Bode says Edmondson should give back contributions

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Corporation Commissioner Denise Bode said Attorney General Drew Edmondson should return some campaign contributions. <br><br>Bode said the contributions come from attorneys who do

Saturday, February 16th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Corporation Commissioner Denise Bode said Attorney General Drew Edmondson should return some campaign contributions.

Bode said the contributions come from attorneys who do business with the state, making it unethical for Edmondson to accept them.

``Edmondson's campaign has received over $60,000 from private attorneys Edmondson regulates,'' Bode said Friday. ``Edmondson should return those contributions.''

Bode, Edmondson and Guthrie attorney Tim Green are running for attorney general.

Bode, a Republican, said the contributions Edmondson received are from attorneys with ''1917 contracts'' which are funneled through the attorney general's office.

The contracts are between state agencies and private law firms.

Edmondson, a Democrat, said he asked that the contracts be handled by someone else when the state Legislature decided in 1995 to send contracts through his office.

The contracts are handled by an assistant attorney general. Edmondson said since he never sees them, contributions from contract attorneys are not unethical.

Earlier this week, Edmondson accused Bode of violating state campaign laws.

Edmondson said Bode had ``breached the faith of the people'' by receiving written pledges of contributions from 17 individuals who are regulated by the Corporation Commission.

He said a specific statute prohibits a corporation commissioner from accepting anything from a person regulated by the commission at any time, regardless of the value of the gift.

Bode defended the donations as ``absolutely appropriate,'' saying they are ``non-binding'' and legal.

She said they had been cleared by lawyers at the Corporation Commission moreover by private attorneys.