| John Edwards Suspends
Presidential Bid
NEW ORLEANS (January 30, 2008) - Today Democratic Presidential candidate John Edwards suspended his presidential bid. In suspending his campaign, as opposed to ending it, he retains delegates he has won through the Democratic caucuses and primaries. Edwards loses super-delegates and at-large delegates. Any delegates he may win in the Oklahoma Democratic Presidential Primary on Tuesday, February 5th, will also be retained to the convention, assuming he reaches the 15% threshold required to acquire delegates.
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Oklahoma Democratic Party Calls on
House Republican Leadership to
Come Clean about Ethics Violations
OKLAHOMA CITY (September 26, 2007) – Dr. Ivan Holmes, Chairman of the Oklahoma Democratic Party, called on Speaker Lance Cargill and House Republicans to do the right thing by coming forward with the truth about allegations of illegal campaign contributions and expenditures. Revelations about tens of thousands of dollars being funneled from the accounts of Republican lawmakers into the Oklahoma County Republican Party to assist Republican House candidates all over Oklahoma come at a time when the GOP has been plagued by scandal after scandal.
“Despite lip service about family values and morality, the culture of corruption in the Republican Party goes from the State House to the White House. Time and again they have broken the law and violated ethics rules in pursuit of power for the Republican Party, not for the good of Oklahoma or their constituents,” stated Holmes. “It is time they come clean and place statesmanship ahead of partisanship.”
Gary Jones, Chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party, has confirmed repeated reports that the Oklahoma Ethics Commission is investigating House Republicans for diverting checks written to the Oklahoma State Republican Party to the Oklahoma County Republican Party for use by their targeted House candidates. Sources have named House Speaker Lance Cargill, R-Harrah, and Rep. Trebor Worthen, R-Oklahoma City, chairman of the House political action committee that raises money for candidates, as the targets of this investigation.
Even former Republican Speaker of the House Todd Hiett has called on Speaker Cargill to come forward with the truth, "Cargill obviously felt like he was on solid ground. I honestly hope he would come forward with the legal ground that supports that action."
“Not only did Cargill and Worthen mislead the voters of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Ethics Commission, but they also misled their own legislative members who believed they were legitimately donating to the State Republican Party,” stated Holmes. “I hope Republican Representative David Dank will join me in calling for his House Republican Leadership to step down as he did for other elected officials who are currently under investigation.” Dank announced he will introduce ethics reform legislation similar to legislation introduced previously by Representative Lucky Lamons, D-Tulsa, that had been killed in committee by Republican leaders.
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Inhofe Rejects Chance to Help
Troops and their Families, Again
OKLAHOMA CITY (September 24, 2007) – Oklahoma Senator Jim Inhofe is risking the health and welfare of America’s soldiers and their families when he rejects bipartisan efforts to ensure a fair deployment rotation policy, State Democratic Party Chairman Dr. Ivan Holmes said today.
“Senator Inhofe votes consistently against policies that would benefit American soldiers and their families,” Holmes said. “He supports the war but his voting record makes it hard for him to claim that he supports the troops.”
Holmes was referring to an amendment before the U.S. Senate last week that Inhofe helped defeat for the second time this year that would establish rotation policies guaranteeing that most troops spend time at home between deployments equal to the duration of their last deployment.
Known as the “dwell-time” amendment, it had support of both Democrats and Republicans in the Senate along with the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) and several veterans groups.
“Our men and women in uniform and their families have been pushed to the breaking point by these unreasonable deployments and redeployments,” Holmes said. “Regardless of his stubborn refusal to change course in Iraq after four and one-half years, Inhofe should at the very least, reconsider the toll on Oklahoma parents, children, and troops that the pace of the war is taking on America’s all-volunteer force.”
Holmes said that American ground forces are serving unprecedented periods in combat, which is leading to increased mental health issues among the troops and their families and a falling retention rate of experienced combat veterans. Most Army units today deploy for 15 months with 12 months at home. Most Marines have even less time at home. By contrast, British troops enjoy two years at home for every six months in combat.
The amendment’s author, Senator Jim Webb, D-VA, had cooperated with the Secretary of Defense to include a 120-day enactment period so the Pentagon could plan and organize the new rotation policy and he exempted Special Operations Forces because of the erratic nature of their mission.
“If Senator Inhofe doesn’t want to listen to me and other Oklahomans, he should listen to the Military Officers Association,” Holmes said in reference to a letter by MOAA President which stated: ”If we are not better stewards of our troops and their families in the future than we have been in the recent past, MOAA believes strongly that we will be putting the all-volunteer force at unacceptable risk.”
Holmes also noted that Article One, Section 8 of the Constitution gives Congress clear authority to “make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces.”
“Congress has mandated military personnel policies in the past, even during war time,” Holmes said. “It’s too easy for war cheerleaders in Congress to say they’re following the advice of the Pentagon. They also have a responsibility to look out for the welfare of our troops and their families.”
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College Students Get Needed Help,
Inhofe One of Twelve to Vote No!
OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma’s U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe should explain why he chose to protect wealthy bankers when he could have voted for a popular bill to increase financial aid for college students, Oklahoma Democratic Party Chairman Dr. Ivan Holmes said today.
Inhofe was one of only twelve U.S. Senators who voted against a bill that President Bush says he will sign to expand access to college student loans and grant assistance for thousands of low income students. The expanded assistance is paid for by cutting almost $20 billion in excessive fees to banks and other lenders who make student loans. The Senate approved the measure, 79-12, and it passed the House of Representatives, 292-97.
“By making the student loan program about college students instead of the banks, the Democratic Congress has made a big difference for parents and students who struggle to put enough money together to pay for college,” Holmes said.
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Inhofe, Coburn Oppose Toughest,
Most Sweeping Ethics Reform in a Generation
Oklahomans Deserve Better
from their Elected Officials
OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma’s two Republican U.S. Senators joined a tiny fringe minority in opposing a sweeping Congressional ethics reform bill recently, proving once again they are among the most obstructionist Senators in Congress, Oklahoma State Democratic Party Chairman Dr. Ivan Holmes said today.
“Experts call this the strongest ethics reform in Congressional history for tightening lobbying rules, imposing regulations on earmarks, banning gifts to Members of Congress and slowing the revolving door to lobbying,” Holmes said. “Of the 535 members of both Houses, Senators Jim Inhofe and Tom Coburn were among only 22 to oppose it. It doesn’t matter what their excuses are. The bottom line is they now stand on the side of corruption and cronyism.”
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Inhofe, Coburn Choose
Tobacco Lobby over Oklahoma's Kids
Senators continue to ignore their
own Republican rhetoric on family values.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Oklahoma's U.S. Senators Jim Inhofe and Tom Coburn sided with the tobacco lobby over Oklahoma's children Thursday night when they were among only 31 Senators to oppose an expansion of health insurance coverage to 3 million American kids, Oklahoma Democratic Party Chairman Dr. Ivan Holmes said today.
"More and more Oklahoma families are struggling to find affordable health care and it should be our moral obligation to see that their children receive quality care," Holmes said. "When it comes to the needs of Oklahoma families and the 140,000 uninsured Oklahoma children, our two Republican Senators sided with big business and special interests."
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