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By JOHN M. WYLIE II, Publisher
UNFIT FOR PUBLIC OFFICE
The latest embarrassment at the Rogers County Courthouse, first reported Friday in the Claremore Progress, should give voters all the evidence they need that neither Commissioner Mike Helm nor secretary Rebecca Muratet (who wants to be County Clerk) are fit to hold public office.
The basic story is that Helm asked Muratet to write a letter to the Muskogee Phoenix thanking Muskogee County Commissioner Ronnie Pevehouse for the help he provided Rogers County during last winter’s ice storm.
It is suspicious enough that the letter was sent July 16, just 13 days before Pevehouse faces three challengers for his commissioner’s seat.
Helm says he simply asked Muratet to write a thank you letter, and she says it was her idea to include the language, “It would be a disgrace to not re-employ a man who offers so much. I hope that the people of Muskogee County know that not returning Ronnie Pevehouse as Commissioner for District #2 would be a mistake.”
She says she had no idea there was anything wrong with composing and mailing a political endorsement on county time using official county letterhead, envelope and postage. In fact, she said, she could not recall ever having heard anything warning her not to do this.
Although the letter twice spoke as if it was written by Helm, he admits he never saw it before it went out over his signature. Even someone of Helm’s limited competence probably would have caught the problems in this sentence:
“Muskogee County had already experienced the unprecedented experience of Ice that left a path of destruction beyond comprehension and it was because of the kindness, at the hand, of Ronnie Pevehouse that made my life in Rogers County was made a little easier.”
How embarrassing for the people of Rogers County to have this garbled mess submitted to a highly respected newspaper!
District Attorney Gene Haynes told the Progress that he wants the OSBI to look into the matter. Because of the pattern of abuse by Helm, that idea is not as far fetched as it sounds.
But one thing is certain. Rogers County Republicans made a dreadful mistake when they did not mount a primary challenge against Helm and Muratet. Both are a disgrace to hard working public servants of all political stripes.
Come November, we suspect the voters will make it crystal clear that neither is fit for public office.
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