City Council District 9

[sgrizzle]

Incumbent Republican G.T. Bynum will face challengers Robert Dale Pinney, Kimberlee Flake Whiteman and Doug Rucker on Tuesday. The winner faces Mike Batman in the general.

Thoughts?

[sgrizzle]

[Bat Bat]

I don't live in the district.

I would not vote for G.T. Bynum.  Make no mistake about it, G.T. Bynum is a career politician.

[rdj]

I don't live in the district.

I would not vote for G.T. Bynum.  Make no mistake about it, G.T. Bynum is a career politician.

Mike Batman is that you?

[tulsaboy]

Does anyone think that Pinney can beat GT?  I don't.

[sgrizzle]

GT has been one of the coolest-headed and accessible councilors. If your constituents an get ahold of you, and you seem to think before acting, people will vote for you even if they don't agree with you 100%. He's pretty safe in his seat.

[Bat Bat]

Mike Batman is that you?

No.

[eDuece]

I live in District 9 and see Bynum as the best we have available for now. He frequently comes across (at least in the local press) as the only adult in the room during past council votes. To me that's a big plus. Don't know much about Batman yet so we'll see.
   As for Pinney, forgive me for being a little PC here but I cannot believe anybody, much less someone running for office, would be dumb enough to make a comment to Bynum that "it is passionate guys like me who shoot politicians like you." Especially a couple of days after the Giffords shooting.
    I'm sure it's the kind of throwaway line that would get a laugh at some local Tea Party meeting, but let's get real. It's right up there with making a joke about bombs in your luggage in the TSA line at the airport and then wondering what all the fuss is about.
   Things are nutty enough down at city hall without adding this guy and this kind of dialog to the noise.
As they used to say during WWII, "Loose lips sink ships" Let's hope that's the case here.

[T.Ruth]

http://www.batesline.com/archives/2011/09/tulsa-district-9-g-t-bynums-conf.html



The following is a complaint asserting violations of Title 12, Internal Policies, Ch 6, Ethics Code against Councilor GT Bynum:



Violation 1:



On 10/1/09 Councilor Bynum seconded a motion and voted to approve Council agenda item 3b. This item approved the waiver of competitive bidding for revenue bond indenture with Bank of Oklahoma totaling $155,860,000.00. Councilor Bynum's grandfather and campaign manager is Robert J. LaFortune.  Mr. LaFortune is a director of Bank of Oklahoma Financial and has sufficient financial holding to have both organizational and financial interest as defined in section 601.  Councilor Bynum's relation to Mr. LaFortune is within two degrees of affinity or consanguinity defined as Immediate Family in section 601. Councilor Bynum's participation in this action is prohibited by related personal, financial or organizational interest defined in section 603.  Written disclosure with the court clerk is required by section 604b. Section 607 requires disclosure of personal, organizational interest of immediate family in a business that is receiving City funds, directly or indirectly, through business agreement with the City or a City contractor.



Violation 2:



On 03/11/10 Councilor Bynum voted to approve Council Agenda item 3b.  This item approved the waiver of competitive bidding for Revenue Bond Indenture with Bank of Oklahoma totaling $35,000,000.00. Violations of participation prohibition and disclosure are as stated in Violation 1.



Violation 3:



After being elected to office Councilor Bynum created GT Bynum Consulting LLC, aka Capitol Ventures Government Relations, a lobbying firm.  This is a violation of Section 600, "such individuals shall not use their public positions for personal gain nor should they act in such a way to give an appearance of any impropriety."



Violation 4:



GT Bynum Consulting, aka Capitol Ventures Government Relations, engaged in lobbying activities on behalf of the City of Miami.  This is a violation of Section 600, "no City official should have any interest, financial, personal, or organizational, direct or indirect, or engage in any business, transaction, or activity or incur any obligation that is in conflict with the proper discharge of their duties in the public interest", "such individuals shall not use their public positions for personal gain nor should they act in such a way to give an appearance of any impropriety."



Violation 5:



GT Bynum Consulting, aka Capitol Ventures Government Relations, engaged in lobbying activities on behalf of the George Kaiser Family Foundation and received in excess of $50,000.00 for lobbying services.  The lobbying activity and specific lobbying issues are, as reported, expanded access to and improved health care in Oklahoma through the Oklahoma State University Medical Center, Trail revitalization, Female incarceration rates and Arkansas River low water dam development.



The lobbying activity and the specific issues are in conflict with city business as defined in Section 600.  The George Kaiser Family Foundation has an organizational and financial interest in additional entities doing business with the City of Tulsa.  The George Kaiser Family Foundation is a supporting organization of the Tulsa Community Foundation.  The Board of the Tulsa Community Foundation appoints the GKFF Board of Directors.  The George Kaiser Family Foundation and the Tulsa Community Foundation have a financial and organizational interest in the Tulsa Stadium Trust.  The Tulsa Community Foundation has a financial and organizational interest in Tulsa Zoo Management Inc.



Violation 6:



On 12/3/09 Councilor Bynum voted to approve Council Agenda item 3b.  This approved the waiver of competitive bidding and promissory note obligations by the Oklahoma State University Medical Center Trust of $22,500.000.00 to the Bank of Oklahoma and $7,825,000.00 to the George Kaiser Family Foundation.  Councilor Bynum received direct financial payment by the George Kaiser Family Foundation for specific lobbying efforts related to the Oklahoma State University Medical Center.  This is a violation of Sections 600, 603, 604, 607.



Violation 7:



On 12/16/10 Councilor Bynum moved the motion and voted to approve Council Agenda item 7a.  This approved the transfer of $1,189,000.00 to Tulsa Zoo Management Inc.  The George Kaiser Family Foundation and the Tulsa Community Foundation have a financial and organizational interest in Tulsa Zoo Management Inc., the Chairman of the GKFF Board of Directors is Phil Lakin.  Mr. Lakin is also the president of Tulsa Zoo Management Inc.  Violations of participation prohibition and disclosure are as stated in Violation 5, 6.



Violation 8:



On 3/11/10 Councilor Bynum voted to approve Council Agenda item 7f.  This item approved supplemental appropriations to be received within the Tulsa Stadium Trust Fund.  The George Kaiser Family Foundation and the Tulsa Community Foundation have financial and organizational interest in the Tulsa Stadium Trust Fund.  Violations of participation prohibition and disclosure are as stated in Violation 5, 6.



Violation 9:



On 12/2/10 Councilor Bynum seconded a motion and voted to approve Council Agenda item 3b.  This item approved the waiver of competitive bidding for Revenue Bond Indenture by the Tulsa Industrial Authority with Bank of Oklahoma totaling $35,000,000.00.  Violations of participation prohibition and disclosure are as stated in Violation 1.



Violation 10:



On 12/16/10 Councilor Bynum moved the motion and voted to approve Council Agenda item 7c.  This item approved donation of $52,000.00 by the Tulsa Community Foundation for Mayor Department Salaries. Violations of participation prohibition and disclosure are as stated in Violation 3,4,5.



Violation 11:



Councilor Bynum has engaged in lobbying activities on behalf of Family and Children's Services of Oklahoma that requires recusal from CDBG Funding. Violations of participation prohibition and disclosure are as stated in Violation 4.

[tulsaboy]

Is that you, Mr. Pinney?

[Breadburner]

Is that you, Mr. Pinney?

Does it matter.....

[sgrizzle]

Is that you, Mr. Pinney?

Of course no-one who wants to point the finger at someone for conflict of interest, or not disclosing relationships, would ever post under an assumed name to obscure their identity...