Oklahoma has had more really big corruption scandals in the past 50 years than any other state. Lots of Okies know about these scandals in advance but they say nothing and the feds always have to clean it up.
The OK Supreme Court bribery scandal:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,841846,00.htmlLittle in U.S. judicial history comes close to matching the scandal now swirling around the Oklahoma State Supreme Court. Last week Oklahoma's senate scheduled proceedings against Justice Napoleon Bonaparte Johnson, 74, on impeachment charges by the state house of representatives. His colleague, Justice Earl Welch, 73, will escape the same fate only because he recently resigned in the wake of charges that he and Johnson took bribes in exchange for favorable decisions. Meanwhile, a state grand jury has indicted the two justices, both of them Oklahoma Indians. The alleged bribery ringleader is former Chief Justice Nelson S. Corn, 80, himself a convicted federal tax evader, as is Justice Welch.
We even had a judge who masturbated in court scandal. He got four years in prison:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14410634/List of big OK scandals:
http://prowlingowl.com/Comments/OKScandals.cfmOKSCAM
County Commissioner The largest government scandal to ever occur in the US. See more below
Most Governors impeached One third of all governors ever impeached and removed in the US. See more below
Two speakers Two speakers of the Oklahoma House of Representatives have been convicted on criminal charges
Various public officials Countless other public officials have drawn jail time.
Oklahoma Tax Commission
$31 Million Truck tax scandal
115 separate counts against 17 individuals. For years, private trucking agents gave kickbacks to corrupt Oklahoma Tax Commission employees for allowing truck registration agents to use false projections to make it appear as if more miles would be traveled in low-cost states and less miles in high-cost states to lessen tax bills. See more below
Insurance Commissioner More
Ghost Employees Oklahoma State Department of Health.
Multi-County Grand Jury investigating the scandal issued 12 indictments involving 15 individuals and 159 separate criminal counts. See more below
Penn Square Outside the government but the same culture mindset that permates our state. As someone once said, about Mark Singer's "Funny Money", a book on Penn Square, "it was a conspiracy of circumstances aided by a large dose of stupidity." Federal S & L Nationwide, but made for Oklahoma
Gene Stipe Will we ever know how many?
Campaign Corruption We will never know how many?
Oklahoma Tax Commission $31 Million Truck tax scandal
115 separate counts against 17 individuals.
Oklahoma has paid 12 other states more than $30.5 million to resolve a legal dispute about truck registration fees that arose from an Oklahoma Tax Commission scandal, officials confirmed Friday.
For years, private trucking agents gave kickbacks to corrupt Oklahoma Tax Commission employees for allowing truck registration agents to use false projections to make it appear as if more miles would be traveled in low-cost states and less miles in high-cost states to lessen tax bills.
Governors:
In the entire history of the US there have been eleven governors impeached. Of those six were removed. Oklahoma had two of the six that were removed.
Not included in these numbers is David Hall who was arrested shortly after leaving office. A federal court convicted Governor David Hall of extortion and other crimes committed during his tenure, as Governor. 1975
Governor David Walters avoided seven felony charges by accepting a plea bargain in 1994.
OkScam:
The County Commissioner scandal, a purchasing kickback scandal resulting in the conviction of 200 individuals, including over 2/3rds of the sitting county commissioners, representing 60 of 77 Oklahoma counties (1981-1984)
Oklahoma has 77 counties. Each county has 3 elected County Commissioners for a total of 231 County Commissioners state wide. During the early 1980's over 200 of Oklahoma's County Commissioners and suppliers were indicted in federal courts in a massive kickback scandal.
The FBI dubbed the investigation of corruption in county government in Oklahoma 'OKSCAM'. OKSCAM was "the largest local corruption investigations in American history." Ref: Bad Times for Good Ol' Boys: The Oklahoma County Commissioner Scandal. Harry Holloway with Frank S. Meyers.
A three-year federal investigation of the state's elected officials has found that graft is routine and nearly ubiquitous in Oklahoma county government.
Several Oklahoma counties saw all three commissioners indicted.
"abusers justified their illegal behavior on the basis that they were entitled to their gains."
From BAD TIMES FOR GOOD OL' BOYS, The Oklahoma County Commissioner Scandal. Where Harry Holloway, and Frank S. Meyers sifted through a large body of evidence, conducted a public-opinion survey, and interviewed nearly half of all county commissioners in office following the prosecutions.
The Untouchables Are Back!
Ghost Employees - Oklahoma State Department of Health
First made news in May 2000 from a federal investigation into corruption at the department A Multi-County Grand Jury investigating the scandal issued 302 subpoenas for witnesses a nd evidence, heard from 150 witnesses, examined 1242 exhibits and issued 12 indictments involving 15 individuals and 159 separate criminal counts.
The Grand Jury also found cases of shames, involving jobs were no real worked expected or required. These were mostly where current and former members of the Oklahoma Legislature had used their influence to secure employment at the health department for family members, friends and associates, often without regard to the qualifications of those hired.
See Oklahoma's next rising scandal star
