Education

Hofmeister legal defense fund files first report with Ethics Commission

May 1, 2017

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.