Cornett backers donate to super PAC

A super PAC supporting Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett’s candidacy for governor raised $165,000 from four people in the last three months of 2017, helping bridge a big gap between Cornett’s own campaign contributions and those of his top competitors.

Oklahoma Values, a political action committee formed last July, has now raised $390,000; the group has purchased airtime in Tulsa for an ad promoting Cornett, a Republican, in his primary race for governor.

Public disclosure reports filed by Tulsa television stations show ad time was bought for most of January into the first days of February. Cornett is well known in the Oklahoma City media market but has low name recognition in Tulsa.

Donations to super PACs are not subject to the same limits as those to campaigns.

The groups cannot contribute to candidates and must operate independently from them.

According to reports filed with the Oklahoma Ethics Commission, Richard Tanenbaum, CEO of Gardner Tanenbaum Holdings, donated $100,000 in the fourth quarter; John D. Cresap, CEO of Cresap Capital, donated $50,000; Steve Dixon, CEO of Tapstone Energy, donated $10,000; and Christian Keesee, of Kirkpatrick Bank, donated $5,000.

All are from Oklahoma City and all have donated to Cornett's gubernatorial campaign.

The group's first report last year showed two donors: Sue Ann Arnall, of Essay Investments, of Oklahoma City, gave $200,000; and Mo Anderson, of Waukomis, vice chairman of Keller Williams International, gave $25,000.

Arnall and Anderson also donated the $2,700 maximum to Cornett's primary campaign.

Campaign finance reports filed this week showed Cornett started the year with $2 million less in the bank than Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb, a primary opponent, and $1 million less than Tulsa businessman Kevin Stitt.