With the August runoff election a month way, Tulsa attorney Gentner Drummond is raising concerns about Mike Burrage’s involvement with an independent expenditure (IE) group supporting incumbent Attorney General Mike Hunter. Burrage is acting as the State’s lead attorney on the opioid lawsuit which Hunter has filed against pharmaceutical companies.
Drummond said he has heard from several entities over the past week who have related their concerns about fundraising solicitations by Burrage to fund an advertising campaign for Mr. Hunter.
“This is exactly what makes politics such a cesspool of corruption,” said Drummond. “I am stunned that the state’s lead attorney on the opioid lawsuit would engage in raising huge sums of money to influence an election in this manner. It is grossly inappropriate, unethical, and possibly illegal.”
The Hunter campaign defends Burrage.
“Neither the campaign nor Attorney General Hunter have any awareness of or involvement in the activity described in Mr. Drummond’s statement.
Judge Burrage has always proven he is above reproach. He is a world class attorney whose family, like so many Oklahoma families, has been personally devastated by the opioid epidemic,” said Hunter’s campaign in a statement to The McCarville Report.
Because of recent changes, Drummond’s campaign can not yet file a complaint with the Oklahoma Ethics Commission. No complaints can be filed during an active campaign.
Drummond remains leery of Burrage’s alleged actions.
“There is nothing ‘independent’ about Mike Burrage soliciting unlimited contributions to fund an ad campaign for the man who gave him a $100 million no-bid contract,” said Drummond.
“The timing and circumstances are far too suspicious.”
“Think about the series of events,” said Drummond. “Some lawyers and their families give nearly $20,000 to the incumbent AG; a few weeks later, they get a no-bid contract worth over $100 million. Shortly after I announce that when elected, I will renegotiate these attorneys’ contract for the best interest of Oklahomans, one of these attorneys starts raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for an ad campaign to ensure that Hunter stays in the AG’s office and they keep their golden contract. This combination of self-enrichment and dark money is why the culture of corruption exists in state government today.”
“The incumbent Attorney General has done nothing to clean up the corruption in state government since he was appointed by Governor Fallin,” said Drummond. “The scandals are mounting, and it’s taking a terrible toll on our citizens’ faith in our government. We need independent new leaders who will serve Oklahoma first.”
Hunter’s campaign calls Drummond’s contention a campaign trick.
“The comments made by Mr. Drummond represent another desperate attack on Attorney General Hunter, sadly aimed at his efforts in combating that epidemic and even attacking those who would stand with him in that fight,” said Hunter’s campaign.
The winner of the Republican nomination on August 28 will face Democrat Mark Myles in the November General Election.
