Dana Murphy Explains the Difference Between Watchdog and Lapdog

October 22, 2008 - Special Edition

Dear Friends, for all of you wondering about the vicious personal attacks on me, I wanted to make sure that you had seen our latest press release and knew we had a press conference today. If anything has become more obvious about my opponent, it is his pattern of favors for his big money supporters and a desperate desire to stay on the government payroll. He is a lapdog for the special interests, certainly not a watchdog for Oklahomans. Thanks for standing strong with me and for your continued financial support which is needed more than ever to fight the big special interests! Dana

Murphy Says Opponent Resorting to Smear Campaign

(Oklahoma City, OK) Republican Corporation Commission candidate Dana Murphy says appointee Corporation Commissioner Jim Roth’s attempt to smear her name with accusations from a 15 year old divorce is nothing but good ole’ boy politics at its worst. Murphy says it’s being done with hundreds of thousands dollars of campaign contributions from his special interest friends inside and outside the state.

“As a career bureaucrat, he has relied on his powerful, special interest friends to get where he is today”, says Murphy. “He’s panicked because he won’t be able to deliver more favors for powerful friends if he is not elected to the job that was given to him.”

“Unlike everyday Oklahomans like me who have earned their way by hard work and persistence working in the real world, he has made his living by delivering favors to his powerful friends using tax dollars while a public official.”

My opponent is using this personal attack mudslinging to divert voters’ attention from the issues and who’s most qualified to serve on the Commission. As a geologist, energy attorney and former Commission administrative law judge, I have the education and real world experience to be the best Corporation Commissioner. He’s reverted to good old boy mudslinging in the hopes people will forget he has no qualifications for office and that he’s been acting like a lapdog for special interest groups since he was handed the job of Corporation Commissioner.”

Murphy says Oklahomans should demand answers from Roth about his ties to those donating to his campaigns for public office.

He is getting tens of thousands of dollars outside Oklahoma, from those in Georgia, Washington, D.C., Colorado, New York and California. Why?

He’s taken tens of thousands of dollars from officers and CEOs from the largest public utilities in Oklahoma who have regularly had cases in front of him. What are they paying for?

He’s received over a $100,000 in contributions that come from those at one large natural gas company. Didn’t the same company oppose the coal fired plant that Roth voted against, one that would have saved Oklahoma consumers billions of dollars?

Why did Mr. Roth, as a sitting Corporation Commissioner, take campaign contributions during a time when Oklahoma law expressly forbids sitting Commissioners from taking contributions?

Why as a County Commissioner did he sponsor the building of a road and bridge that runs to the tree farm of one of his campaign chairman?


Do Oklahomans really want to elect a lapdog for the special interests or do they want an everyday Oklahoman just like them to stand up as a watchdog, someone who is not afraid to stand up to the powerful special interests?

It’s time for Oklahomans to send the message that the Corporation Commission seat cannot be bought by special interest groups.

For more information about Murphy’s campaign for Corporation Commission, please visit www.danamurphy.com .