The 2004-06 postings are purportedly to Richard Roberts from his political adviser and sister-in-law.

ORU President Richard Roberts is urged to use the ''voters and influence'' he controls to reap favors for Oral Roberts University in two years of weekly e-mails purportedly sent to him by his political adviser and sister-in-law, Stephanie Cantees.

''You intend to make ORU a political powerhouse where candidates will recognize that they will be expected to be asked questions and if elected when they come back for re-election they had better have some thing to show for the votes the students gave them,'' states one e-mail from ''Stef'' to Roberts' ORU e-mail address on Dec. 1, 2006.

''Thanks for the update and the suggestions. Keep them coming every week,'' was the response three days later, signed RR, from Richard Roberts' e-mail account.

That response and a similar one were the only e-mails from Roberts to ''Stef.''

''I remember a lot of these suggestions she made to me over the years but that does not mean in any way shape or form that I agreed with them believed in them or did them,'' Roberts said Tuesday when contacted by

The e-mails span a period from August 2004 through December 2006, and in them, ''Stef'' advises Roberts how to curry political favor with a variety of elected officials.

''You have what they want -- VOTERS AND INFLUENCE. Not one big donor in this state has what you have, yearly new crop of ready made voters (18 years old out of state) doesn't get any better,'' states an e-mail to Roberts from ''Stef,'' on Aug. 19, 2004.

The e-mail, under the heading ''how to get your fair share,'' then urges Roberts to ''invite every elected official out to the campus for a personal visit, lunch and tour.''

The e-mails, which appear to be sent to Roberts' ORU e-mail address from Cantees through ORU's Internet server, were delivered to the Tulsa World on Tuesday by an anonymous source. The e-mails are quoted here as they were delivered to the Tulsa World, complete with misspelling, grammatical errors and abbreviations.

In a statement to the World, her attorney, Gerald Hilsher, said: ''It appears that Ms. Cantees is not the only one who has been the victim of a computer hacker. Even ORU appears vulnerable to the theft of computer data and the possible alteration of communications and the misidentification of participants.

''On Ms. Cantees' behalf, I have requested the return of her stolen computer data that is in the hands of the parties to the recent litigation, and I would remind everyone with a hand on stolen computer data that there is a state criminal statute against the possession, use, and disclosure of stolen computer information.''

Cantees was paid by Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association as a community and government liaison. Roberts said her job was to keep him informed of events and rumors in the community that may affect ORU.

Roberts has been on a leave of absence as ORU president since Oct. 17 while the school's board and independent auditors investigate allegations made in a lawsuit that he and his family misused ORU and Oral Roberts Ministries money and resources.

In the suit, former professor Tim Brooker claims Roberts improperly ordered him to use ORU students in Randi Miller's failed campaign for mayor. Miller was later elected to the Tulsa County Commission.

In one e-mail dated Jan. 10, 2006, ''Stef'' writes: ''Tim will have a minimum of 100 students to surround Randi when she files at 1:00 pm Wednesday.''

The e-mail continues, stating: ''Tim is locating 2 students to assist and if she chooses run her campaign. . . . I don't want my name on financial/ethics documents -- red flag for me to be signing as a family member of ORU.''

The e-mail later states: ''Tim and I are organizing a meeting with all to determine what students can do in the races for approved candidates. He and I are aggressively coming up with the dates and topic for me to 'talk' with students about their president and his behind the scenes efforts in recapturing the moral integrity in politicians.''

Roberts said he did not order Brooker to have his students campaign for Miller. IRS regulations prohibit nonprofit organizations, such as ORU, from lobbying and working directly for candidates.

''She was eyes and ears and she presented all kinds of ideas and concepts, some of which were good,'' Roberts said. ''She had all kinds of suggestions, a lot of which I threw out of the window.''

In an e-mail dated Oct. 25, 2004, just before a statewide general election, ''Stef'' suggests that Roberts remind students to vote.

If necessary, ''Stef'' advises Roberts to tell students during Chapel service ''you intend to obtain copies of every voting record name by name you will find out just who is participating in their Christian duty of being salt of the earth.''

In an e-mail dated Dec. 5, 2005, ''Stef'' advises Roberts to build connections with future Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor, then secretary of commerce.

''I suggest you mention Kathy, you know there are a lot of my staff being asked and accepting appointments to very important boards. I am hopefully the governor would include oru in those same areas at a state level.''

The e-mail also notes ''we have 42 oru grads on the hill in a variety of positions.''

It later states: ''Could you clear way for me to call Tim brooker to meet with him.''

Many e-mails refer to ORU's need for a tenant in the City of Faith buildings. In December, 2006, ''Stef'' reminds Roberts that city and county officials may want his endorsement on an upcoming tax for river development.

''To do that, what's in it for you. Can you spell either student center (log rolling or pork barrel call it what you want . . . or Citi-Plex center (I have a proposal for that when they come to you and they will).''

In one section of an e-mail, titled ''what can a commissioner do for the university,'' ''Stef'' lists ''industrial revenue bonds, student center, renovations, retrofitting, CitiPlex'' and other items.

Several e-mails refer to an organized effort to get students registered to vote, including passing out registration cards during ORU chapel services.

In an e-mail dated Nov. 2, 2006, days before a statewide general election, ''Stef'' discusses a goal to register 80 percent of ORU students as voters.

''Finally we have a way to show and harness your influence and power,'' the e-mail states. ''With this effort you would have the ammunition at all levels, local, state and federal to bring forth documentation to show you have such influence that 80 percent of your student body are registered voters.''

She notes that ''you get the power to obtain the much deserved funds resources that ORU has been overlooked in their dissemination by elected officials at all levels.''

She also refers to one candidate for state legislature who won after ORU students campaigned for him.

''We have talked and he recognized the impact your help made on him winning,'' the e-mail states.

Ziva Branstetter 581-8378
ziva.branstetter@tulsaworld.com