CAPITOL WATCH
M. Scott Carter reports on politics, legislation and other issues from the State Capitol.
Former Gov. Brad Henry and former U.S. Congressman Wes Watkins – both retired from public service – haven’t completely given up on politics.
At least they haven’t when it comes to making campaign donations.
According to last-minute campaign filings from the Oklahoma Ethics Commission, Republican Gov. Mary Fallin received $1,024 from Watkins on June 20. Watkins served as a Democrat in Congress from 1977 until 1991, then held the same seat as a Republican from 1997 until 2003.
Fallin also received money from high-profile contributors such as Ed Malzhan, owner of the Charles Machine Works in Perry, $500; state Capitol architect Duane Mass, $1,000; Oklahoma City auto dealer Robert Howard, $5,000, and the Quapaw Tribe, $2,500.
Henry, a Democrat who served as governor from 2003 until 2011, contributed $1,500 to Joe Dorman, the Democratic challenger in the gubernatorial race. Gerald Adams, Henry’s former chief of staff, also gave Dorman $1,500.
Dorman also collected last-minute contributions from tribal governments. He received $2,500 from the Osage Nation. In addition, Dorman received two donations from the Moore Firefighters political action committee totaling $1,100, and $833 from former Oklahoma House Speaker Lloyd Benson and his wife, Judy.
Records show Dorman raised $53,188 in last-minute contributions from June 12 through August 25.
Fallin’s campaign reported last-minute contributions totaling $42,604 from June 11 though June 23.
Last-minute contribution reports, required within 24 hours of accepting $500 or more in the aggregate from a contributor, were required to be filed from June 10 through June 23 for the primary election and from Aug. 12 through Aug. 25 for the primary runoff election.
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