Oklahoma Department of Transportation paying Washington lobbyists more than $11,000 per month

Saturday, July 16th 2005, 7:34 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The Oklahoma Department of Transportation is paying two Washington, DC lobbyists more than $11,000 a month to help the state benefit from the next long-term highway bill.

Transportation Department Director Gary Ridley says the money is a good investment, but US Senator Jim Inhofe disagrees. He says paying the lobbyists is unnecessary and inappropriate.

ODOT already had one Washington-based lobbyist -- Alan Mauk -- who has been representing the agency since 1997. In February, Ridley hired another -- former Inhofe aide Chad Bradley.

According to Senate lobbyist records, Mauk was paid $80,000 last year by the Transportation Department. Ridley says Mauk is now being paid more than $6,200 a month. He says Bradley is getting $5,000 a month under a 12-month contract.