Tulsa County GOP endorses Byrd for Auditor; OK County GOP Chair calls for opponent to drop out

Both the Republican Party of Tulsa County and the Oklahoma County Republican Party Chairman have come out in support of reelecting State Auditor Cindy Byrd, with the OK County Chairman calling for Steve McQuillen to drop out of the race. 

You can read more from Oklahoma County GOP Chairman Ken Warner over at IgniteLiberty.

From the Tulsa County GOP:

Tulsa County Republicans Endorse Cindy Byrd for State Auditor

You may be shaking your head wondering why the Republican Party of Tulsa released an endorsement for Cindy Byrd, for State Auditor during primary elections, I am happy to explain.

The State Auditor’s race will be decided on Tuesday, June 28, as there are no other candidates running. No Independent. No Libertarian. No Democrat. While it is a primary election because there are two Republican candidates, it is the general election because which ever candidate receives over 50% of the vote wins the office.

Over the past couple of months hundreds of thousands of dollars have been spent trying to discredit and attack Cindy Byrd, for doing her job. The ads are intentionally deceiving and dishonest and are being put out by PACs that you have never heard of or are difficult to find information about. A quick check on her opponent shows that he is not serious about his campaign. His Ethics report shows he has only raised Thirteen Hundred dollars ($1300.00), One Thousand ($1000.00) of which came from a former EPIC board member who wrote an Op-Ed wanting Cindy Byrd impeached after her EPIC audit. Her opponent loaned his campaign One Thousand Fifty dollars ($1050.00), giving him a balance in is account of Twenty-three hundred Fifty dollars ($2350.00). He had to pay a filing fee of one thousand dollars ($1000.00) and has reimbursed himself Four Hundred Fifty-seven dollars of his loan. Not much money left to run a statewide campaign. This should cause everyone to be alarmed.

Her opponent has virtually no money and is not actively campaigning. He has a website but no expenditure for the website shows up on his ethics reports. Same thing regarding social media ads. He was recruited by local individuals running or associated with numerous dark money PACs to lie and try to discredit Mrs. Byrd, because of her findings in the EPIC Charter School fraud and corruption investigation. EPIC co-founders and CFO were arrested last week on multiple felony charges including bilking Oklahoma’s largest school system out of tens of millions of taxpayer dollars by enrolling ghost students, falsifying invoices and fraudulently using credit cards paid for with school funds to cover personal and out-of-state charter school expenses and even political contributions. (See Charge document below)

Republican voters in Oklahoma are being duped by dark money PACs and shady political consultants. Many of these PACs have direct connections to campaign consultants and elected officials. “Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain,” is the message these consultants are sending. Now, more than ever we should be pulling back the curtain to see who is controlling the message. Don’t buy into the lies! Cindy Byrd is doing an outstanding job as our State Auditor and has earned the privilege of serving Oklahoma for another term.

The Central Committee of the Republican Party of Tulsa County have unanimously decided to endorse Cindy Byrd’s re-election for State Auditor. We believe Cindy Byrd is Oklahoma’s proven public servant. A fierce fighter against fraud and corruption in Oklahoma, Cindy Byrd has earned our trust and endorsement.

Republican Party of Tulsa County Central Committee:
Ronda Vuillemont-Smith, Chairman
Rebecca Marks-Jimerson, Vice-Chairman
Dr. Paula Price, State Committee Member
Bob Jack, State Committee Member

OKGOP Rules 6(b) sect 1
The County Committee of each county is the supreme Republican Party authority of the county, subject to these rules and the direction and control of County Conventions. It is charged with the duty of promoting the welfare and directing and controlling the affairs of the Republican Party in its county

• Charge document. Page 41 of the affidavit starts the "Political Influence" and the charges they face include: Racketeering, Conspiracy to Commit a Felony, Embezzlement of State Funds, Obtaining Money by False Pretense, Violation of Computer Crimes, Submit False Documents to the State.
• Oklahoma County GOP Chairman calls for Steve McQuillen to drop out of Auditor’s race Press Release
• Lawmakers say widespread political donations made addressing Epic issues difficult
• UPDATE: EPIC Charter Schools co-founders, former CFO charged in elaborate scheme to defraud and embezzle from taxpayers
• Great article by former Oklahoma National GOP Committeeman Steve Fair on "Dark Money": DONORS LOVE DARKNESS RATHER THAN LIGHT BECAUSE THEIR DEEDS ARE EVIL