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June 11, 2008

State Election Board likely to rule Friday on

Mark Schlachtenhaufen

EDMOND — The state Election Board likely will rule Friday morning on “Signature-Gate,” a case involving Edmond Corporation Commission candidate Dana Murphy and her Republican opponent.

Michael Clingman, state Election Board secretary, said after the hearing the three-member board likely will rule on the challenge lodged by Murphy’s opponent, state Rep. Rob Johnson, R-Kingfisher.

Citing her 2008 candidate rule book, Murphy said the possible outcomes of the hearing are permitting her candidacy to stand, striking it or amending or correcting it so that it conforms to law.

The issue is Murphy’s candidate paperwork. At 1:30 p.m. June 4, the last day of the three-day filing period, Murphy submitted her forms to Clingman.

Murphy said she was first asked if she wanted to file for the two-year term vacated by Denise Bode or the six-year term held by Chairman Jeff Cloud. Murphy said she is pursuing the seat formerly held by Bode, who resigned her post in June 2007.

Then Murphy was asked how she wanted her name on the ballot, as Dana Murphy or Dana L. Murphy. She said she chose Dana Murphy because that is how she spells it on her campaign advertising. Murphy said Clingman then scratched through Dana L. Murphy.

Johnson said that because of the signature discrepancy, Murphy filed an invalid declaration of candidacy.

“I think they’re going to allow my candidacy to stand, go forward and accept the form as it is,” Murphy said. “This is what’s wrong with government. Where is the common sense application of things?”

State Rep. Trebor Worthen, R-Oklahoma City, a political consultant, is a spokesman for Johnson’s campaign.

Worthen said Murphy was not following the rules and that this case is part of a broader “disturbing pattern” involving allegations made during her 2002 Corporation Commission candidacy of unethical behavior related to documents.

“I think it’s ridiculous,” Murphy said of Johnson’s accusation. “I wasn’t convicted of anything.”

Leveling a counter-charge against Johnson, Murphy wondered why her opponent was letting someone else do his talking for him. Murphy said that shows Johnson is not the type of person who should be ruling on cases before the Corporation Commission. The agency regulates, among other things, most public utilities, oil and gas drilling and production, and environmental protection.

Murphy said she believes the state Election Board will rule in her favor, vindicating her, putting her opponent in a less-than-favorable position.

Murphy said she directed a campaign staff member to go through campaign records at the state Capitol. The staffer found seven examples in which candidate’s signatures were stricken and seven others rewritten like in her case.

Worthen said the state Election Board has a process for determining the facts and making a ruling.

Murphy said her focus has and will be on conducting a positive campaign focused on the issues and her qualifications. Murphy said this case is an example of why many potential candidates choose not to run for public office.

In the fall election, Democrat Jim Roth, appointed commissioner last year by Gov. Brad Henry to replace Bode, will face the Republican nominee.

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