Did Cherokees, Cannabis or Paycom Pay Dark Money Lobbyist J.C. Watts to Endorse Hofmeister?

How to Steal a State: Midterm Minute - November 6, 2022

Within this brief Midterm Minute:

• J.C. Watts ad endorsing Hofmeister is courtesy of cannabis backed Imagine This Oklahoma.

• J.C. Watts and The Steal Team go way back. Watts sold Oklahoma out long ago.

• Watts leveraged fame for big DC money, became dark money bundler and major lobbyist.

• Cherokees are lobbying client of Watts Partners.

• Paycom tech tyrant Richison has Watts on board.

J.C. Watts ad endorsing Hofmeister is courtesy of cannabis backed Imagine This Oklahoma.

Cannabis industry PAC ad features J.C. Watts’ endorsement of Hofmeister.

In a not surprising and meticulously timed November surprise, former Congressman J.C. Watts (well-known RHINO) endorsed Joy Hofmeister (D) for governor. Watts’ praise of Hofmeister for her “faith and integrity” is tough to take seriously once you learn that the ad where he made his endorsement, and Watts himself, are connected to several groups and industries trying to oust Stitt. You can practically smell the money changing hands in this charade.

The political endorsement ad was sponsored by cannabis funded PAC Imagine This Oklahoma. The V1SUT Vantage has reported extensively on shell PAC Imagine This Oklahoma.

Link to previous reporting on Imagine This Oklahoma.

After missing required OEC reporting deadlines by as much as two months, this shady PAC created by Danielle Ezell of Heartland Campaigns and Mattise Group, under public pressure brought by this publication, constituents and State Representative Justin (JJ) Humphrey (R), finally revealed its funder, Oklahoma Forward.

Oklahoma Forward, also the majority funder of The Oklahoma Project, another Hofmeister helping PAC, appears to be all cannabis money funneled through pot attorney Brian Ted Jones. In all, Oklahoma Forward has contributed $6.4 million to these two Stitt-bashing entities.

J.C. Watts and The Steal Team go way back. Watts sold Oklahoma out long ago.

If you’ve read the How to Steal a State series from the beginning, you know Watts as mentor to Chad Alexander, coordinator of Hofmeister’s 2014 dark money OPSE. Alexander’s arrest related to cocaine and pills resulted in the seizure of his devices. Those devices revealed Hofmeister and the education unions were illegally coordinating dark money with the help of several unscrupulous political consultants, including Alexander. The OPSE scandal and investigation resulted in felony charges being brought against Hofmeister and four others.

Chad Alexander

Alexander learned his political skills from Watts. From How to Steal a State Season 2 (Dark Money Matters):

Alexander cut his teeth on J.C. Watts’ first campaign. In 1994, fresh out of college at the University of Oklahoma, Alexander worked for Watts (R), the former OU quarterback turned politician who served as a U.S. Congressman before “retiring” in 2002. Unfortunately, Watts remained confused during his time in Congress as to whether his primary role was to serve the people or his lobbying clients, ranging from the water to the telephone industries.

Watts leveraged fame for big DC money, became a big dark money bundler and leveraging lobbyist.

Also, from How to Steal a State Season 2 (Dark Money Matters):

Watts quickly moved on from elected life to serve an expansive list of industries, organizations and special interests as a fulltime D.C. lobbyist. Watts Partners, under the umbrella of J.C. Watts Companies, quickly became a top bundler of dark money, a practice that combines funds from multiple interests and industries to catapult selected candidates in or out of office. Can you just feel the power being ripped from the people? Thanks, J.C.! Touchdown for you. A disaster for Sooners. Oklahomans cheered for Watts, then Baptist Youth Minister Watts cashed out on them. At least we know where young Alexander’s skillset was acquired.

Cherokees are lobbying client of Watts Partners.

It would not be surprising if Watts is profiting from his insincere endorsement of Hofmeister or even bundling funds from the tribes and cannabis industry in the avalanche of money attacking incumbent Stitt. His Watts Partners lobbying firm lists the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee, a federally recognized Cherokee tribe headquarted in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, as a client on their website.

It’s no secret the tribes of Oklahoma want complete control of Eastern Oklahoma and Hofmeister as the governor who will take their orders. The United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee have enlisted the services of Watts’ lobbying firm for something.

Paycom tech tyrant Richison has Watts on board

Watts is also all tied up with Oklahoma’s tech tyrant Chad Richison, founder of Paycom. Watts is a current member of the Paycom board.

Paycom Board of Directors from company website

Not only has Richison been a generous donor to all of Hofmeister’s campaigns, he gave to the Joy Hofmeister Defense Fund to help her shake those pesky felonies from her illegal coordination of her dark money group OPSE. Strangely, Richison slipped his $20,000 to the defense fund nearly two years after Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater (D) dropped all charges against Hofmeister with no public explanation. The evidence against Hofmeister and the others was overwhelming, yet she was set free with a pile of billionaire bucks and no need for a lawyer to spend it on.

Paycom founder Chad Richison and wife Charis

Richison became locally infamous after demanding Governor Stitt lock up businesses (except Richison’s) and go on a masking spree in 2020. As previously reported, Richison is a progressive manipulanthropist, having donated to influence public television, public policy and public schools in the state.

As for Watts’ endorsement of Hofmeister, once again voters can safely let the “faith” claims go in one ear and out the other. Watts seems to be in a position to profit from this endorsement and has always been a grifter in a church suit. Vote wisely, Oklahoma.