Dana Murphy Press Release

By Andrew W. Griffin

Red Dirt Report, editor

Posted: October 22, 2008

OKLAHOMA CITY – Calling her Democrat opponent a “lapdog” and “a desperate and frightened man,” Republican Corporation Commissioner Dana Murphy held a press conference at the rotunda at the State Capitol Wednesday to address accusations of forgery made by the Jim Roth campaign.

In his newest TV ad, Roth rather viciously accuses Murphy of forging her name on a document which gave her partial ownership of an oil well.

Murphy countered this, saying she was not guilty of any wrongdoing and that Roth was engaged “in a smear campaign” as poll numbers show her ahead.

“These tactics are reminiscent of a schoolyard bully,” Murphy said, adding that she and Roth are “polar opposites.”

“I’ve never been charged or convicted of forgery,” Murphy said.

However, members of the press questioned this answer and asked her to be more specific. Murphy relented and said that there was “never any intent for forgery” and that signing a name for someone else in her family had been commonplace.

Murphy added that the forged document issue was “old news” since it comes from a 15-year-old contentious divorce case.

Murphy then emphasized that she would be an “independent watchdog” as Corporation Commissioner.

“My only special interest group are ordinary Oklahomans,” Murphy said.

Murphy was also questioned about postcards that have been allegedly sent to voters connecting openly gay Jim Roth with gay activism.

“I’m not affiliated with that group,” Murphy said.

In an accompanying press release, Murphy goes into more detail about “special interests” supporting Roth. Murphy asks why he is getting tens of thousands of dollars from outside Oklahoma. This same question was asked by a University of Oklahoma student following a debate at OU between Roth and Murphy.

In the video, posted on YouTube, the student tried to get Roth to talk about money coming in from out-of-state special interests but Roth ducked and dodged and rudely dismissed the student.

Jimmy Durant, spokesman for the Roth campaign, was in attendance at the press conference and answered questions from the press. He said Murphy is wrong about his candidate.

"All the latest polls show us up," Durant said. "How can we be desperate?"

Meanwhile, Murphy asks about the tens of thousands of dollars from officers and CEOs from the largest public utilities in the state who have had cases in front of him.

“It’s time for Oklahomans to send the message that the Corporation Commission seat cannot be bought by special interest groups,” Murphy said in the press release.

Copyright 2008 West Marie Media