Tulsa School Board 2020 campaign contributions and expenditures
UPDATE: Jerry Griffin emails with his complete report, which includes itemized expenditures, and which he says he filed. Either the district clerk's copy got lost, or I overlooked it. I've added the information below.
Below are the campaign ethics reports filed with the Tulsa Public Schools district clerk as of this morning for candidates running for Tulsa school board offices 5 and 6. No paperwork was on file for Kelsey Royce or John Remington. (Ben Croff filed for Office 5, but has announced that he is not running an active campaign, although is name is still on the ballot.) No school district political committees filed a report, and none of the candidate reports showed donations by political action committees.
Because Oklahoma state law is designed to make it as difficult as possible to track campaign donations for local candidates, Friday morning I went to the Education Service Center, where newly appointed district clerk Sarah Bozone provided me with a folder of all the campaign filings received to that time. I photographed each page, and then this evening, when most of you were relaxing, I transcribed and organized the reports by candidate, and by donor in decreasing order of contributions. I'm happy to be notified of corrections. If you'd like to thank me, there's a PayPal Donate button on the home page. You're welcome.
Electronic filing would make this process easier for all concerned. A computerized web app would ensure consistency and would prompt candidates to provide all required information. John Croisant provided occupation and employer for his contributors, but not their addresses, which are also required, and yet he provided addresses for his vendors. Shane Saunders provided contributor addresses, but for many of the donors occupation and employer are "Requested," i.e., not provided. Scott Pendleton and Jerry Griffin managed to get addresses and occupations from all of their donors. Ruth Ann Fate's reports are handwritten and have addresses but not occupations or employers. Jerry Griffin was the only candidate who neglected to itemize his expenditures. [CORRECTION: Griffin says he provided itemized expenditures with his report; these are now listed below.]
The totals below are as reported on the forms. I attempted to double-check a few, but gave up, because candidates differed in how things were supposed to be totaled. John Croisant's forms misused the "Aggregate Total" column, using it for the campaign as a whole, rather than for the total for a particular contributor or vendor over the course of the campaign, and he put campaign totals in the "$50 or less boxes" at the top of the page.
Some observations, based on my many years of looking at campaign contributor lists:
John Croisant is clearly the establishment's pick in Office 5. Croisant's contributors include a who's who of Yacht Owners and Yacht Guests: former Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor; two former school board members, Cathy Newsome and Cindy Decker (Decker is now executive director of George Kaiser Family Foundation's Educare); former Cherokee Principal Chief Ross Swimmer; former Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner and Tulsa Finance Commissioner Norma Eagleton; former Oklahoma Policy Institute head David Blatt; retired oilman and major Democrat donor George Krumme; developer and Democrat donor Sharon King Davis; QuikTrip spokesman Mike Thornbrugh; donors associated with BOK Financial and with the Frederick Dorwart law firm; former Tulsa County Superintendent of Schools Kara Gae Neal, wife of retired Tulsa World editor Ken Neal; and former City Councilor Gary Watts, who now serves as the attorney for Sand Springs Public Schools.
Former school board member and GKFF Educare executive director Cindy Decker gave $100 each to John Croisant and Shane Saunders.
One small expenditure caught my eye: Croisant paid for the Democratic Party's canvassing app, which, I assume, would give his campaign access to the party's voter database.
Shane Saunders has the biggest war chest, but fewer donors. Two-thirds of his funds came from two couples: Frank and Diane Murphy of Dallas and Charles and Krista Bendana of Tulsa. Mindy Taylor, Saunders's successor as chairman of Iron Gate ministry, is one of his donors.
Scott Pendleton seems to be funded mainly by family and friends around the country, which is a typical pattern for a candidate who is running on their own initiative, rather than as the minion of the local power structure.
Ruth Ann Fate and Jerry Griffin are both the biggest donors to their own campaigns.
Contributors and vendors are from Tulsa unless otherwise noted. If you're reading this on the home page, the lists for each candidate are after the jump.
Office 5:
John Croisant
62 Woodward Blvd., Tulsa OK 74114
Campaign Committee Statement of Organization filed on 01/03/2020
Pre-Primary Contributions and Expenditures Report filed on 02/05/2020
Contributions: $9,715.00
- $1,450: Cathy Newsome, retired
- $1,000: George Krumme, retired
- $500: Patrick Grower, consultant, PWG LCC; Kathryn Taylor, not employed;
- $250: Neil Vandalsem, attorney, US Courts; Mike Thornbrugh, public relations, QuikTrip; Martina Jelley, physician, OU; Jason Martin, investor, Omega Capital; Robert Curry, attorney, Conner & Winters LLP
- $200: H. I. Aston, retired; Shannon Habermehl, banker, BOK Financial; Gary Watts, attorney, Sand Springs Public Schools
- $150: Sharon King Davis, self-employed, King Investments
- $100: Amanda Clinton, public relations, Cherokee Nation Businesses; Jayme Fowler, managing partner, Oak Creek Private Wealth; Cynthia Decker, executive director, Tulsa Educare; Robert Jones, retired; Norma Eagleton, retired; Michael Whelan, consultant, Camelot; Ann Piper, principal, TPS; Matthew McAfee, teacher, TPS; Tim Gilpin, attorney, Gilpin Law Firm; Roberta Hovis, retired; David Smasl, IT, BOK Financial; Phil Hammond, retired; Pamela Croisant, retired; Chris Rankin, accountant, Bronco Manufacturing; Mary Hille, trustee, Hille Foundation; Ross Swimmer, not employed; Kyden Creekpaum, attorney, Frederick and Dowart [sic] Law
- $75: Gary Quiggle, not employed; Jennifer Philp, therapist, Stonebridge Family Therapy;
- $50: Lori Decter Wright, executive director, Kendall Whittier Inc.; Bill Reeds, retired; Kara Gae Neal, realtor, Chinowth & Cohen; David Blatt, professor, OU; Katherine Coyle, attorney, Conner & Winters; Philip Viles, adjunct faculty, TU Law; Daniel Gomez, attorney, Conner & Winters, LLP; Sallie Henderson, not employed; Dominic Losacco, not employed; Sandra Mallory, retired
- $40: Patricia Basnett, teacher, Sapulpa Public Schools
- $25: Catherine Curtin, retired; Jo Anna Dossett, teacher, Owasso Public Schools; Brady Nguyen, insurance, Capital Insurance Partners; Amy Regan, not employed; Wendy Thomas, non-profit management, Leadership Tulsa; Gabrielle Jones, retired; Jennifer Shirley, retired
- $20: Thomas Ackley, retired; Claudia Matney King, retired
- $10: Brian Jackson, development manager, Junior Achievement of Oklahoma
Loans: $1,500
- $1,500: John Croisant (self)
In-kind contributions: $200
- Pamela Croisant, $50 for party food
- Carolyn Woodard, $75 for party food and beverage
- Shannon Habermehl, $75 for party food and beverage
Expenditures: $7,461,72
- Camelot Consulting, $500 for retainer, $1,000 for consulting, $2,083.20 for two mailers
- DS Political, Washington, DC, $2,000 for digital ads
- Hardesty Press, $748.77 for walk cards and envelopes, $225.72 for mailers
- Automated Mail Service, $234.76 and $218.39 for mailers
- Magnum Printing, $185 for mailers
- Facebook, $98.41 for digital ad
- Vantiv LLC, Symmes Township, Ohio, $52.61 for credit card processing
- Office Depot, $32.86 for envelopes and paper
- Deluxe Check, Lenexa, Ks., $31 for checks
- Oklahoma Democrats, $20 for Van App Access (canvassing app)
Shane Saunders
4117 S. Birmingham Ave., Tulsa OK 74105
Campaign Committee Statement of Organization filed on 01/17/2020
Pre-Primary Contributions and Expenditures Report filed on 02/03/2020
Contributions: $14,650.00
- $2,800: Frank Murphy, executive, Genisys Controls, Dallas; Diane Murphy, Dallas; Charles Bendana, executive, EuroChem; Krista Bendana, homemaker
- $1,000: Tom Flanagan, educator, Sts. Peter and Paul
- $650: Shane Saunders, executive, Trident Energy
- $250: Tony Rittenberry; Sarah Jane Gillett, CEO, Gillett Consulting; Hugh Robert, attorney
- $200: Robert O'Neal, executive, Whiptail; Courtney Knoblock, program director, Zarrow Foundation; Michael Lapolla, retired
- $100: Robert David, real estate; Mindy Taylor, retired; Cynthia Decker, director, Educare
- $50: Ross Bishop, executive, Grand Bank
Expenditures: $1,222.74
- Oldham's Sign Shop, $637.54 for signs
- Anedot, Dallas, $585.20 for fundraising
Scott Pendleton
2534 E. 45th St., Tulsa OK 74105
Campaign Committee Statement of Organization filed on 01/03/2019
Quarterly Contributions and Expenditures Report filed on 01/30/2020
Pre-Primary Contributions and Expenditures Report filed on 02/03/2020
Contributions: $6,358.43
- $2,699.99: Coller Weiner, Houston, retired
- $1,000: Linda Pendleton, Houston, retired; Kenneth I. Pendleton, Indianapolis, retired
- $500: Nancy P. Marx, Stratford, CT, retired; John M. McGrath, chairman, McGrath LLC
- $100: Cheryl Baber, lawyer, retired; Lois Jacobs, retired; Michael Phillips, retired; Marina Pendleton, pipeline engineer, Williams Cos.
- 4 contributions of $50 or less, totalling $94.15
- 1 in-kind contribution of $50 or less, totalling $14.29
Expenditures: $2,674.41
- Automated Mail Services, $1,361.69 for addressing and postage
- Boomerang Printing, $812.79 for letters
- Staples, $277.72 for envelopes
- 5 expenditures of $50 or less, totalling $222.21
District 6:
Ruth Ann Fate
7014 E 60th St., Tulsa OK 74145
Campaign Committee Statement of Organization filed on 12/06/2019
Pre-Primary Contributions and Expenditures Report filed on 01/30/2020:
Contributions: $8,670
- $5,000: Ruth Ann Fate
- $1,000: Steven C. & Mary Jane Buck
- $250: Lynn R. & Paula A. Moore, Dewey & Victoria Bartlett,
- $200: William & Patsy McCamey
- $100: Tim Gilpin, Barney McLaughlin & Marilyn Fraser, Hannibal B. Johnson, Amanda Jones, David Cable, Ann B. Tomlins, J. Stuart Solomon, Michael & Leslie Moore, Sid Shupack, Myra J. Jones, Warren & Nancy Wirth Trust, James H. & Mary Bearden, Joseph & Nancy McDonald Revocable Trust, Ann Domin & Charles GA Haralson
- 14 contributions of $50 or less, totalling $570
Expenditures: $3,375.06
- Connor Doyle, $2,500 for services as committee chair, $108.81 for social media setup and canvass supplies
- Hardesty Press, $742.25 for walk cards, vote cards, and envelopes
- Chase Bank, $24.00 for checks and fees
Jerry Griffin
6552 E. 60th St., Tulsa OK 74145
Campaign Committee Statement of Organization filed on 11/13/2019
Pre-Primary Contributions and Expenditures Report filed on 1/21/2020
Contributions: $2,000
- $1,000: Jerry Griffin, Professor - Self Employed
- $500: Rick McCutchen, Retired
- $250: Sue Ann Stephenson, Overland Park, KS, Retired
- $150: Gloria Reading, Edwardsville, IL, Retired
- $100: Gary Watts, Attorney, Sand Springs Public Schools
Loans: $1,000
- $1,000: Jerry Griffin, Professor - Self Employed
Expenditures: $2,711.69
- Vista Print, $1062.77 for printing
- BHM TX/OK Newspapers (Tulsa World), $510 for digital ads
- FedEx, $255.29 for printing
- Delux Check, $32.25 for checks
- Facebook, $23.91 for digital ads
- Arvest Bank, $10.00 for bank fees
- 1 expenditure or $200 or less totaling $118.25
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