Judge denies motion to dismiss lawsuit against Gene Stipe

<br>OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ A federal judge has refused to dismiss a lawsuit claiming former state Sen. Gene Stipe ruined the reputation of a former congressional campaign manager with his illegal contributions

Thursday, April 22nd 2004, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ A federal judge has refused to dismiss a lawsuit claiming former state Sen. Gene Stipe ruined the reputation of a former congressional campaign manager with his illegal contributions to the campaign.

U.S. District Judge Stephen P. Friot in Oklahoma City this week denied a motion to dismiss by Stipe, ruling that plaintiff Christopher C. Clark had adequately alleged a pattern of racketeering acts in his lawsuit.

Friot also denied motions to dismiss on behalf of Stipe's law firm and Oklahoma City attorney G. Michael Blessington, who was described in Clark's lawsuit as being Roberts' campaign counsel.

Stipe, 77, pleaded guilty last April to two felonies and one misdemeanor related to his funneling of more than $245,000 in illegal funds into the failed 1998 congressional campaign of Walt Roberts.

Clark, who was Roberts' campaign treasurer, claims he was made ``the financial figurehead of a fraud-ridden, corrupt congressional campaign'' and suffered damage to his reputation and business interests because of his involvement.

Clark alleges Stipe, the Stipe Law Firm and Blessington obstructed the investigation into Roberts' campaign and committed mail fraud and wire fraud.

Friot wrote in his order that Clark's claims ``tell a compelling story about a scheme executed over a substantial period of time by means of interrelated and fraudulent predicate acts of Mr. Stipe and his associates.''

Stipe, who served 53 years in the Legislature, was sentenced in January to six months of home detention and fined more than $735,000. He also pleaded guilty to perjury and obstructing a Federal Election Commission investigation.