Democratic Party says it's debt-free
BY MICK HINTON World Capitol Bureau
Sunday, February 24, 2008
3/03/08 at 2:27 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY -- The
state Democratic Party's finances are finally in the black,
Chairman Ivan Holmes said
Saturday.
"We are now debt-free,"
Holmes said at the party's annual convention in Oklahoma
City.
Delegates to the state convention also selected 24 Democrats committed to presidential candidate Hillary Rodham
Clinton and 14 to Barack Obama.
The party has nine more
"superdelegates," who are uncommitted to either candidate.
Holmes named Reggie
Whitten, an Oklahoma City
lawyer who has been serving
as the party's finance chairman, as an add-on superdelegate Saturday.
Holmes said the party was
$150,000 in debt when he became its chairman a year ago.
He said two efforts have
helped bring the party out of
debt.
Between 400 and 500 Democrats have pledged to give the
party $5 to $25 a month.
In addition, the party has
greatly increased its number
of "Rooster Club" donors, who
have contributed $1,000 each.
A year ago, it had 17 or 18
members, and now it has 109,
he said.
Holmes credited Whitten as
a primary force is getting the
party out of debt. The party's
monthly expenses have been
pared to $12,000 from $35,000,
he said.
When Holmes was selected
as the chairman, he decided
that the party did not need an
executive director. A retired
professor from Northeastern
State University, Holmes does
not draw a salary.
Meanwhile, the party's superdelegates will go to the national convention uncommitted to a candidate.
Besides Whitten, the superdelegates are James Frasier of
Tulsa, a national committeeman; Betty McElderry, the
state committeewoman; Kitti
Asberry, the state vice chairwoman; Holmes; U.S. Rep.
Dan Boren; Gov. Brad Henry;
Kalyn Free; and Jay Parmley.
Mick Hinton (405) 528-2465
mick.hinton@tulsaworld.com
