Updated April 3, 2008: The Flashpoint video is now available. Watch Session One by clicking on the image below. Sessions two-four are also available here.

Original Post, April 2, 2008

Despite the bluster and overheated rhetoric coming from the rich anti-immigration reform opponents regarding a multi-million dollar education and repeal effort, rumors are flying that the campaign is dead before it can be launched.

Some reports indicate that Chesapeake officials, the titular leaders of the repeal effort, are dropping the effort, which was first exposed in Oklahoma Political News Service.

Viewers of KFOR’s Flashpoint were treated this weekend to the sight of HB 1804 author Randy Terrill’s appearance on that show with Sen. Harry Coates, an 1804 opponent. Flashpoint regular Mike Turpen, a consultant to Chesapeake, and new co-host Kirk Humphries, a chamber stalwart, were practically begging Terrill to delay implementation of 1804. KFOR even teased Terrill’s Sunday appearance on their Friday 10PM newscast. The irony of Terrill, a regular on News9’s top-rated Your Vote Counts, being used to boost Flashpoint’s ratings, was just too rich. So is the fact that so far, the episode has not being made available on KFOR's website, although the Flashpoint episodes are normally a regular feature there.

Insiders say that many legislators have grown weary of Chesapeake’s “arrogant and rude” attitude at the Capitol. They also tell OKPNS that Chesapeake’s lobbying team has made major tactical errors on legislation, and that anti-Chesapeake forces have gained control of legislation badly wanted by Chesapeake.

One insider describes the situation this way:

They overreached, they bullied and they threatened. Now their corporate welfare package is on life support.

If the rumors are true, Terrill has achieved a major defeat of the out-manned anti-1804 crowd. Polls indicate that the Moore representative’s measure is extremely popular with rank-and-file voters, and some observers believe that a repeal effort had virtually no chance of succeeding regardless.

OKPNS will stay on top of this developing story.

Labels: Chesapeake Energy, HB 1804, Rep. Randy Terrill, Sen. Harry "Turn" Coates

Posted at 4/03/2008 07:58:00 AM