Back in September, Gov. Mary Fallin appointed five members to the state Election Board. State
law requires the governor appoint two members and one alternate from
one political party, with the third member and second alternate from the
other party.
Fallin’s
appointees must be confirmed by the Republican-controlled Senate before
the legislative session ends this week. The Senate Rules Committee has
managed to approve all Election Board members save one Democrat, Jim
Roth, a former Corporation Commissioner and county commissioner.
Senate
Rules Committee Chairman Rob Johnson, R-Kingfisher, explained that many
GOP lawmakers were concerned about a former statewide elected officer
being on a board “where he will be in control in helping determine what
candidates are and are not on the ballot, including his former
opponents.”
Even The Oklahoman agreed
with Roth’s assessment of this being “politics run amok.” The paper’s
May 16 editorial said that if Rules Committee members spent 10 minutes
with Roth, they would “come away impressed by his professionalism and
ability.”
CFN
suspects this is all a facade, anyway. Roth is openly gay, and despite
his profuse qualifications, it’s an election year with some very
conservative incumbents facing even more conservative challengers (!)
whose homophobic salivary glands would froth at the notion of voting for
a gay man.
