Meadows Under Fire!

Here are two emails to Charley Meadows. I believe both emails are very accurate concerning the actions of Kyle Loveless candidate for Oklahoma Senate. Now you decide?

Bob





Charlie:

In response to your email today in support of Kyle Loveless, I feel compelled to offer this response. Feel free, in fact, I encourage you, to share this with members of OCPAC, as I doubt that they are aware of the facts I will present, otherwise I doubt you would have endorsed Loveless in the race for SD 45. To suggest that Steve Russell will support corporate welfare legislation because he's received contributions from Larry Nichols, Aubrey McClendon and Greg Love is a non sequitur. These successful Oklahoma businessmen have a history of supporting the Republican Party and numerous Republican candidates. In fact, they all supported me with thousands of dollars in contributions when I was a candidate for office in 2002, 2004 and in 2006even though we disagreed on a number of issues, most notably tort reform.So to say that they control legislators on votes with their contributions simply does not follow. In your rush to support Loveless over Russell, perhaps you are ignoring that Devon, Chesapeake and the many others who support Russell are motivated to support him because he is scandal free. If I recall, you even conceded that opposition to Oklahoma County Commissioner Brett Rhinehart was justifiable because of the cloud of legal scandals hanging over him. It is no secret that Kyle Loveless owes nearly $2000 to the Cleveland County Republican Party that he repeatedly promised to pay back but to this day,never has. In fact, the Executive Committee of the County Party (which he appointed) even voted unanimously "no confidence" in Kyle after his mismanagement and refusal to repay the money. And it is also well known that Loveless was ordered to repay hundreds of dollars to the FEC that he illegally charged on Congressman Istook's campaign credit card for a haircut and flowers in addition to having to pay a fine. Perhaps Larry Nichols, Greg Love and Aubrey McClendon agree with those of us who are tired of being embarrassed by Republicans who make headlines with ethical lapses and who want the next Senator from District 45 to be free of scandals, a Senator who has demonstrated good moral character. Perhaps that is why Steve Russell has their support and why 40% of the voters in the Primary election supported him. I know you aren't accusing Russell of being an automatic "yes" vote for these donors, but you do suggest that he may lack a "conservative ideology by which to measure issues and votes" that "when faced with the desires of the rich and powerful, as expressed through armies of lobbyists, he may never know when he is being manipulated to do their bidding." I suggest to you that a candidate who has a history of breaking federal campaign finance laws and mismanaging county party funds may indeed be the one you need to be worried about being manipulated by the rich and powerful.
Sincerely,

Thad Balkman




Charlie, I'm disappointed in you. I just finished reading your OCPAC e-mail in which you made several insinuations against the integrity of Lt. Col. Steve Russell by way of his donors. Sorry, but you can't make those insinuations and then try to cover yourself by saying you're not "trying to paint a picture of Steve Russell as someone who would become a lackey or puppet." Of course you are. If you were truly not trying to do that, then what was your point in connecting those donors to Russell? And why did you say "(those who are against illegal immigration reform and support corporate welfare) may win in the Senate district 45race if Russell wins"? Don't insult the intelligence of your readers. I don't mean to offend your sense of importance, but OCPAC is not the only conservative organization that can distill the conservative ideology of the candidates. Did you bother to look at Russell's website or hear him speak at any of the several events he attended? If you had, then you'd know his conservative credentials are quite good.Lastly, are you not concerned that Kyle Loveless illegally spent campaign funds on personal items for which he was subsequently fined by the FEC? Are you not concerned that Loveless misused the Cleveland County Republican Party funds and left that organization in shambles through his extraordinarily poor management? Loveless has a history of incompetence and unethical behavior. Just because his views sound good to your ears does not qualify him to represent the people of SD 45.

Sincerely,

Joe Fairbanks