WHERE'S IVAN'S OUTRAGE?

Is Dr. Holmes going to comment on Lloyd Field's drunken stunt?

By Steve Fair

In 2006, former five term State Representative Lloyd Fields, aided by some Republicans who were mad at Brenda Reneau, was elected Labor Commissioner. No one in their right mind believes the state is better off having a Democrat in the Labor Commissioner slot. Until Reneau was elected, the Labor Department was an office controlled by organized labor. In fact, Reneau exposed organized labor's attempts to use the office for their own personal gain during her first term. But as they say- No good deal goes unpunished.

Due a number of factors, including Reneau's own missteps, the office was handed back to the Dems in 2006. To Lloyd Fields credit, he ran a grassroots campaign that was headed by now Democrat State Party Chairman Ivan Holmes. Homes is a journalist by profession and has an earned PhD from Tulsa University. In over his head from day one, Holmes has been an attack dog on Republican corruption. In fact, many of his remarks concerning corruption in government have been over the top. Take for example his attack on former Speaker of the House Lance Cargill for not filing his tax returns on time. Cargill's mistake did not cost the taxpayers of Oklahoma ONE RED CENT unlike the Jeff McMahan scandal.

But Ivan has been unwilling to go after Jeff McMahan or the three Democrat lawmakers who filed their tax returns late. To anyone paying attention, the inconsistency was very apparent, but now scandal hits closer to home- it's IVAN'S candidate- his friend who is accused of stealing a guitar while drunk and generally displaying behavior that is more appropriate at a frat house than in a public restaurant. And it appears Fields was given preferential treatment by the cops during this incident- at least the OKC police are looking into that possibility. But where is IVAN? Why is he not talking about this moral corruption? I seriously doubt that Holmes has the courage to condemn either Fields or McMahan. If that's the case, then EVERY time there is a corruption scandal in Oklahoma, no matter what side of the aisle is involved, Dr. Holmes should sit down and shut up. His inconsistency has undermined his creditability and creditability is the first thing a journalist learns is important.