Indigestion: Candidates reaching for antacid
Indigestion: Candidates reaching for antacid

The Oklahoman Editorial

Published: July 25, 2008

The rather hum-drum run-up to next week's primary elections has seen an injection of spice in recent days, although the principals involved no doubt wish someone else was providing the seasoning.

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The most bitter taste has been served up by Brent Rinehart, who seeks re-election as Oklahoma County commissioner in District 2. Rinehart, a Republican who has made many wrong moves in office and faces a September trial on criminal charges related to his 2004 campaign, cost many their appetites last week with his very unfunny comic book that bashed gays and demonized those he has butted heads with while on the job.

This week the Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office Fraternal Order of Police delivered a vote of no confidence to Rinehart who, typically, dismissed it as being the work of pals of Democratic Sheriff John Whetsel. Rinehart has had trouble raising funds, which he blames on donors being scared off by the probe into his '04 campaign, as opposed to perhaps people simply being tired of his act.

Speaking of fundraising, state Rep. Mike Reynolds violated state Ethics Commission rules by accepting a $5,000 gift from the same man twice this year. This is funny because Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City, is a champion of the Ethics Commission — he's comfortable sitting at the same table with commissioners during their meetings — and he has never been shy about blasting others for allegedly bending or breaking ethics rules.

Two other Republican state legislators made unwelcome news this week. Rep. Sally Kern found herself having to explain how it was she walked into the Capitol with a gun in her purse, and Rep. Randy Terrill had to field questions about whether he had listed all his assets during a bankruptcy filing a few years ago.

Too much of that kind of spice can lead to heartburn.

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