Dems say oilmen spending big money to defeat Brad Carson

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ The head of the state's Democratic Party says two multimillionaire oil executives are spending big bucks to try and defeat US Senate candidate Brad Carson. <br/><br/>Jay Parmley

Tuesday, October 26th 2004, 8:54 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ The head of the state's Democratic Party says two multimillionaire oil executives are spending big bucks to try and defeat US Senate candidate Brad Carson.

Jay Parmley says the two executives with Chesapeake Energy in Oklahoma City have funneled about $1.5-million to special-interest groups opposed to Carson.

He says Chesapeake chairman and CEO Aubrey McClendon and president Tom Ward have given $500,000 each to Americans United to Preserve Marriage.

One of that group's ads claims that Carson voted to spend taxpayers' money on domestic partnerships for same-sex couples.

But Parmley says the vote the cite had nothing to do with marriage or taxpayers funds.

Carson's opponent -- Republican Tom Coburn -- denounced the group's gay marriage ad last week and called for its end.