TV Ad Calls for Senate Leader's Removal

By Jon Jordan, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- A new TV advertisement is taking direct aim at the leader of the state senate. The ad, put out by a newly formed group called Citizens for Transparency, says Senate Pro Tem Glen Coffee is refusing to answer important financial questions and they're asking him to step down.

In hopes of getting questions answered about Sen. Coffee's missing financial disclosure forms, having his business suspended and about ‘mysterious' loans, the group Citizens for Transparency is hoping their newly formed group and their new advertisement forces Senator Coffee's hand.

"We decided we were going to take our message to the people, use a little grass roots to put a little pressure on Senator Coffee," said Patrick Lively with Citizens for Transparency.

But the Senator questions where the $60,000 has come from to pay for the commercial.

"I think they ought to disclose who they are. I think it's a group that has an agenda," Sen. Coffee said.

The senator believes the group is all trial lawyers using the ad as a way to stop Republicans on issues like Tort and Workers Comp reform.

"Senator Coffee has a record of being vindictive," Lively said. "I'm standing here protecting them and I would say they're not the issue. Senator Coffee's not being accountable is the issue."

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The Senator, who has yet to say where he got the over $28,000 to pay for unpaid back taxes, said he has already given what the ad is asking.

"I think there are misstatements in the ad," Sen. Coffee said.

As for what those misstatements are, the Senator refused to say.

"Citizens for Transparency" would not tell NEWS 9 who helped fund their ads, but did say none of the money came from lawmakers.

The Oklahoma Association for Justice also responded about the recent ads and Sen. Coffee's response to the ad campaign against him.

In a statement from Matt Latham, the spokesperson for Oklahoma Association for Justice said "I'm sure it is convenient for Senator Coffee to blame others for his problems but at the end of the day, he is the one that did not pay his taxes and refuses to answer questions about his ethical problems. It is about time that he takes personal responsibility for his actions. Oklahomans are tired of Senator Coffee's style of petty political mudslinging and would like to see leadership in the Senate that is straight forward and honest."