calgov2002:
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Posted on 05/08/2002 9:37:19 PM PDT by Dallas
SACRAMENTO, Calif. --
State Attorney General Bill Lockyer returned $50,000 in campaign donations Wednesday to Oracle Corp., saying he didn't want the money to undermine his investigation of a state contract signed by the computer company.
Lockyer said he didn't want Republican criticism of the contributions to weaken public confidence in his office.
"Returning the campaign contributions from Oracle will help ensure that partisans don't undermine public confidence in the integrity" of the investigation, he said in a statement.
Lockyer is looking into a $95 million, no-bid contract that Oracle signed last year to provide the state with database software. The deal was initially touted as a way for the state to save at least $16 million through volume purchases.
But the state auditor says the contract could end up costing the state up to $41 million more than if it had not signed the contract and kept its previous software supply arrangements.
The agreement has also come under fire because Oracle gave Gov. Gray Davis a $25,000 contribution a few days after the contract was signed last year.
Davis said Wednesday that he would wait "until all the facts are in on Oracle" before deciding whether to return his donation. He has denied there was any link between the contribution and the state's willingness to sign the contract.
Lockyer received a $25,000 donation from Oracle in December 2000 and another $25,000 contribution from the Redwood Shores-based company in June 2001.
Copyright © 2002, The Associated Press
No, of course not.
I might have him mixed up, but someone said that in response to a question about a donation.
A lot of the foreign money give to the '96 Clinton campaign that was said to be returned really never was, because in a lot of cases they couldn't even FIND the people who gave the foreign money.
calgov2002:
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Over the weekend, he said that he wished that he had gotten more from Whoreacle.
The arrogance of this petty little fascist since the power failures of last year has been incredible.
LOCKYER = KALI'S VERSION OF JAKE RENO!
If this scumbag had any decency or integrity, he would recuse himself from touching or doing anything re WHOREACLE GATE!
Spike meet Jake Reno Lockyer your cell mate for the next 15 to 20 years. Here's a big jar of Vaseline for his welcoming party to your cell block.
I AIN'T RETURNING MY HARD EARNED BRIBE, ER DONATION!
Got any lead in the end of that bat?
He is pure 100% Rat. I will never forget when I saw him in action his first day in Sacramento as Moonbeam, Rat Boy, Governor trotted him out to show him off as his Chief of Staff.
He sent chills up and down the backs of all of us, even the democrats who saw him for the first time!
I need help understanding that reference!
My eyeballs are deceiving me, time for bed!
Attorney general returns $50,000 Oracle donation
By Steve Lawrence
ASSOCIATED PRESSMay 8, 2002
SACRAMENTO – Attorney General Bill Lockyer returned $50,000 in campaign donations Wednesday to the Oracle Corp., saying he didn't want the money to undermine his investigation of a state contract signed by the computer company.
Lockyer said the donations didn't create a conflict of interest for him, but he also said he didn't want Republican criticism of the contributions to weaken public confidence in his office.
"Full, fair, nonpartisan and nonpolitical investigations have always been the standard for this office," he said in a written statement. "Returning the campaign contributions from Oracle will help ensure that partisans don't undermine public confidence in the integrity of the ... investigation."
Lockyer is looking into a $95 million, no-bid contract that Oracle signed last year to provide the state with database software. The deal was initially touted as a way for the state to save at least $16 million through volume purchases.
But the state auditor says the contract could end up costing the state up to $41 million more than if it had not signed the contract and kept its previous software supply arrangements.
The agreement has also come under fire because Oracle gave Gov. Gray Davis a $25,000 contribution a few days after the contract was signed last year.
Davis said Wednesday that he would wait "until all the facts are in on Oracle" before deciding whether to return his donation. He has denied there was any link between the contribution and the state's willingness to sign the contract.
Lockyer made his announcement as Davis' budget director, Tim Gage, met with Oracle representatives for about 90 minutes to talk about rescinding the contract.
"We are proceeding promptly and carefully to unwind this contract and we appreciate Oracle's cooperation in this effort," Gage said.
More meetings are planned but have not been scheduled, said Sandy Harrison, a spokesman for the state Department of Finance.
Lockyer received a $25,000 donation from Oracle in December 2000 and another $25,000 contribution from the Redwood Shores-based company in June 2001.
Lockyer's Republican opponent in the November election, state Sen. Richard Ackerman, R-Fullerton, said last week that Lockyer should drop his investigation because of his campaign support from Oracle.
Other GOP lawmakers have urged the U.S. attorney's office to launch its own investigation of the contract.
Lockyer said Republican speculation that his office wouldn't conduct a thorough investigation because both he and Davis are Democrats and because of the Oracle contributions was baseless.
But he added, "It is clear to me that given the unique aspects of this investigation it is more important to the good reputation of the office of the attorney general to assure the public that our investigation ... is fair, nonpartisan and nonpolitical than to retain campaign contributions simply because they are legally made."
"Returning the campaign contributions from Oracle will help ensure that partisans don't undermine public confidence in the integrity" of the investigation, he said in a statement.
He didn't care about Republican criticism ... he cared about the private poll he conducted and realized he could lose his job over this.
Dump Davis!
Dump Lockyer!
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