Posted on 11/09/2008 1:22:36 PM PST by Osage Orange
Obama Politics May Curb Trials in Oklahoma
BY TONY THORNTON
Published: November 9, 2008
Barack Obama’s election as president could benefit the remaining targets of a three-year FBI investigation of political corruption in Oklahoma.
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Here’s why: Obama likely will appoint a new U.S. attorney — presumably one who’s a Democrat — to replace Bush appointee Sheldon Sperling in Oklahoma’s eastern federal district.
Because all of those prosecuted so far have been Democrats, some observers think the investigation could end once Obama names a replacement for Sperling.
"I’d be shocked if it continued,” said defense attorney Rand C. Eddy, who is representing former state Auditor and Inspector Jeff McMahan.
"A huge part of this case is politically motivated. Plus, look at the results of two out of the three trials,” Eddy said.
At the April trial of McAlester businessman Francis Stipe, jurors deliberated 20 hours and appeared to be deadlocked.
In the end, Stipe agreed to plead guilty in return for a sentence that included no prison time.
Last month’s trial of former legislator Randall Erwin ended in a hung jury. A retrial is scheduled for February.
McMahan and his wife have been the only targets convicted at trial.
Do politics creep in?
Sperling declined to comment for this story.
His predecessor, however, said politics should play no part in the prosecution decision.
"I would be troubled and concerned and frankly surprised if they were not continued on with vigor and prosecuted to the maximum,” former U.S. Attorney John Raley said.
Raley said U.S. attorneys become apolitical when they take the oath of office. "They are to review cases and prosecute cases irrespective of party affiliation. ... The Department of Justice historically has not been, nor should it be, a political instrument.”
However, Raley added this caveat: "I guess I might be a little idealistic.”
History suggests politics sometimes plays a much bigger role than Raley wishes.
E-mails discovered after the firings of seven U.S. attorneys in December 2006 showed politics was heavily involved in the decisions made.
For example, the U.S. attorney for New Mexico was added to the firing list about the same time his two senators, both Republicans, began pressuring him to speed up a corruption investigation of Democrats before the November 2006 elections.
Other e-mails showed the seven prosecutors’ firings were tied largely to their political loyalty and positions they held on key Republican policy issues, such as immigration.
No Republicans surfaced during probe The three-year investigation and prosecution of Oklahoma corruption began with an examination of public money earmarked for a McAlester dog food plant.
Several targets — all Democrats — surfaced.
Sperling’s office was urged to find a Republican lawbreaker to give the investigation immunity from cries of partisan politics, several sources close to the investigation have said. They were unable, largely because the earmark system was eliminated when Republicans took over the state House of Representatives in 2004.
The probe’s original target was Democratic icon Gene Stipe, who secretly co-owned the plant. Its eventual targets included McMahan, Erwin and former state Reps. Mike Mass and Jerry Hefner.
Mass awaits sentencing on a conspiracy charge, as does Gene Stipe’s former business partner, Steve Phipps. Hefner hasn’t been charged.
Gene Stipe recently was found mentally incompetent, so his pending indictment related to the dog food plant is on hold.
One factor in determining how much longer the investigation continues will be the length of time Obama takes to pick an attorney general. That person will have a role in helping pick the new U.S. attorneys and notifying the holdovers to leave office.
A lengthy transition period would seem to benefit Sperling’s office.
Erwin would seem to benefit if he could delay his February retrial until after a new U.S. attorney is named. Erwin’s attorney declined to comment for this story.
The answer is "ABSOLUTELY".....
The corruption in the Dim Party is/was deep, and wide.......
***Ask anyone in OK...if Gene Stipe isn’t one of the most corrupt politicians in the history of the state. ****
Is he worse than former Gov. David Hall? I believe he served time for his shenanigans.
Should have been behind bars 20 years ago.....
Shoot, I thought Stipe was going to jail around the time we moved from Tulsa (May 2003). Ne Zot, he’s dirty.
Is he worse than former Gov. David Hall?
Yes! Like comparing a street thug to Al Capone.
Democrat thugs getting away with it just because they’re democrats? Well gee, that would be new!
Family tradition.
Stipe had (may still have for all I know) a law firm in OKC. I always said that if I ever needed a lawyer, I'd call Stipe. He's the most crooked, vindictive SOB who ever walked on Oklahoma red dirt! Just bringing him in as your legal counsel would scare hell out of anyone on the other side!
Will Dear Leader fire all US Attorneys ala Klintoon and will the MSM ignore this while continuing to call for the heads of Bush/Cheney/Gonzalez for their replacing a few?
Will Dear Leader fire all US Attorneys ala Klintoon and will the MSM ignore this while continuing to call for the heads of Bush/Cheney/Gonzalez for their replacing a few?
Lookie, Lokie here: http://stdcarriers.com/stdcarrierlastname.aspx
Scroll down below box with “View Detail.s” Click on number “12”
Look at Carrier 156, WOW!
(No medical reports available, hmmm???)
I’ve noticed this on practically every thread this evening. It’s even more irrelevant to long-time Democrat corruption in Oklahoma than to all the other threads.
Thank you for the insightful input and your "courageously" run to the mod!
Apparently you have never read the U.S. Constitution - Amendment 1!!
I saw your picture at 41, you look older than my wife of 73, sorry!!!
So the possibilities could be there if these relationships are true. He is skinny according the governator, and blacks calls it the "skinny disease"!!!
I didn't think that was true...until some FReeper pointed that out to me.
Or just here at FR?
I make it a policy to ignore creeps. And I worked hard for this white hair :-).
So anyway, it appears from this article that they’re just never going to put Stipe away. He’s like one of those Mafia dons that they can never nail.
And he's delayed this for months and months now....
His brother was also indicted and in deep trouble...but died.
And Gene isn't in the best of health either.....
They remind me of the Duke of Duval County, back in Texas.
Don't you think Larry Sinclair should ask Barry that???
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