Education
Jay Chilton | May 1, 2017
Hofmeister legal defense fund files first report with Ethics Commission
Jay Chilton
May 1, 2017
By Jay Chilton, CIJ
The special function committee formed to accept donations for the purpose of paying for the legal defense of state Superintendent Joy Hofmeister has filed its first report to the Oklahoma Ethics Commission.
Hofmeister has been charged with five felony counts of conspiracy, violating campaign finance laws, accepting contributions in excess of the legal maximum, accepting corporate contributions, and violation of the computer crimes act during her 2014 run for office.
Four individuals have donated to Hofmeister’s defense fund.
- George Kaiser is the chairman of BOK Financial Corporation, a Tulsa oil and banking billionaire, and a Democratic donor including donation-bundling for Barack Obama. He gave $25,000.
- Stacy Schusterman is a Tulsa businesswoman and philanthropist. She gave $25,000.
- Daniel Christner is the owner of Sapulpa-based John Christner Trucking and president of the Jenks Public Schools Foundation. He gave $25,000.
- H. E. (Gene) Rainbolt is the chairman of BancFirst and an individual financial donor to Hofmeister’s 2018 campaign. He gave $500.
Total contributions to the fund were $75,500. Payment of $24,000 was made to the Riggs Abney Law Firm. The remaining balance for the committee stands at $51,500.
Jay Chilton
Independent Journalist
Jay Chilton is a multiple-award-winning photojournalist including the Oklahoma Press Association’s Photo of the Year in 2013. His previous service as an intelligence operative for the U.S. Army, retail and commercial sales director, oil-field operator and entrepreneur in three different countries on two continents and across the U.S. lends a wide experience and context helping him produce well-rounded and complete stories. Jay’s passion is telling stories. He strives to place the reader in the seat, at the event, or on the sideline allowing the reader to experience an event through his reporting. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from the University of Central Oklahoma with a minor in photographic arts. Jay and his wife live in Midwest City with three dogs and innumerable koi enjoying frequent visits from their children.