US Senator Jim Inhofe denies Robertson link to road request

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Oklahoma Senator Jim Inhofe says religious broadcaster Pat Robertson is a friend of his.<br/><br/>But Inhofe says he directed federal highway money to a project near Robertson's

Monday, September 26th 2005, 6:31 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Oklahoma Senator Jim Inhofe says religious broadcaster Pat Robertson is a friend of his.

But Inhofe says he directed federal highway money to a project near Robertson's business headquarters in Virginia only because a Virginia senator requested it.

Inhofe is chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. He was the lead Senate author of a highway bill passed in July.

As the bill was being completed, Inhofe says Virginia Senator John Warner requested five (m) million dollars for an interchange on Interstate 64 near the Christian Broadcasting Network. Another five-point-eight million dollars had already been allocated for the project.

Robertson is the host of "The 700 Club" TV program. A Virginia newspaper reports that Inhofe was a guest on the show this year.