Suit Seeks To Overturn State Board, Ardmore Project

Wednesday, August 30th 2006, 6:14 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- An attorney files a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a state board that approved $20-million to persuade a Chinese company to locate an MG auto manufacturing plant in Ardmore.

The suit was filed Tuesday in the state Supreme Court by Jerry R. Fent of Oklahoma City.

Fent argues the Contingency Review Board is unconstitutional, and so is its action of July 28th in tapping the newly created Opportunity Fund for the money for incentives to Oklahoma Global Motors, the company planning to build the Ardmore plant.

The board was created in 1982 and consists of three members -- the governor, the speaker of the House and the Senate president pro tem.

Fent argues that the CRB violated the separation-of-powers provision of the Oklahoma Constitution from its inception because it includes legislators who, in effect, make executive branch decisions.

He also says it violates a provision against holding dual offices.