Coffee Controversy

Should State Senate President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee resign his leadership position in the Oklahoma Legislature?

Coffee, a Republican, has been the subject of a media controversy ever since it was learned the Internal Revenue Service filed a $28,822 lien against him for taxes he owed. Coffee said he paid the taxes with a loan he received, but he refuses to divulge much information about it.

Who loaned him the money? What did he put up as collateral to get the loan? These are simple, basic questions. Why does Coffee refuse to share this basic information? His evasiveness creates speculation that he is hiding something, according to an editorial in the Tulsa World.

It also came to light recently that Coffee had failed to pay traffic tickets dating back to 2000.

The Coffee tax and ticket controversy is similar to the media swirl last year when it was learned former House Speaker Lance Cargill, another Republican, and some other legislators, including Democrats, were late in paying taxes. Cargill later resigned his leadership position.

Coffee’s position as a top leader in state government demands he exhibit integrity, especially when it comes to handling his own taxes. His refusal to be more open about the loan he received to pay off the taxes creates an unneeded aura of secrecy around the issue.