Letter Prompts Coffee to Show Proof or Resign

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Senate Democrats are asking Senate Pro Tem Leader Glenn Coffee to reveal where he got the money to pay off a tax lien or resign, according to a letter sent to Coffee Tuesday.

Coffee was named in a federal tax lien which alleged he owed the Internal Revenue Service  $28,822 in taxes. Coffee told reporters he borrowed the money to pay it off, but never disclosed where he got the loan.

On Tuesday, several democratic senators sent the letter to Coffee once again against asking him to disclose the source of his loan or resign.

Read the letter to Coffee and see which senators chose to sign the letter.

"It's a transparency issue," said Senator Jim Wilson (D-District 3). "It's a trust issue and the people of Oklahoma have not gotten a response from Senator Coffee and his caucus on where the money came from to pay for the loan."

Senator Wilson said former house speaker Lance Cargill did not display transparency when he failed to pay state and federal taxes.

"He resigned over it," Sen. Wilson said. "That issue is no different. When you're in leadership in the Senate, you're held to a higher standard and you probably should be."

Democratic Senator Connie Johnson (D-District 48), who also signed the letter, failed to pay state taxes for three consecutive years, which we pointed out to caucus chair Kenneth Corn (D-District 4).

"Senator Connie Johnson came forward in our caucus when that came out last year and talked to us about what had occurred," Senator Corn said.

Coffee released a statement calling the letter "a relentless and expensive campaign of gutter politics."

He also claimed he "disclosed all that is required."

The democrats disagree.

"We're going to pursue this and before the end of session, we're going to have some responses or some activity," Senator Wilson said.

The democrats did not say what kind of activity they're expecting or what steps they will take.