OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- A former state lawmaker whose political activities are the focus of a lawsuit filed by the attorney general's office has filed a lawsuit of his own challenging the state's multicounty grand jury process.
Former Rep. Tim Pope, now a political consultant, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit on Aug. 16 that calls the multicounty grand jury an "instrument of politics" rather than a true investigative body.
Pope's lawsuit accuses the grand jury, presiding judge Bryan Dixon, Attorney General Drew Edmondson and an Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation agent investigating a 2004 Oklahoma County commissioner race of violating his constitutional rights with secrecy requirements not allowed by law.
Pope's attorney, Stephen Jones of Enid, said state law requires a hearing before gag orders are issued, but that doesn't happen when grand jury subpoenas are issued.
"That's blatantly unconstitutional," he said.
Edmondson dismissed Jones' claims, noting similar issues have been raised before and rejected by the Oklahoma Supreme Court.
Pope, chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Assembly, faces a February trial in federal court in Oklahoma City on accusations he
violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act in January when he paid for 20,000 prerecorded telephone calls regarding Oklahoma County Commissioner Jim Roth.
Pope, who could be fined as much as $500 for each call for a total of $10 million, has maintained he did nothing wrong.
Pope thinks the complaint and an ongoing OSBI investigation of Oklahoma County Commissioner Brent Rinehart's 2004 campaign are politically motivated, according to his lawsuit, because Roth and Edmondson are facing re-election fights.
Pope is a consultant for Roth's opponent, David Mehlhaff, and campaign manager for James Dunn, a Republican running against Edmondson.Labels: Brent Rinehart, Tim Pope
Posted at 8/22/2006 10:18:00 AM
