Closing Down the Logan County Hospital?

Over the past few years I have taken note of a number of dishonest political mail pieces which politicians use to try to convince people to vote for them. Usually the pieces consist of small white lies told out of context which have the intended effect of confusing the voters to the extent that they cannot make a clear decision about a politician’s stand on the issues.

However, with the possible exception of a series of mailers sent out in the 2004 House District 31 race, I have rarely seen a piece which exhibited such a clear disregard for anything remotely resembling the truth as a political hit piece mailed out by House District 31 candidate A.J. Jones. The Jones’ mailer hit voters’ mailboxes on Friday, which is just inside the time limit, making it difficult to respond in the newspapers and by direct mail.

The biggest lie in the mailer is the allegation that I want to close down the Logan County Hospital. The truth of the matter is that this issue is outside the purview of a State Representative and the claim has no basis in reality. I believe it is a manipulative and cynical attempt to scare the senior citizens who rely on hospital services into voting for Jones.

Let’s set a few things straight.

This is the hospital where I was born, where my father was born and where my mother worked as a nurse’s assistant. Three generations of my family have grown up just down the street from the hospital and I can still remember the stories my grandmother told about watching the Benedictine Heights building being built over a number of years from the 1920s to the 1940s.

As you might imagine, this feels like a very personal attack. I never appreciate a politician lying about the issues, but this lie is especially egregious. Had Jones taken the time to become an active member of the community prior to running for office, she would know that this issue is too important to local residents for her to play these dishonest and petty, manipulative games. It is wrong to toy with the emotions of senior citizens simply to get a vote.

Jones also lied about my educational background, claiming that I had an Associates degree, when in reality I possess a Bachelors. She falsely claimed that I sponsored legislation attempting to enhance county bureaucracy when I did not. She stated that I refused to meet with pro-business groups. This is also a lie. I cannot remember a time when I did not meet with someone who requested a meeting. She attempted to twist a proposal to enhance the rights of Oklahoma’s 70,000 or so concealed carry licensees into a claim that I am putting guns into the hands of students. She stated that I opposed the Bass Pro Shop when that store actually opened three to four years before I even started in the Legislature (although she did correctly state that I opposed the subsidy for the Sonics NBA team). She also claimed that I want to “defund” schools. If Jones is referring to my work on behalf of property tax reform, it is important to note that property tax reform would slow the rate of increase to schools but would not defund them from current levels.

This mail piece represents the culmination of a chain of events occurring over the course of the last two months during which I have received a steady stream of feedback from local residents who were contacted by Jones or her campaign manager and who stated that they were told any number of inaccuracies. These reports have continued right up until this time.

If you have any questions about the material which was in this mailer or any other claim being made by Jones or her campaign manager, please call my cell phone at 315-5064.