Legislators Hope Political Scandal Probe Triggers Legislative System Overhaul

By Adrianna Iwasinski, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Could the investigation into possible political corruption at the state capitol reform the legislative process? That's the hope of a couple lawmakers on both sides of the isle.

Right now Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater is investigating if state lawmakers Randy Terrill, Mike Christian and Debbe Leftwich conspired to have Leftwich give up her Senate seat in return for a high paying job at the Medical Examiner's office.

All three have denied wrongdoing, but questions have been raised about how lawmakers conduct their business.

Both past and present lawmakers said the legislative process is broken and it needs to be fixed, and that this political corruption investigation may be just the trigger needed to overhaul the system.

The investigation has been all the talk on the Internet and radio and has been the subject of many political debates on and off TV.

But while everybody's talking about it, no one has said who tipped off the Oklahoma County District Attorney and why. While lawmakers and watchers at the capitol are waiting for the next shoe to drop, others are hoping the investigation leads to real change at the legislature.

"What happens is they plop down a big thick bill on your desk, they smile at you and say, 'Can I have your signature?'" said Rep. Richard Morrissette, D-Oklahoma City.

Morrissette has been a state representative for the past six years. He said lawmakers are supposed to not only look at but also read the bills they sign.

"I can assure you that 98 percent of the time none of that ever happens," Morrissette said.

Morrissette said most of the business done at the legislature happens during the last days of the session, and that this rushed way of doing deals causes a lot of problems. He said he has been advocating change for years.

"They draft the language at 8 p.m., they drop it on you at 9 p.m.," Morrissette said. " There's supposed to be the 24 hour rule that does not happen."

Former lawmaker Thad Balkman agreed.

"When you read in the news reports and listen to the news reports that legislator after legislator who supposedly signed on those bills in the conference committee report, and they don't know what it said? I think that demonstrates that there needs to be a more transparent, more open process," Balkman said.

Several state representatives and senators are now under scrutiny after being involved in writing and passing the two controversial bills that were vetoed by Gov. Brad Henry, which are now at the center of the political corruption investigation.

"Now is the time to redo all of this. New speaker, new pro tem, new governor. What a perfect time to bring openness and transparency to government and to specifically the legislature," Morrissette said.

Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater said multiple sources came to him with information about the potential problems with Senate Bill 738. Prater said he called the Governor's chief of staff late last week to alert them since the legislation would be crossing Henry's desk that weekend. Prater said the Governor needed to be aware there were major questions swirling.

A muticounty grand jury is set to hear all the evidence when it meets next month.

More on News9.com:

• Lawmaker Hopes Political Corruption Investigation Brings Change to State Capitol
• Oklahoma House Speaker Weighs In on Political Corruption Investigation
• Timing of Events Raised Red Flag in Political Corruption Probe
• D.A. Investigating Questionable Memo in Lawmakers' Corruption Scandal
• Rep. Randy Terrill Denies Corruption Allegations
• Oklahoma Politician Reacts to Corruption Allegations