By ANDREW W. GRIFFIN

Oklahoma Watchdog, editor

Posted: July 22, 2010

andrew@oklahomawatchdog.org

OKLAHOMA CITY — After resigning as longtime chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party last month, Cache resident Gary Jones has begun campaigning for the position of State Auditor and Inspector, a position he has desired for a long time.

And a matter of weeks into the campaign, Jones said he “is convinced he made the right decision.”

Jones is not one to give up easily. He has run for the position twice before in the past decade, receiving 49 percent and 48 percent of the vote in 2002 and 2006, respectively. Ironically, Jones was beat by Democrat Jeff McMahan, who in June 2008 was convicted on federal bribery charges, along with his wife Lori McMahan.

Jeff McMahan was sentenced to eight years in prison and his wife was sentenced to six years. Jones played a major role in that investigation which involved McMahan “showing favoritism as auditor to businessman Steve Phipps in exchange for cash, jewelry, campaign contributions, fishing trips, and trips to places like New Orleans and Boston,” according to The Oklahoman.

And Jones has a solid record. As he notes in his campaign literature, he has “uncovered more fraud and corruption in Oklahoma state government than the last three state auditors combined.”

“I have the tenacity and attitude to want to change things for the better,” Jones said. “My moral compass is strong.”

As Jones explains it, the State Auditor and Inspector has the important role of “protecting the taxpayers from waste and mismanagement in state and county government.”

A Certified Public Accountant and Certified Fraud Examiner, Jones, a native of Comanche County, got his degree in Business Administration from Cameron University in Lawton and was also County Commissioner. It was during his four-year term that he helped see to it that his district built 34 new bridges that were needed.

And while he worked as GOP chairman for Oklahoma, he oversaw the 2008 Republican sweep of all 77 counties going for John McCain over Barack Obama. Oklahoma was the only state to achieve that.

Back in Comanche County, where he farms and has raised his family, Jones said he takes pride in his prior accomplishments.

“I like to see the roads we’ve built, the bridges we’ve built,” he said.

Jones criticized current auditor Steve Burrage, noting that rather than diving directly into auditing issues, he was more concerned with “appearances.”

“One of the first things they did was remodel the office and buy new furniture,” Jones said.

Burrage will face the winner in Tuesday’s primary, where Jones faces Edmond resident David Hanigar.

For Jones, the top auditing job in the state is about making sure things are being done right and people are held accountable. In his many years in management and leadership, Jones said he always likes to lead by example and show subordinates that they should be proud of their job and what they are accomplishing.

“I have a passion for the job,” Jones said. “I see how government can be more efficient and more effective.”

Jones said he wants to eliminate duplication of services and he also wants to see what other states are doing

“The last thing I want to do is reinvent the wheel,” he said, adding, “I’ve never been afraid of hard work. I lead by example.” he said.

Jones said he wants to run an “open and transparent” office. He also believes Oklahoma has had too few performance audits. Those would increase under his leadership.

“I’ll look for the economically feasible way to solve a problem,” he added. “I will be looking for the overall solution that is in the best interest of the citizens of Oklahoma.”

He said his goal is to work as State Auditor for eight years but if he gets done what he hopes to accomplish in four years, he would not seek re-election.

And while he is not one to make a big deal about titles, there are two titles he is rather fond of.

“The best titles are ‘Daddy’ and ‘Papa Gary,’” he said.

For more information go to www.jonesauditor.com.

Copyright 2010 Oklahoma Watchdog