Last week, we let you know that the Statewide Official Compensation Commission doled out some big pay raises to state office holders like the State School Superintendent, while keeping most rank-and-file lawmakers’ salaries deservedly flat.
If you read that article, we thank you, but we’d also ask that you forget everything about it.
You see, our numbskull politicians placed a lobbyist on the commission, which means the whole vote was as invalid as a Youth in Government election, and they had to “do over” the entire thing in a humiliating do-over session.
Well, at least that's one way to put it. I'd suggest "Did us over."
You see, the dumb gaffe gave time and cause for Stitt, House and Senate leadership and other grifters to work behind the scenes, play political games, and stack the panel with cronies and yes men to push through a new raise for lawmakers and other elected officials, all while keeping the salaries of all other state employees – from social workers to teachers to toll collectors – flatter than a gar's head.
In all honesty, the whole backstory is a fascinating look at Oklahoma political aloofness and how it enables greed and grifterism.
For example, all it took was one administrative screw up to give Stitt an opportunity to replace a man who voted against a lawmaker raise with one of his most loyal lieutenants – ex-comms chief Charlie Hannema.
Via Yawn Doc:
Charlie Hannema, a public relations professional and a new appointee to the board, made the motion for the increase and explained his reasoning after the meeting.
“Serving as a legislator or any elected official is an incredibly important job, and I believe it’s critical to our state that we are able to attract the best candidates possible,” Hannema said…
Gov. Kevin Stitt appointed Hannema to replace Robert DeNegri, who made false claims and confused corporation commissioners with county commissioners on Nov. 12.
Listen, I know I’m not a snooty and pompous journalist from the Ayn Rand school of liberalism, but did William H.P. Meriwether Lewis Archibald “Tres Hombres” El Savago III really have to make DeNegri out to be some unqualified doofus just because the guy – like most Oklahomans who have never heard of Non Doc – doesn’t know the difference between a corporation commissioner and a county commissioner?
Call me a rambunctious little scallywag, but I’d rather have a normal everyman like that – one who’s outside the political ecosystem – serve on a government committee that determines lawmaker salaries than some dude who brushes the brown stuff off his nose after eating a Winchester burger.
Seriously, big deal — the guy doesn’t know the difference between Brian Maughan and Todd Hiett — but at least he voted against giving worthless lawmakers an undeserved raise.
“Whatever Patrick! It’s been six years since lawmakers got a cost-of-living salary increase. This just covers inflation.”
I don’t disagree with the logic, Charlie. Like any state employee, lawmakers deserve fair compensation. I just don’t think they – our most worthless employees – should get a preferred stand-alone raise, while our most valuable state employees – the ones on the front lines working for the betterment of Oklahomans and not their future political careers – get nothing.
Anyway, we live in a tit-for-tat world, so I don't know what deals Stitt worked out with lawmakers to score them a raise, or how many future government jobs or contracts will be sent Charlie's way, but I'm sure we'll hear about it eventually.
Until then, stay with The Lost Ogle. We'll keep you advised.
