Wacky Women In Cali Wants BHO To Ban Fats

Sure "His Obamaness" came back with a pretty good line, but come on...is this woman nuts or what? The liberals are in full fledged social engineering mode and think we could end up like Europe if only BHO would pull the trigger on some things.

Gee...end up like Europe. Dozens of political parties, six week paid vacations (productivity be damned), over run by Muslim extremists, value added taxes at every turn, socialized medicine and dentistry with the health and teeth to go with them!

Yeah...Europe's cool

CNN Blaming Mexican Drug Wars on US Guns

Instead of laying the blame on draconian Mexican gun laws that prevent the average citizen from owning a gun, or even the insatiable US demand for illegal drugs (which many in the elite media probably view as hip and cool), CNN has opted to blame US gun shows. Listen for yourself.
I've got a modest proposal, Mexico. How about building a big honkin' fence along your border with the US to keep those guns out? In fact, we might feel just a bit neighborly and pop for half the price if you promise not to complain if our dogs bark at night.

Coming Soon

I am working on bringing Medblogged back very soon. I have registered the domain name "medblogged.com" and will be using this instead of chrismedlock.com. As long time readers familiar with my blog can tell, I'm experimenting with changing the look and updating my links and profile.

I hope to have everything up and running by the end of the weekend and plan to be more active in updating the content. Time will tell.

PJ's Propaganda?

There is a story in today's Tulsa World dealing with Will Wilkins' claim of ethical violations by two members of the Tulsa Development Authority. Wilkins, of Novus Properties had his exclusive negotiating agreement prematurely ended by the TDA on August 8th, when the five member authority voted such, stating it was in the best interests of the City of Tulsa to do so.

The action has been polarizing and has contributed to damage the public's faith in city government at a time when the council is looking at putting a very large tax question before the voters.

What is interesting about Lassek's story, which is often the case with our daily paper's coverage of government in general and city government in particular, is the story's slant. It is decidedly pro TDA and anti-Wilkins.

So why would the news arm of the Tulsa World engage in what amounts to a PR exercise? Simple, if the three TDA board members [Shahadi, Bryant-Ellis and Clayman] that appear to have conflicts because of where they work had to recuse themselves from the August 8th vote, then they will have to recuse themselves on any subsequent votes regarding TDA controlled land that is in the cross hairs of the soon to be established public trust.

In other words, it will be harder to ensure the powers-that-be's desired result. In fact, there will be absolutely no way for the TDA to transfer those properties to the trust, without changing the composition of the TDA itself.

The first thing to note, if one wants to postulate that said slant is purposeful and is not the fruit of ignorance is the fact that Lassek wasn't the journalist that covered the meeting where the votes took place. The World's other city beat writer, Brian Barber was the personal observer of the story. How do I know? Well aside from his byline appearing on the story the following day, he sat two seats over from me the entire meeting. Lassek was nowhere near the place.

This allows Lassek to fudge some of the truth and then claim ignorance as to some of the facts that she misstates.

For instance, she writes:

Another authority member — Paula Bryant-Ellis, a Bank of Oklahoma employee — recused herself from the discussion and vote, also at Wilkins' request. He did not file a complaint against her.

Bryant-Ellis didn't recuse herself in any manner or fashion that I would recognize as recusal. In fact, Lassek and Barber have been to dozens of City Council meetings where councilors recused themselves, so both writers recognize that Bryant-Ellis didn't in fact recuse herself. What she did was say, when a vote was called for, that "I believe I need to recuse myself...," but stating such doesn't make it so.

In order to properly recuse herself, as is the consistent practice of the Council and other authorities, Bryant-Ellis should have made that statement when the agenda item first came up for discussion. Instead, she participated in portions of the discussion. What Bryant-Ellis really did was to "abstain," which in fact is the reason, coupled with the fact that this was her first meeting and she didn't know any better, that no one can really fault her for her actions.

For another example of Lassek's bias in this story, compare the following two paragraphs from her story:

Wilkins also charged that Clayman participated in discussions regarding Novus' negotiations at a July 8 meeting, but Clayman did not attend that meeting.

And,

Clayman said that, at Wilkins' request, he recused himself from an Aug. 7 meeting until he seconded a motion for a vote. He did not participate in that vote, however.

In the first citation, Lassek goes out of her way to identify a statement from Wilkins' allegations that isn't factually correct. However, she fails to do the same in the second citation. How does she do this? Well rather than citing what she easily could have learned by leaning over to Brian Barber at the desk next to her, she uses Clayman's statement as to what he allegedly did, which was to recuse up to the point of seconding the vote. First of all, seconding the vote means you didn't recuse at all. Recusal, as we've stated, requires that you leave the room entirely. He couldn't have even heard the motion that was made, so how could he have seconded it.

It must be reiterated. Lassek has been covering the city for years. She knows the difference between recusing and not recusing. And yet she chose to use a journalistic device to achieve her goal and not appear to be acting unethically herself. What she should have done is to remain consistent and to state for the reader the facts showing Clayman had not recused.

The World wants this ballpark built and it wants it done with a powerful trust in place to do the job without public interference. Further, the World doesn't want to see proper enforcement of the Ethics Ordinance that the city passed back in 2005. They like the practice of sending middle managers from the city's more powerful companies and law firms onto these boards, so that their bosses have de facto control of said boards.

The other glaring example of Lassek's propagandistic artistry isn't in what she tells the reader, but in what she neglects to tell the reader. She writes:

Clayman works for Fredrick Dorwart, a lawyer who is donating his services to the ballpark project. Dorwart drafted a public trust document for the creation of the Tulsa Stadium Trust to oversee the baseball stadium and redevelopment of surrounding land.

In a five-page letter to Mayor Kathy Taylor defending Clayman, Dorwart said, "Mr. Wilkins' insinuation that someone is profiting from this effort is insidious and you (Taylor) should immediately and unequivocally reject it."

What Lassek doesn't share with you is the more compelling fact that invalidated Clayman's ethical participation in the vote, which is the fact that Dorwart does a great deal of work for both George Kaiser and BOK, both of whom are major players in this venture. Kaiser's and BOk's involvement would be viewed in a much different light by the average citizen than the mere fact that Dorwart was doing some pro bono legal work on the deal.

The decision as to whether or not Clayman and Shahadi acted ethically should be decided by the Tulsa Ethics Commission, not the mayor's handpicked City Attorney, who serves at her will. If the Ethics Commission does it's job and ignores the inevitable mountain of political and social pressure that will be brought upon it, Tulsa will be a much better place to conduct business and live. If they do not do their job and cave to the pressure, then the Tulsa City Council should act to toughen and clarify the Ethics Ordinance to prevent such conflicts in the future.

Novus Homes Files Suit Against TDA

Will Wilkins of Novus Homes texted me after my show today to tell me that he has filed suit against the Tulsa Development Authority for "Breach of Agreement - Contract"

You can view the particulars of the suit by clicking here.

Wilkins is alleging that the TDA tereminated the deal after the city moved the proposed downtown ballpark to a property across the street from the property he was negotiating to obtain.

More on this as it breaks.

Lesa Smaligo: Bank of Oklahoma Lobbyist

Here's an interesting note to ponder. One of the registered lobbyists for Bank of Oklahoma is none other than Lesa Smaligo, the wife of County Commissioner John Smaligo. Could this connection explain some of Commissioner Smaligo's reluctance to not tow the Republican Party's platform and come out against last year's River Tax?

After all, George Kaiser was offering millions to the County for river development if the tax had passed.

Kaiser and Margaret Erling-Frette

Was poking around in the Oklahoma Ethics Commission's website and found an interesting factoid in the section on lobbyists. Seems that the current principal lobbyist for the Kaiser Family Foundation is Margarette Erling-Frette. You remember her, the principal lobbyist for Great Plains Airlines? You remember George Kaiser, the guy that owns the bank that just got a $7.1 million settlement, thanks to our Mayor, for a bad loan centered on Great Plains Airlines?

Here is the text of the Ethics Commission entry:

The George Kaiser Family Foundation L080067 - Erling-Frette, Margaret
7020 S Yale #220
Tulsa, OK 74135

Apparently Kaiser isn't holding Erling-Frette responsible for the troubled loan.

[More] Appears she's also one of five lobbyists for the Tulsa Metro Chamber of Commerce. You remember them? The group that first dreamed up Great Plains Airlines.

Tom Kivisto Resigns From BOk Board

Until last Friday, Tom Kivisto was the CEO of Semgroup Energy Partners, LP. Apparently, until last Wednesday, Kivisto was on the Board of Directors of Bank of Oklahoma. He now is out at both entities.

It was July 10th that Mayor Kathy Taylor sent her company's Learjet 31a [Mayor Force One] to pick up Tulsa City Councilor David Patrick in Colorado. Patrick was fetched because Taylor needed insurance votes to get the Business Improvement District past the City Council that would supply the public financing component of the new downtown ballpark for the Tulsa Drillers. Taylor was in one heck of a hurry, if she was willing to pop for $4,500 in jet fuel to get Patrick Back. BOk must've shared that imperative, if they were willing to send a very senior manager on the flight to bring Patrick back to the council and ready to vote "the right way."

It was Tom Kivisto that took Kathy Taylor's spot on the BOk Board when she resigned to run for Mayor of Tulsa. It was Pete Boylan, another BOk board member and Stan Lybarger, the BOk President that served as Taylor's chief salespeople on the new ballpark for the Tulsa Drillers.

In fact, 8 out of the 11 "Ballpark Players" as cited in a July 13th Tulsa World story by PJ Lassek had or have direct ties to BOk. They are Taylor, Lybarger, Boylan, attorney Fred Dorwart, attorney Margaret Kobos, Stacy Kymes [who fetched Patrick with Taylor's jet], Eric Kessler and Kivisto. Only City Councilor Eric Gomez, John-Kelly Warren of "The Channels" fame and Jim Adelson didn't have any "direct links" to BOk.

But Adelson and his wife Ellen serve on the University of Tulsa Board of Trustees along with five members of the BOk Board. Those five are Sharon J. Bell, Chet Cadieux, Joseph W. Craft, III, Kivisto and Steven J. Malcolm.

Also on the TU Trustees with those five BOk Board members are Robert and Roxanna Lorton of World Publishing and Bill Lobeck, Mayor Taylor's husband and the other owner of that jet that fetched David Patrick. Another TU Trustee is Steve Turnbo, CEO of Schnake, Turnbo and Frank Public Relations.

Remember that World Publishing was the largest preferred stock holder and Turnbo was the largest common stock holder in the failed Great Plains Airlines. Remember also that it was Taylor and her City Attorney, Deidre Dexter [who used to work for Dorwart] that negotiated the Great Plains settlement.

During the July 10th City Council meeting, Taylor, Boylan and Lybarger repeatedly touted the fact that half of the ballpark's $60 million price tag would be supplied by private sources of funding. The Tulsa World reported in their Saturday edition that "Kivisto and SemGroup had discussed but not committed to a $7.5 million contribution and naming rights for the stadium, said Mayor Kathy Taylor."

Was this $7.5 million part of the $30 million sold to the Council? Kivisto left BOk effective July 16, just six days after the July 10 vote. Did Mayor Taylor or any of the BOk Board members selling the Business Improvement District and the ballpark and the need to rush a vote KNOW that all was not well at SemGroup and the money wouldn't be there? Pulling Kivisto's $7.5 million would have made the private contribution $22.5 million, which is less than the public contribution of $25 million.

According to Reuters:

Thomas Kivisto, who helped found SemGroup, had been on the board of directors of
BOK since 2006. Kivisto stepped down from the top job at SemGroup last week
after a cash crunch stemming from its oil hedging program forced it to consider
a bankruptcy filing.

BOK engaged in regular hedging transactions with
SemGroup, which trades over 500,000 barrels per day of crude oil. As of Dec. 31,
2007 SemGroup had hedged 21 million barrels of oil and some natural gas with
BOK, the bank said in its proxy filing with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.

As of Dec. 31, 2007, the short value of these hedges with
SemGroup was $130 million, BOK said in its proxy filing.

BOk, Taylor, Boylan, Kivisto, Kaiser, Lybarger and a slew of other players were all very closely linked with four major stories of the past three weeks; the Great Plains settlement, the Drillers Ballpark, Taylor's use of "Mayor Force One" to fly her city council around the country and the financial troubles at SemGroup.

Coincidence? Get a life!

Two people were the primary spokes people selling the new Drillers Ballpark. They were Bank of Oklahoma President Stan Lybarger, and Peter Boylan, formerly the President of TV Guide. I got curious about why Boylan was chosen, aside from his deep financial knowledge and negotiating skills. I also began wondering who took Kathy Taylor's place on the Bank of Oklahoma Board of Directors.

So I did a bit of research. It shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that follows Tulsa's oligarchical political scene that, lo and behold, Peter Boylan turned up on a list of BOk Directors. It should be noted with a tinge of sad irony, that it appears that Mayor Taylor's spot on the board was taken by Tom Kivisto, who was just this Friday, relieved of his duties as CEO of Semgroup here in Tulsa.

As you'll learn at any ballpark in America, when that cute young woman approaches you and asks you if you want to by a program, "You can't tell the players if you don't have a program."

Here is the list of the entire Board of Directors for BOk:

Sharon Bell	Age 56	Joined 1993	Director
Sharon J. Bell has been Director of BOK Financial Corporation., since 1993. She is Attorney and Managing Partner, Rogers and Bell (Tulsa, Oklahoma); Trustee and General Counsel, Chapman-McFarlin Interests; formerly a Director and President of Red River Oil Company (oil and gas exploration and development).
William Durrett	77	1991	Director
William E. Durrett has been Director of BOK Financial Corporation., since 1991. He is Senior Chairman of the Board and Director of American Fidelity Corporation (insurance holding company), and American Fidelity Assurance Company (a registered investment advisor).
V. Burns Hargis	62	1993	Director
V. Burns Hargis is President, Oklahoma State University since March, 2008. Prior to becoming OSU President, Mr. Hargis served as Vice Chairman, BOK Financial and BOk and Director of BOSC, Inc. since 1997; formerly Attorney and Shareholder of the law firm of McAfee & Taft (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma).
E. Carey Joullian	47	1995	Director
E. Carey Joullian, IV is Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mustang Fuel Corporation and subsidiaries; President and Manager, Joullian & Co., L.L.C.; Manager, JCAP, L.L.C.
Robert LaFortune	81	1993	Director
Robert J. LaFortune has been Director of BOK Financial Corporation., since 1993. He is Self-employed in the investment and management of personal financial holdings. Mr. LaFortune is also a director of Apco Argentina, Inc.
Peter Boylan	44	2005	Director
Peter C. Boylan, III has been Director of BOK Financial Corporation., since 2005. He is CEO of Boylan Partners, LLC (investment management and advisory organization) since March 2002. From April 2002 through March 2004, Mr. Boylan served as Director, President and Chief Operating Officer of Liberty Broadband Interactive Television, Inc. (technology company providing software, services and products to cable and satellite television network operators worldwide), a company controlled by Liberty Media Corporation. Prior to April 2002, Mr. Boylan was Co-President, Co-Chief Operating Officer, Member of the Office of the Chief Executive Officer, and Director of Gemstar-TV Guide International, Inc. (media, entertainment, technology and communications company).
Steven Malcolm	59	2002	Director
Steven J. Malcolm has been Director of BOK Financial Corporation., since 2002. He is Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Williams Companies, Inc. (energy holding company); formerly, President and Chief Executive Officer of Williams Energy Services after serving as senior vice president and general manager of Midstream Gas and Liquids for Williams Energy Services.
Paula Marshall	54	2003	Director
Paula Marshall has been Director of BOK Financial Corporation., since 2003. She is Chief Executive Officer, The Bama Companies, Inc. (manufacturer and marketer of food products); Ms. Marshall is also a director of Helmerich and Payne, Inc. (oil and gas drilling contractor) and American Fidelity Corporation (insurance holding company). She is also a former director of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.
David Griffin	42	2003	Director
David F. Griffin has been Director of BOK Financial Corporation., since 2003. He is President, Griffin Communications, L.L.C. (owns and operates CBS affiliated television stations in Oklahoma); formerly President and General Manager, KWTV-9 (Oklahoma City). Griffin also owns Tulsa's KOTV-6 (Tulsa).
Gregory Allen	45	2005	Director
Gregory S. Allen has been Director of BOK Financial Corporation., since 2005. He is President and CEO, Advance Food Company (manufacturer and marketer of value-added food products). Mr. Allen has served as President of Advance Food Company since 1998.
Chester Cadieux	41	2005	Director
Chester Cadieux, III has been Director of BOK Financial Corporation., since 2005. He is President, CEO and Director of QuikTrip Corporation (a gasoline and retail convenience chain) since 2002. Prior to becoming President and CEO, Mr. Cadieux served as Vice President of Sales at QuikTrip Corporation.
Thomas Kivisto	56	2006	Director
Thomas L. Kivisto has been Director of BOK Financial Corporation., he has Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of SemGroup, LP .(gathering, transporting, marketing and hedging services for energy industry).
Joseph Craft	57	2007	Director
Joseph W. Craft, III serves as Director of BOK Financial Corp since 2007. He is President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Alliance Resource Partners, LLP (a diversified coal producer and marketer) since 1999. Mr. Craft also serves as President, Chief Executive Officer and a Director of Alliance Holdings GP, L.P. Previously, Mr. Craft served as President of MAPCO Coal Inc. since 1986.
John Gibson	--	2008	Director

Arkansas Policy on Private Jets

So how much was Kathy Taylor's gift of a flight on her corporate jet worth? Well Arkansas has established a formula for determining just such a trip. The wording of the opinion below deals with lobbyists and not fellow elected officials, but the fact that Taylor had a lobbyist on the plane to meet Councilor Patrick and to work him on the flight back to Tulsa, makes it in my book, pretty relevant.

Here is an excerpt from the Arkansas opinion:

SUBSTITUTE OPINION NO. 97-EC-011
Issued August 21, 1997

ISSUE PRESENTED:

What is the fair market value of a ride on a private airplane provided by a lobbyist to a public official?

BRIEF RESPONSE:

The actual operating costs of the aircraft for the trip should be used (usually expressed in terms of a hourly rate to operate the aircraft multiplied by the number of hours) divided by the number of passengers on the plane. This figure should be disclosed by the lobbyist, the public official or both on the applicable reporting form.

The way I see it, Patrick should get hit for at least half the cost of the flight. At the very least, he should report this on his taxes next year and pay income tax on the value of that flight.