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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 16, 2014

 

CAN INHOFE DEBATE

The only US Senate Candidate who refuses to debate?

“Senior Senator should release mental evaluations and medical records if he avoids debating his opponent…”

 

Oklahoma City, OK –Democratic Senatorial challenger, Matt Silverstein of Tulsa, is again calling for Oklahoma’s Senior Senator to debate.  Across the country, his colleagues are debating their respective opponents yet Inhofe sticks out like a “sore thumb” for his refusal to debate.

Constantly, the Senior Senator has refused to give Oklahomans the differences between two candidates.

Oklahoma Democratic Party Chair, Wallace Collins asked, “Has Senator Inhofe lost confidence in himself or his ability to debate?  Does Inhofe really not know who his opponent is?  If our Senior Senator, who has been in office since 1967, is so full of experience and bravado, why not show the world by debating Silverstein?”

Inhofe’s rejection of even a single debate confounds political experts, as do his changing explanations for dodging a debate.

Excuse #1

“I’m spending almost every waking hour campaigning for others.”

–       Jim Inhofe, OETA, 10/10/14

Excuse #2

“When asked, Inhofe doesn’t seem concerned about the race, and he doesn’t even know who his opponents are.”

–       KOSU, 10/14/14

Excuse #3

Matt Silverstein is “not a legitimate candidate.”

–       Inhofe spokesperson, Tulsa World, 9/7/14

Excuse #4

Matt Silverstein “has offered no substance, except to say that Jim is old.”

– Inhofe spokesperson, Tulsa World, 9/7/14

“Inhofe makes the claim that, “he can fly a plane upside down”.  If that qualifies him for the US Senate, he wins hands down, if it doesn’t then he needs to explain his qualifications by debating his challenger, who is an experienced financial advisor and can straighten out the financial mess in Washington.  After all, this is the Senior Senator who dangerously put workers lives at risk when he got confused and landed his plane on closed runway.

People need to be certain that Senator Inhofe, the oldest candidate in America running for the U.S. Senate this year, is up to the job.  The only way to demonstrate that is to debate Matt Silverstein,” concluded Wallace Collins, ODP Chair.

 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 15, 2014

 

MARY FALLIN DIVERTS ATTENTION FROM FAILED HEALTH CARE POLICIES

Her refusal of Medicaid Expansion leaves Oklahoma Health Care Authority $164 Million in Debt

 

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma Democratic Party Chair, Wallace Collins, released the following statement in response to Governor Mary Fallin’s press release concerning Oklahoma’s Medicaid costs:

“Mary Fallin is simply trying to divert people’s attention from the fact that she refused Medicaid Expansion under the Affordable Care Act and now the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, which manages Medicaid, is facing a $164 million budget deficit next year,” said ODP Chair Wallace Collins. “The reality is the federal government is picking up 100 percent of the tab for Medicaid Expansion during the first three years and the most Oklahoma could ever be asked to pay is 10 percent of the total cost by 2020. Mary Fallin’s refusal means our federal tax dollars are being sent to other states to fund their Medicaid programs instead of Oklahoma’s. Joe Dorman has said his first act as governor will be to sign an executive order expanding Medicaid, which will bring $12 billion of our federal taxes back into Oklahoma, create 13,000 new jobs, and give over 144,000 Oklahomans access to affordable health care.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 15, 2014

Contact: Trav Robertson

trav@okdlive.wpengine.com (405) 427-3366

 

STEVE RUSSELL DODGES DEBATE…AGAIN

Latest campaign stop, Indiana…

“He doesn’t live in the district, and he doesn’t campaign in the district…”

 

Oklahoma City – Steve Russell, Republican candidate for Oklahoma’s fifth congressional district, dodged another debate. Earlier this week Mr. Russell’s campaign CONFIRMED his attendance at a debate in Shawnee, Oklahoma, at the Living Love Christian Center. Yet, when it came time to start the forum. Steve Russell was missing…, this coming on the heels of missing a Chamber sponsored debate in Del City.

Instead of showing up like he said he would, in a post to his Facebook page Russell says “Will be speaking and signing books in Fort Wayne, Indiana.”

“If someone making $38,000 didn’t show up for an interview…they wouldn’t get the job. Russell missed 770 votes while serving one term as a State Senator–and the taxpayers paid for it. This guy is out of touch with folks who struggle to make a living,” stated, Wallace Collins, Oklahoma Democratic Party (ODP) Chair. “My goodness, he simply cares more about money and special interests than the people of Oklahoma.”

Steve Russell must answer to Oklahomans for his absent and aloof leadership. He has continued to put his own self-interests before the people of Oklahoma. It’s clear that if elected, Russell, as he did in the state legislature, will simply not show up for work in Washington.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 9, 2014

 

STATE REPUBLICAN CHAIR JOINS DEMOCRATS IN CALLING ON FALLIN TO COMPLY WITH OPEN RECORDS REQUESTS

Nation’s most “secretive” Governor called out by her own Party boss…

OKLAHOMA CITY – Today, embattled Republican Party Chair Dave Weston mounted a feeble political attack on Superintendent, Dr. John Cox. In an attempt to divert attention from the Republican Hofmeister’s connection to an investigation of her criminal misconduct, Mr. Weston inaccurately alleges that Dr. Cox did not comply with Open Records laws. According to reports, the County Clerk confirmed that Mr. Weston’s comments were not based in fact.

State Democratic Party Chair Wallace Collins, stated, “It is encouraging to see Mr. Weston speaking out so strongly in favor of transparency. We can only conclude that Weston stands with us in asking Mary Fallin to fulfill our open records requests. She has stalled for seven (7) months…and still refuses to comply with these open records requests.”

The Oklahoma Democratic Party filed a request on April 3rd for staff records from the Governor’s office related to her use of taxpayer-funded state personnel on her re-election campaign. An additional request was made on August 19th for information regarding recent Public Service Announcements featuring the Governor–a clear violation of state and federal laws.

Fallin, named by Investigative Reporters and Editors as 2014’s “most secretive publicly-funded person” has ignored these requests. “Once again, we find the Republican Party arguing for two different sets of rules–one for party elites and another for the rest of us,” concluded Chairman Collins.

“John Cox is a teacher, not a politician. I don’t understand how Dave Weston could attack someone who has dedicated his life to our kids. His own candidates are so ethically challenged that he is trying to destroy the character of a good teacher,” concluded Donna Russell, retired educator. Dr. Cox is running an extremely strong race against Republican nominee and former Barresi board member Joy Hofmeister.

 

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