"There's a new Web log for political junkies in Oklahoma -- the Oklahoma Political News Service." -- Roll Call
“A source confirms the report in the Oklahoma Political News Service that the Ethics Commission had started looking into alleged campaign donation irregularities.”Jerry Bohnen - News Radio 1000 KTOK-AM (Oklahoma City)
Sunday, June 01, 2008
Will Brad Engage? Or Will He Fiddle While Largely African American N.E. OKC Goes Down the Tubes?
While officials like Shelton, Congresswoman Mary Fallin, Mayor Mick Cornett and County Commissioner Ray Vaughan are aggressively publicly opposing the casino, at least two officials are conspicuous in their silence: Gov. Brad Henry and County Commissioner Willa Johnson.
The controversy surrounding the proposed Shawnee Tribe's casino in northeast Oklahoma City is heating up.
It's rumored that there will be a Tuesday night town meeting of citizens whose homes and businesses in the area surrounding Remington Park will be harmed if construction of the casino is allowed to move forward. Remington Park, who most observers believe will go bankrupt if the casino begins operation, sits in State Rep. Mike Shelton's house district 97. Shelton is publicly calling on citizens to voice their concerns to the BIA before the Friday deadline.
While officials like Shelton, Congresswoman Mary Fallin, Mayor Mick Cornett and County Commissioner Ray Vaughan are aggressively publicly opposing the casino, at least two officials are conspicuous in their silence: Gov. Brad Henry and County Commissioner Willa Johnson.
Henry is rumored to be meeting with agricultural interests regarding the track this week. When the casino becomes operational, the subsequent bankruptcy of Remington Park will kill the horse breeding industry in Oklahoma according to a report filed by News9's Rusty Surrette Friday. The race track says 25,000 Oklahoma jobs will be lost.
The BIA's 30-day comment period closes Friday, and Henry's painfully slow reaction to take a position, given his chummy relationship with a key Shawnee Tribe official, has given rise to speculation the governor will either sit this issue out or intervene on behalf of the tribe, which will enrage Oklahomans and elected officials from both parties. If Henry were to go on record in opposition to the casino, it would carry great weight with the BIA, and insiders tell OKPNS that business leaders and other officials are steamed at the governor, who always goes to great lengths to avoid taking positions on tough issues.
Developing.......
Related:The Casino and Mr. Chicken
While Oklahoma City's Mayor and, according to reports, all of the state's congressional delegation, are aggressively opposing a proposal by promoters to put a tribal casino in Oklahoma City fronted by a tribe located 200 miles away, Oklahoma's timid governor is attempting to run and hide on the issue.
This time, Gov. Brad Henry, is attempting to avoid involvement on the casino project that most observers say would put Oklahoma City's Remington Park into bankruptcy.
The Shawnee tribe, which is located in Miami, Oklahoma, has been “reservation shopping” and has selected a parcel of land less than two miles from Oklahoma City's "Adventure district," putting many businesses at a distinct disadvantage.
While Mayor Mick Cornett, Congresswoman Mary Fallin and other members of the congressional delegation have courageously and publicly opposed this outrageous distortion of tribal gaming statutes, the faint-hearted Henry, who has privately voiced his opposition to the casino, is publicly ducking for cover, primarily since he is buddies with the Shawnee Tribe's economic development chairman, Greg Pitcher.
One insider sums up the governor's lack of backbone this way: “He’s gutless. He knows the proposal is wrong, but he’s spent six years avoiding this kind of controversy, so why would we think he’d engaged now?”
Henry’s name is being drawn in the controversy because the Bureau of Indian Affairs is seeking public comment on the proposal until June 9th. Most believe the governor’s opposition would carry considerable weight with the BIA.
Observers tell OKPNS the whole deal is very suspect, and that today’s story by Oklahoman reporter Tony Thornton just scratches the surface of the proposed stinky deal.
Developing….
NewsOK.com Video: Greg Pitcher, chairman of the Shawnee Tribe's economic development arm
Move Over Randy Terrill, Mick Cornett Is Everywhere!
Move over Randy Terrill! Looks like you have some serious competition from Mick Cornett for national media attention. Cornett has been everywhere lately; Taco Bell spokesman, appearance on The Ellen Degeneris Show, success in bringing the Supersonics to town, and now, a positive write up for OKC in USA Today:From USA TODAY:
By Dennis Cauchon
Oklahoma has a radical solution for repairing the state's busiest highway.
Tear it down. Build a park.
The aging Crosstown Expressway — an elevated 4.5-mile stretch of Interstate 40 — will be demolished in 2012. An old-fashioned boulevard and a mile-long park will be constructed in its place.
Oklahoma City is doing what many cities dream about: saying goodbye to a highway.
"We've always been a good place to live, but we've never had a city we could show off," Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett says. "Moving the expressway makes it possible for a day to come when hundreds or thousands of people will live downtown." Read more...
To celebrate our one year anniversary, the Mayor of Oklahoma City agreed to participate in a special Q & A with The Lost Ogle. Before you ask the questions, here are our answers:
• Yes, the mayor of Oklahoma City agreed to do a brief Q and A with a website called The Lost Ogle.
• Yes. This is real!
• Yes, he says things like “Athiest Leaettner” and “every day is Amy McRee day.”
• Yes, that sound you heard was Mike McCarville having a heart attack.
• Yes, this probably cripples the mayor’s chances to be Senator Cornett. Read more...
"This guy's a gem. This seems to be a commercial with OKC Mayor Mick Cornett stating why and how OKC will become a "Big League City". Must be nice being able to introduce a bill that will pay for $100 million in Ford Center upgrades without raising taxes. Wait, isn't that why they are even voting in the first place, lol."
At first I wasn't going to blog anything about Oklahoma City going on a diet, but after reading this press release and letter from PETA I had to laugh out loud. PETA would be very upset with me if they knew what an avid hunter I was and how I just love to BBQ all sorts of meats. In the letter Bruce Friedrich urges mayor Cornett to go Vegan to achieve the city's goal of shedding 1 million pounds. Not eating meat to most Oklahomans is laughable especially to Oklahoma Joe a fellow pit master. Tell me what you think in the comments section. Also if you agree or disagree with Bruce give him a call and let him know what you think.
Contact:Bruce Friedrich 757-622-7382
Oklahoma City - After learning that Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett is encouraging residents to lose weight by setting up a Web site where people can sign up to track their weight loss, PETA has sent the mayor a letter with some dieting advice: Go vegetarian.
"Overwhelming scientific evidence shows that vegetarians are far less likely to be overweight than meat-eaters and far more likely to be in better overall health," writes PETA Vice President Bruce Friedrich, an Oklahoma native, in his letter to Cornett. "The American Dietetic Association--the nation's largest group of nutrition professionals--reviewed hundreds of studies and concluded that vegetarians have lower rates of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer than people who eat meat."
To help the mayor achieve his goal of encouraging Oklahoma City residents shed a total of 1 million pounds, PETA is offering to send its sexy Lettuce Ladies to cohost a "Ditch the Meat, Lose the Fat" Oklahoma-style cookout--complete with meatless Boca Chik'n Patties, Gardenburger Riblets, and all the fixins--for everyone who signs up for the mayor's "This City Is Going on a Diet" program.
BRICKTOWN, Okla - Bricktown is now home to Flaming Lips Alley.On Thursday, Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett, along with the Oklahoma rock band, unveiled the new street signs.The renaming did cause some controversies. One such controversy was after whom Oklahoma City streets can be named.
And some said they are upset that the band got just an alley.But to lead singer Wayne Coyne, it's still an honor."I'd say come to Oklahoma City and walk down Flaming Lips Alley, even though it has Dumpsters and some trucks unloading beer in the back," Coyne said.
Read More
No "Conspiracy Theory": OKC Mayor Signed North American Union Document
Mayor Mick Cornett endorsed "The Declaration of North American Integration" By Paul Joseph Watson
Ridiculing claims by the establishment media that the North American Union plan is a "conspiracy theory," an activist has brought to light a document signed by the Mayor of Oklahoma City, which was also approved by 90 other officials, that endorses an economic and political integration of the U.S. with Canada and Mexico.
Jerome Corsi has the goods,
The endorsement by a major city mayor of a document described as "The Declaration of North American Integration" represents a long-term effort by local governments to bypass state and federal governments and work directly with Mexico and Canada to create agreements that integrate the continent below the radar screen, charges an activist.
Adam Rott, founder of watchdog blog Oklahoma Corridor Watch, brought to light the document signed by Mayor Mick Cornett. Read more... Related:Worldnet Daily:OKC mayor washes hands of North American Union: "It was a pretty stupid thing to get involved with"
From Oklahoma Corridor Watch:
“If we can have but three nations and one economy,” said Oklahoma City mayor Mick Cornettt “I think it would be much easier for us to solve a lot of the social problems with the end migration.”
Mayor Cornett went on to say in the video that since Oklahoma City is situated on along I-35, which is “really apart of that NAFTA Corridor,” the potential for economic development on a global scale is a real possibility. I-35 received the NAFTA Superhighway designation by the Oklahoma Legislature in 1995, and there are currently plans by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation to expand I-35 into a 10-lane, multi-modal corridor in the Oklahoma City area.
Watch video clip here.
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