Gary Jones, the Republican candidate for state auditor and inspector, has a solid reputation and the background for running the auditor’s office efficiently and effectively. This state has a problem with corruption, and the latest scandal ties a legislator and two former legislators to about $3 million in state rural development funds given to an Oklahoma businessman who allegedly rewarded the legislators with an interest in one of his companies. Unfortunately, the name of the incumbent state auditor, Jeff McMahan, has come up in the investigation. McMahan was quoted in a newspapre report as saying, “I wish I’d never heard of Steve Phipps,” the businessman connected to the legislators under investigation. According to reports, Phipps, who is in the abstracting business — among other enterprises — and other state abstractors donated about $150,000 to McMahan’s campaigns. There may be nothing to the donations, but these type of ties come up too much in state politics. We also do not need any suspicion on an office whose job is to uncover corruption. Again, McMahan has been aggressive at his job, but we have some reservations. Jones has been a leader in his party and a successful businessman for years. He is a Certified Public Accountant and has earned distinction as a commissioner in Comanche County. He will work just as hard as the state auditor. Posted at 10/25/2006 01:06:00 PM