a "giveaway" price. The price was $10 for some deal so ridiculously low that I'm wondering if I remember it correctly. |
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Teucer
Leader
1021 Posts |
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vhutchison
Leader
1057 Posts |
Posted - May 09 2009 : 21:31:10
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| Wanda Jo: TWO good articles in the Oklahoma Observer. Also it was good to see you today at the AU event. |
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Wanda Jo
Leader
1355 Posts |
Posted - May 10 2009 : 13:42:54
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Teucer, Your info is so important and interesting that it deserves a thread of its own!
Thanks, Vic. Likewise, great to see you and so many others at the very worthwhile AU meeting yesterday.
About my two articles (in the 5-10-09 Oklahoma Observer) which you compliment---writing them took several weeks because they are both as well researched as the article at the top of this thread.
For anybody interested, one article tells how and why Senate Prez Glenn Coffee pocketed $126,827. The second article "follows the money" in the present legislative fight to privatize state prisons.
You can read the articles online right now at www.oklahomaobserver.net by subscribing to the paper's online edition.
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Mitch™
Leader
USA
1855 Posts |
Posted - May 10 2009 : 21:46:56
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YEAH TEUCER= STOP TRYIN TO HIJACK WANDA JO'S THREAD.
BUT AINT IT IRONIC HOW CORNUTT'S TRYIN TO PAVE OVER UNION STATION= AND NOW HE WANTS TO RAILROAD GAYS!!
MITCH |
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Teucer
Leader
1021 Posts |
Posted - May 11 2009 : 09:51:40
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Sorry MITCH, I wasn't trying to get off the subject. The link describing Mayor Cornett's and Rev. Kern's relationship was from last December but some of us may have missed it.
With new revelations of financial indiscretions, the Republicans may have a difficult decision if their choice for a gubernatorial candidate is Mick Cornett or Ernest Istook.
Thanks for keeping us up-to-date, Wanda Jo.
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Wanda Jo
Leader
1355 Posts |
Posted - May 13 2009 : 06:18:05
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You're welcome, Teucer.
Do you really think that Mick Cornett will run for governor?
I'm thinking that he will run for U.S. Congressional District 5 seat vacated by Mary Fallin.
If the info provided on this thread were adequately distributed and if we have a strong Democratic contender, I believe Cornett could be defeated.
It could happen! |
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Teucer
Leader
1021 Posts |
Posted - May 13 2009 : 16:52:41
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| His running for Governor or Congress has been the subject of speculation. I am not sure which it will be, but I am certain that a bird like Cornett is never satisfied with his elected position, so there should be a vacancy in the OKC Mayoral Race. |
Edited by - Teucer on May 13 2009 20:28:45 |
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Mitch™
Leader
USA
1855 Posts |
Posted - May 15 2009 : 21:51:18
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SUMBODY GOOD OUGHTA RUN 4 MAYOR= LIKE WANDA JO!!
MITCH |
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OKDem65
Grassroots
USA
67 Posts |
Posted - May 17 2009 : 07:30:19
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| If you'd like to see your blood pressure climb even higher, read "Free Lunch: How the Wealthiest Americans Enrich Themselves at Government Expense (and stick you with the bill)" by David Cay Johnston, published by the Penguin Group www.penguin.com. It's almost a tutorial for wannabe bloodsuckers. |
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progressv
Leader
USA
1750 Posts |
Posted - May 19 2009 : 09:40:34
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quote:
Originally posted by Wanda Jo
You're welcome, Teucer.
Do you really think that Mick Cornett will run for governor?
I'm thinking that he will run for U.S. Congressional District 5 seat vacated by Mary Fallin.
If the info provided on this thread were adequately distributed and if we have a strong Democratic contender, I believe Cornett could be defeated.
It could happen!
I'm takin the 5th, (district) on Cornett----
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"America---Change it, or lose it".
"Green is not simply a new form of generating electric power, it is a new form of generating national power---Period."
Rothkopf
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