Jason Murphey
Anthony Sykes
Someone ought to pin a blue ribbon on the chests of Rep. Jason Murphey and Sen. Anthony Sykes.
For the second legislative year in a row, Murphey, R-Guthrie, and Sykes, R-Moore were the only Oklahoma legislators who didn’t receive any gifts of value from lobbyists during the legislative session,
according a records search reported by The Oklahoman.
No free meals. No free tickets. No nothing.
Murphey and Sykes are both independent-minded conservatives who seem to get along well with both the tea party elements of the GOP and the legislative leadership.
Murphey is chairman of the House Government Modernization Committee and a real zealot for technology, efficiency and open government.
Sykes is chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Lobbyists spent $61,964 on meals and gifts for legislators during the first six months of the year, which includes the legislative session, the newspaper reported.
Rep. Jon Echols, R-Oklahoma City, received more lobbyist gifts — $1,541 worth — than any other legislator.
It was almost all meals, Echols said.
Meals are access in lobbying. You eat, you listen, you ask questions.
I don’t think any Oklahoma legislator can be bought for the price of dinner, but Murphey and Sykes have managed to remain effective and knowledgeable and pay for their own lunch, thus removing any doubt.
Good for them.
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