By ANDREW W. GRIFFIN

Oklahoma Watchdog, editor

Posted: July 16, 2010

andrew@oklahomawatchdog.org

OKLAHOMA CITY – Scott Pruitt, one of the Republican candidates for Oklahoma Attorney General, may be misrepresenting his record on Constitutional law, according to sources who do not want to reveal their identities.

A former state senator from Broken Arrow, Pruitt, 42, is an attorney in Tulsa and a part owner of the Oklahoma City RedHawks baseball team.

Reports to the Oklahoma Watchdog tip line claim Pruitt’s record is not as he presents it.

Multiple attempts to reach the Pruitt campaign via e-mail and phone were unsuccessful.

In the Oklahoma County Republican Party 2010 Lincoln Day Dinner’s program and candidate guide, Pruitt is referred to as “one of our state’s foremost experts in the area of Constitutional law.”

Pruitt states in campaign literature released in May, “I’ve spent my career studying Constitutional Law. It’s what I do well.”

In a video for the Oklahoma Press Association, Pruitt states his positions, adding, “I’ve been a 17-year practicing attorney, with a focus on Constitutional law for these last 17 years.”

Court documents, including online information from the Oklahoma Supreme Court Network and the federal PACER network, show Pruitt has had minimal experience practicing law. His last time to enter an appearance as an attorney of record in any court or case was in 2002.

Pruitt stresses he is very supportive of the U.S. Constitution and claims he will defend the freedoms and liberties of Oklahomans if elected. However, he does not specify what he has done to practice Constitutional law in the past, citing no specific examples.

Going further back, it was 1994 when Pruitt is shown to have addressed Constitutional law. In the case, Sharp v. Tulsa County Election Board, Pruitt worked with the Oklahoma Constitution, not the U.S. Constitution.

His campaign Web site states: “After working his way through law school at the University of Tulsa, Scott ventured into private practice. Instead of taking the traditional route, however, Scott specialized in Constitutional Law. The first case Scott Pruitt ever took was to defend the religious liberty of Oklahomans working for the state government. Scott helped a state employee who had been fired for holding a Bible study in her home and took on the Attorney General and won. Because of his hard work and knowledge of Constitutional law, Scott’s client returned to her job and the thousands of men and women who work for the state government are now more able to freely express and develop their personal faith.”

Again, Pruitt highlights his Constitutional law credentials.

A source in the field of law and close to Oklahoma Watchdog noted that he has looked at Pruitt’s record and is not impressed.

“You’ve got to have skills to represent people of the state,” the source said. “But to never try a case, never prosecute at all … there are some serious issues here. I think it matters.”

Concerns over the ambiguous term “Constitutional lawyer” are to be expected another insider said.

Running against Pruitt in the Republican primary is Panhandle native and former Gov. Frank Keating’s son-in-law Ryan Leonard.

Copyright 2010 Oklahoma Watchdog