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According to a press release sent out this morning, Sen. Coffee will be appearing at a news conference this afternoon to tout a worthwhile pro-life piece of legislation.
Perhaps the capitol press corps will ask him why abortion advocates are so hot to trot for his bill that is so admired by abortion advocates and dirt-bag nursing home owners. The press corps has spent enough time on the OKPNS site the past few hours that they should have lots and lots of questions for the Senator about why on one hand he encourages pro-lifers, and in the next sticks the knife in their back.
But wait: it’s the OKLAHOMA capitol press corps. Never mind, they won’t ask him a darn thing!
“And lest we forget, there are no real leaders in the GOP in either Oklahoma or nationally. There is no figurehead to which we can turn and wrap our hearts and minds around at present. Senate President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee finds himself in a world of political hurt and though right now he is the John Gotti (Teflon Don) of Oklahoma politics and Coffee’s man man Fred Morgan (Sammy Gravano) are both damaged goods. House Speaker Chris Benge has the personality of wet grass and is clearly in the hip pocket of the insurance lobby. So who is left? The youngster, Ken Miller? Nope. State Senator Randy Brogdon? Hell no – Charlie Meadows has effectively taken Randy off the table as a viable leader.”
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From Examiner.com:
A curious reader inquired whether or not we were aware that a connection existed between abortion activists and proponents of so-called “tort reform” in Oklahoma
A quick look at the record seems to indicate that there is a connection, but nobody up until now bothered to connect the dots.
It’s well known that the state’s medical association and prominent doctors have long sought “tort reform.” You may remember that in 2007, they were very close to getting it done. But another bill of interest to docs was making its way through the legislature that same year: SB 714 by Sen. Jim Williamson, R-Tulsa, which would virtually halted taxpayer-funded abortions.
News accounts indicate that the medical bureaucracy opposed SB 714, but a group of the pro-life doctors, including the state’s most prominent ob-gyn, urged state legislators to pass the bill. The divide was clear: the pro-abortion forces wanted a green light for taxpayer-funded abortions in public facilities, and they aggressively opposed Sen. Williamson’s bill. Read more…
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“I wouldn’t have thought there was any linkage between the three issues, but there was a blog – OKPNS.com – that broke the story earlier this week.” – Rep. Randy Terrill
Hat tip:NEWS9OklahomaCity
Examiner.com:
Like the spiraling Watergate scandal of the 70’s, the bumbling stumbling incompetence that surrounds the private prison controversy just got worse today.
Insiders say Sen. Coffee’s prison troubles are a result of his “own contrivance.” They say he frankly needs to just gather himself and stop what appears to be a combination of “Nixon paranoia with Clinton double talk.” Read more…
“Goodbye, Glenn. Politics is like swimming; when you have too much baggage you sink. Plus, you appear a little too big for your britches and your a** is showing.
The last thing the GOP needs is another moron in a position of authority acting like he’s special. You seem to have an issue with the decision making process — prove me wrong and decide to step down!”
The above comment was left today on a Tulsa World article written by Barbara Hoberock titled: “Coffee says aide’s trip was legit.” Here are a few excerpts:
Senate President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee says a recent trip that his top aide took with a private prison lobbyist was not improper.
“If it is as explained, then there is nothing improper,” said Senate Minority Leader Charlie Laster, D-Shawnee. “Does it look bad? With this private prison stuff going on, I guess people will just have to judge for themselves whether it looks bad.”
Coffee was the center of controversy last week after the Oklahoma Department of Corrections released an analysis of what it would cost to close three state prisons.
The agency said the analysis was done at Coffee’s request. Coffee said there are no plans to close state prisons and that the agency misconstrued his request.
Coffee then amended a bill to abolish the Board of Corrections, which hires the Department of Corrections director. It would allow the governor to appoint the director with the consent of the Senate.
Some have questioned the timing of the amendment, but Coffee has said the idea has been discussed for some time. Read more…
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Top Ten Coffee Enemies List
NEW Top Ten Coffee Enemies List; Rep. Terrill Added
From Examiner.com:
It’s the political perfect storm: the battle over official English, lawsuit reform and private prisons will determine whether Senate Leader Glenn Coffee stays or is ousted this legislative session. And as a result, there’s been a change at the top of the standings of the Coffee Enemies List!
State Rep. Randy Terrill, R-Moore, has rocketed all the way to the top of the Coffee enemies list, with capitol reporters pursuing private prison shenanigans debuting on the list at a strong number 2 position.
OKPNS has learned that the embattled Coffee is being squeezed by a group of liberal Republican senators led by Sen. Harry Coates of Seminole and Patrick Anderson of Enid. Coffee’s top legislative agenda item, so-called lawsuit reform, has been weakened by the scandal fumes that have been surrounding Coffee for nearly a month now. Coates and Anderson, and perhaps as many as 4 or 5 more Republican senators, are seen as possible ‘no’ votes on lawsuit reform. Coffee desperately needs their support to keep his leader post and their votes to pass his lawsuit reform package. But Coates and his followers have another agenda: to stop Randy Terrill’s official English package, something Coffee’s conservative members are strongly committed to passing. Read more…
OKPNS was the first to float the idea last week that an “enemies list” was being assembled by those surrounding State Sen. Glenn Coffee, the Senate leader, who is awash in controversy.
Whoops! Maybe we hit the nail on the head. An editorial on this weekend’s Tulsa World, which we admit is a paper left of center, nonetheless suggest that crossing Coffee invites retribution.
Further, a group of citizens took out a huge ad yesterday blasting Coffee and inviting the public to phone Coffee’s senate office and ask him “questions.” Just before the Easter holiday break, a new full blown controversy had erupted over the possibility Coffee had been caught being, shall we say, less than forthright with reporter Dave Jordan of News9 regarding possible prison closures. The Coffee appeared to be moving to punish prisons corrections chief Justin Jones for not backing Coffee’s version of a meeting the two had surrounding the prison closing issue.
If you’re on Coffee’s enemies list, or know someone who is, let us know! In the meantime, this conservative blog says it’s time for a change at the state senate before more damage can be done.
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Top Ten Coffee Enemies List
Updated Monday April 13, 2009
1. Justin Jones
2. Dave Jordan, News9
3. Nick Winkler, FOX 25
4. Lawyers who don’t work for his law firm
5. Health care patients not represented by his law firm
6. Tulsa World Editorial Staff
7. OKPNS
8. Tim Talley, Associated Press
9. Editorial Boards calling for his resignation
10. IRS
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Tulsa World: DOC woes: Straight answer needed from Coffee
Is Department of Corrections Chief Justin Jones the first confirmed member of Glenn Coffee’s enemies list?
“He wouldn’t lie to cover-up Coffee’s trail, and now he’s being punished,” one capitol insider tells OKPNS.
The Dave Jordan series of stories about the corrections controversy began last Friday. We’ve linked to all of Jordan’s stories, (below) and the News9 site notes that Jordan will lead with this latest wrinkle on tonight’s 10PM News9 newscast.
Developing….
Examiner.com:
Huh? While the capitol press corps attention on Sen. Coffee continues to be on technical ‘wonkish’ stories about political forms and reports, the electronic media is subtly shifting their focus into other areas, which threatens to take controversies surrounding the senate leader to a whole new, and bigger, audience. Read more…
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Oklahoma Women’s Network Blog: Future of African-American Heritage Plaza in Question?
“However, the Senate leader, Sen. Glenn Coffee, refused to hear the bill. Senate leadership was asked specifically why they did not want to hear the bill they reported said, (they) don’t believe such display should be on the capitol grounds.”