Big Week for Gene Stipe
This week promises to be a big week for former state senator Gene Stipe who resigned in disgrace in conjunction with his guilty pleas in a campaign contribution scandal.
On Thursday Stipe, who served over fifty years in the Oklahoma Legislature, will appear in the Eastern District of Oklahoma federal courthouse in Muskogee for a probation revocation hearing.
Stipe is on probation following his guilty plea to violations of various federal laws in a campaign contribution scandal during the Congressional campaign of Walt Roberts in 1998. For reference see VARIOUS SCHEMES IN CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGN
Stipe is currently under investigation by yet another federal grand jury for yet another campaign contribution scandal, as well as other possible offenses involving kickbacks to various Oklahoma legislators in return for state funding for businesses with which Stipe was involved, either directly or indirectly.
The day prior to Stipe’s probation revocation hearing his estranged business partner Steve Phipps, of Kiowa, will appear in the same courthouse to enter a guilty plea on various federal charges alleging mail fraud, illegal campaign contributions and other offenses most of which allegedly involved Gene Stipe.
According to his attorney, Phipps has been cooperating with federal investigators and the grand jury as it investigates Phipps, Stipe and three former members of the Oklahoma Legislature, one of whom, Mike Mass, has already pleaded guilty to various offenses in this latest scandal.
This will be not only a big week for Gene Stipe but it may also be his last week of freedom…
Special Prosecutor Needed to Probe Campaign Contributions
By Gary A. Jones, CPA, CFE, Chairman OKGOP
This Wednesday Steve Phipps is scheduled to plead guilty as part of a plea agreement with the United States Government in connection with an FBI investigation of political corruption in Southeast Oklahoma. His estranged business partner, former Democratic State Senator Gene Stipe, will be back in court Thursday for a probation revocation hearing. Stipe, who is in the midst of a 5 year-probation sentence for illegal campaign activities, appears to be facing the judge in connection to similar charges of illegally funneling contributions to Congressman Dan Boren’s 2004 congressional campaign.
The federal investigation into the corrupt political shenanigans of Gene Stipe has sparked a gra**fire of additional illegal activities and has grown to include a number of high level Democrats. While the federal government is doing its job, the same can not be said of the State of Oklahoma. While federal prosecutors are handing out indictments for federal crimes, justice will not be served without a state investigation and charges sought at that level. The feds have filed charges in connection with donations to Boren, but what about more than a hundred thousand dollars in contributions to State Auditor Jeff McMahan, Attorney General Drew Edmondson and Governor Brad Henry? To add insult to injury it appears that it was our own state tax dollars illegally funneled into these campaigns.
The Oklahoma officials normally responsible for investigating and prosecuting state related crimes have been implicated and may very well be involved themselves. It is imperative that Governor Brad Henry name a special prosecutor to pursue charges in this corruption ring. Attorney General Drew Edmondson has made comments that state charges may be pursued. However, he himself has been caught up in the straw donor scam along with the state auditor, not to mention the Democrat Leader of the Oklahoma Senate, Mike Morgan.
It’s time for an independent state investigation. It’s time for Governor Henry to show leadership and name a special prosecutor. We need someone to investigate these crimes and stop those who are abusing our state and our citizens. Sadly, political corruption has been a part of our past hundred years. It need not be tolerated in our future.