Brent Rinehart's comic book targets foes

Commissioner Brent Rinehart"It's more or less a story of my experiences of the last four years of being the county commissioner of District 2.”

at was a new one for me.”

Gaddie said comics were common political campaign tools decades ago, but not for today.

"He's pretty much grinding every ax he's got from his days in the county commission,” Gaddie said. "In a way, it's a sophisticated piece.”

In one sequence, Satan says: "If I can get the kids to believe homosexuality is normal!”

The angel replies: "Hey Satan, not with Brent around you won't!”

Rinehart said he doesn't think the depiction is inappropriate and that he is proud of the comic.

"The history of my office is that I do expose the homosexual agenda, and that it does exist in the state of Oklahoma, and my history also would show that I am very much opposed to the homosexual agenda,” Rinehart said.

Rinehart said he spent two months writing the comic. He said his friend Shane Suiters did the illustrations. Rinehart wouldn't say who is managing his campaign, and wouldn't say if he's running it himself.

‘Liberal good ol' boys' targeted in comic

Others criticized in the comic, which was leaked via e-mail this week, joined Whetsel in condemning it as a distasteful hit-piece.

In the comic, Satan endorses Rinehart's opponents in the July 29 Republican primary for the District 2 county commissioner seat. The angel endorses Rinehart.

The strip opens with a proclamation that Rinehart is a Republican and Christian who stands up to "liberal good ol' boys” at the county courthouse.

"I do not know who the good ol' boys at the courthouse are,” said County Assessor Leonard Sullivan, a Republican.

Sullivan and Rinehart have had public disagreements in the past, and Sullivan said the comic is further proof that Rinehart is a troubled man.

"I've really encouraged him on more than one occasion to get professional help. He really needs it,” said Sullivan, who is not depicted in the comic.

Corporation Commissioner Jim Roth, who is gay and often disagreed with Rinehart while serving as a county commissioner, said he is no longer surprised by Rinehart's attacks.

"It's typical Brent Rinehart subterfuge to distract from his bad job performance and likely criminal misdeeds,” Roth said.

Roth is not targeted directly in the comic book. In a scene with five gay men holding up signs, one of the signs says "Jim Roth is our leader.”

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