OSRC board accepts poultry money
US - Against the recommendation of the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office and an attorney on its own board, the Oklahoma Scenic Rivers Commission voted 7-4 Thursday evening to accept a supposedly "no strings attached" $1.1 million donation from the poultry industry.Following a brief presentation by subcommittee Chairman Steve Randall, Commissioner Janice Rucker moved to accept the donation from the poultry consortium, which includes Peterson Farms Inc., Tyson Inc., Simmons Foods Inc., George's Inc., Cargill Turkey Production LLC and Willow Brook Foods International. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Bob Ed Culver.
Commissioner Gerald Hilsher, an attorney, expressed concern that the meeting agenda, as posted, violated the Open Meeting Act, and that voting to accept the donation could provide poultry companies in litigation with the Attorney General's Office an item of evidence for the defense. That could hurt the state's chances of prevailing in the lawsuit.
Source: tahlequahdailypress.com
27 September 2005
1 minute read
