J.C. Watts–Lobbyist or Governor?
May 11, 2009 by LD Jackson · 3 Comments
If you have read many of my articles about Washington politics, you will find it no secret that I have an innate distrust of lobbyists. Part of this stems from the fact that a lot of them are former members of Congress and are using the connections from their previous employment to enhance their lobbying activities. I am not alone in this dislike; President Obama has even weighed in on the subject by banning most former lobbyists from his administration.
I wrote an article last week that talked about J.C. Watts’ possible run for governor in Oklahoma and at that time, I mentioned that I was not sure who I would support for the office. That statement still holds true, but I do have a question concerning Watts’ lobbying activities after he declined to run for reelection in 2002. It has to do with a north Texas water district that is suing Oklahoma, trying to force our home state to sell it water. Watts and his company have been registered lobbyists for the water district since 2007.
According to The Oklahoman, Watts’ and his company are not directly involved with the lawsuit against Oklahoma, but rather are involved in trying to get approval for a federal water project for the Trinity River area.
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.”
I hope this holds true, especially if Watts does announce a run for governor of Oklahoma, as he is expected to do. We need a governor who will put our state first and foremost, before any other interests he may have on the federal level.
I am not saying this constitutes a conflict of interest on the part of J.C. Watts, but I do think it bears a closer examination. We have seen an increase in the influence of lobbyists on Washington politics and I am not at all sure we need to see that influence transferred to state politics, either in Oklahoma or any other state.
Just something to think about as the governor’s race draws closer. What are your thoughts about this?
I think that this could sink J.C.’s chances of winning, especially if it does turn out that he has been involved in lobbying on the water sale/suit. That issue is a sure-fire way to lose in southern and/or rural Oklahoma.
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I think you are right, Jamison. I like J.C. Watts, but I am not sure we need a lobbyist in the governor’s office.
Although I too would look seriously at any potential skeletons in Watts’ closet, I think he represents a huge Republican opportunity — to fill state governor’s offices with passionate conservatives. Michigan, Oklahoma, New York, and several other states are going to be up in 2010 and 2012, and many of these states are coming off of 8 years or more of Democratic rule. The 1994 Republican revolution was preceded by a Republican revolution at the state level — Republicans like Tommy Thompson and John Engler who led marginally Republican or even Democratic legislatures to enact welfare reform, tax cuts, and other conservative legislative priorities.
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