If you want on
or off this list
Freepmail me.
Posted on 05/10/2009 10:55:51 AM PDT by PhiKapMom
BY CHRIS CASTEEL
Published: May 10, 2009
WASHINGTON — Former Oklahoma Rep. J.C. Watts, who is contemplating a race for governor next year, is a lobbyist for the north Texas water district that is suing Oklahoma state officials for the right to purchase water.
Watts and other members of his Washington-based company have been registered lobbyists since the fall 2007 for the Tarrant Regional Water District, which supplies water to more than 1.7 million people in Fort Worth, Arlington and other cities in north central Texas.
The water district, which sought unsuccessfully to buy water from the state to meet its growing needs, filed a federal suit in 2007 claiming Oklahoma’s moratorium on out-of-state water sales violates interstate commerce laws.
That moratorium ends this year, a month before the federal suit is scheduled to go to trial in Oklahoma City.
Swaying leadersOfficials with the water district and its Oklahoma-based lobbyists and public relations representatives have been trying recently to sway state legislators to clear the way for out-of-state water sales, while also trying to sway public opinion to favor them.
Watts, a Republican who is expected to announce his decision about running for governor before the end of the month, was at the state Capitol last week talking to key legislators; he told reporters he was looking at budget numbers. Watts was not available to talk about his work for the water district late last week.
The water district — which, according to filings in the U.S. Senate, has paid Watts’ firm $180,000 since early 2008 — had lobbyists in Washington before hiring Watts’ firm.
Chad Lorance, communications manager for the water district, said Watts’ firm "has provided us with guidance in D.C. and has also helped us understand the dynamics of water resource issues in Oklahoma.”
Watts has been out of Congress since early 2003, when he began public relations and consulting companies in Washington.
In the past few years, he has been a registered lobbyist for NASCAR and the American Civil Liberties Union. How his business activities might bear on a race for governor — should he decide to run — remains to be seen.
The dispute over out-of-state water sales could be resolved by the time the next Oklahoma governor is inaugurated in January 2011. Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson, a Democrat who is considering running for governor, has been defending the state in the suit brought by the Texas water district.
Federal focus
Steve Pruitt, a partner in Watts Partners, said the lobbying team for the water district works only on federal issues and is not involved in any way with the lawsuit or efforts to repeal or modify the moratorium. Pruitt said he has focused primarily on getting congressional approval and funding for a water district project involving the Trinity River.
Filings by Watts’ firm say it represents the water district on state regulatory issues and federal project authorization. But Pruitt said the regulatory issues don’t include the water sale dispute.
"We’re not a law firm; we’re a public relations firm,” Pruitt said. "We try to stay as far away from the legal stuff as we can get.”
He needs to stay in DC.
There was a time when J.C. Watts was a decent representative from Oklahoma and appeared to be a genuine conservative. What happened to him? Isn’t Mary Fallin going to run for governor? If she does, she will win. She should have run against Brad Henry years ago.
I got sick of hearing Watts on Hannity hemming and hawing on Obama. Racist.
Mary is definitely running and will win. I have her bumperstrip on the back of my car for Governor. Believe she may be the best qualified candidate we have had in years.
JC Watts looks to have sold out to be a lobbyists. Have to play both sides it looks like. He was conservative at one time but not anymore when he flirted with Obama for President because Obama was black and then chastised the racism in the GOP which made my blood boil since we overwhelmingly elected JC to Congress every time.
That makes two of us. He was pretty much in the Obama corner all during the election and only near the end did he say he wouldn’t support him, but I still have my doubts.
Fallin for OK Governor in ‘10 !
Had two more Dems confirm that JC had a picnic in Eufaula last summer where he handed out Obama t-shirts to the people which tells me it was a Dem event because I don’t know any self-respecting Republican that would want an Obama shirt.
If you want on
or off this list
Freepmail me.
bttt
BTTT
Thanks for the ping!
:-)
You’re welcome. Sometimes I catch ‘em...sometimes I don’t.
Color trumps everything....for some people.
Which begs the question....Who's the racist now?
Why Mary Fallin? Honestly, the system must be rigged. We have somebody’s hand-picked nominee foisted on us (think Bush 1 and 2, Dole, McCain) before the primaries even begin.
Mary Fallin is always bringing up the fact that she is a single mother, as if that qualifies her for public office. Who made her the front runner anyway?
The punch line? "Run to daylight." George Will gets credit, IMO, for having him nailed from the start.
The punch line? "Run to daylight." George Will gets credit, IMO, for having him nailed from the start.
George Will sure did get it right. As a voter in the 4th District I feel taken by JC.
Couldn’t believe it when I saw this yesterday — how stupid is all I could think!
I can’t stand slooooow talking BS.
It's especially bad that this comes to light within what, a week(?) of the death of his good friend, (at least so he claimed) Jack Kemp.
I can’t stand *his* slooooow talking BS.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.