Ethics violations possible in car deal

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- A state senator who wound up owing a lobbyist more than $13,800 as the result of a bad car deal says he broke no ethics rules. <br><br>Lobbyist Oliver DeLaney is suing state Sen.

Wednesday, February 16th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- A state senator who wound up owing a lobbyist more than $13,800 as the result of a bad car deal says he broke no ethics rules.

Lobbyist Oliver DeLaney is suing state Sen. Brooks Douglass, R-Oklahoma City, for failing to make payments on a Nov. 5, 1998, promissory note. A state Ethics Commission rule states that no state officer or state employee "shall directly or indirectly borrow money from a lobbyist, or an immediate family member of a lobbyist, or an entity controlled by or employing a lobbyist."

Douglass denies the money was a loan and said he broke no rules. "I knew there was a rule that was involved, but I didn't know the particulars," he said. "I've never borrowed money from a lobbyist."

Despite a bank note on the car, Douglass said he sold DeLaney a 1967 Mercedes. He said DeLaney knew of Douglass' plan to pay off the note after receiving the money for the car. But bank officials began talking about repossessing the car before the note was paid. DeLaney wanted his money back after he turned the car over to the bank, Douglass said. He said he did not have the money to repay DeLaney.

Douglass said he was having financial problems because he was starting a mortgage company and going through a divorce. "The way I looked at it at the time, I didn't have an option, but I wasn't borrowing money," he said. "He wasn't just handing me cash. ... I was taking back something I sold to him. It was essentially a refund for the purchase price."

DeLaney claims in court documents that Douglass wrote him two bad checks, totaling $3,000 as payments on the promissory note. Douglass said he later paid DeLaney to cover checks written on an account without sufficient funds. He also said DeLaney would be paid his money Wednesday.