FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jan. 28, 2011

Republicans beginning disturbing trend--Bending rules to put “friends” in powerful positions

From Gov. Fallin’s appointment to Glenn Coffee as Secretary of State, to Insurance Commissioner Doak’s appointments of Randy Brogdon and Mike Thompson, to Superintendent Barresi’s appointment of Jennifer Carter, a new disturbing trend has surfaced.

All of these appointments are either unqualified or legally questionable. The appointment of Glenn Coffee is skirting a law that’s intent was to prevent elected officials from working for the state for two years. This law is in place to avoid an obvious conflict of interest. Former pro-temp Coffee is citing a loophole in the law to bend the rules and make a special exception for himself.

Todd Goodman, Chairman of the Oklahoma Democratic Party, said Gov. Fallin’s complicity in this is alarming.

“When you have the Governor of the state bending the rules, knowing the original law’s intent was to prevent this from happening, it makes you wonder if this is what we have to expect for at least the next four years?” Goodman said.

Commissioner Doak’s appointments present particular questions for a number of reasons. These appointments too are using the loophole in the law that prevents officeholders from working for the state for two years. In addition, both appointments are political allies of Doak’s who lost their elections last year. But most questionable is that neither appointments have any experience in the insurance industry whatsoever.

“While Brogdon and Thompson have experience in many other sectors, insurance is not one of them,” Goodman said. “This is another case of blatant favoritism. Not only is Doak bending the rules to hire his political ‘friends’, he is bending the rules to hire people who don’t appear qualified for the positions they are being appointed to.”

One Barresi appointment is particularly surprising.  For the past two decades, there have been certain qualifications a Chief of Staff must meet in order to be approved by the Board of Education.  Jennifer Carter, Barresi’s appointment for Chief of Staff, does not even meet this basic criteria. Thursday, the Board voted down her appointment.

“Why Barresi knowingly appointed someone not qualified is beyond me,” Goodman said. “Did she do it out of allegiance to a friend or to repay political favors? Or did she think the Board would just rubber stamp her appointments?

“This trend is alarming. It seems some of our elected statewide officials will bend the rules to pad their friends’ backs. This is why so many voters are disenfranchised. Politicians should be appointing qualified individuals who are ethically sound under every law’s intent to positions of power--not their political buddies.”

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