For Immediate Release: May 23, 2006


Senator Glenn Coffee

Sen. Coffee: State Will Pay a High Price If Sen. Mike Morgan Shuts Down State Government

- Gov. Henry Can’t Stop Shutdown – Unless He Convinces Senate Dems to Compromise

Senate Republican Leader Glenn Coffee said Tuesday that the Democrat leader of the State Senate is trying to force a government shutdown, and said the state would pay a high price if Senate President Pro Tem Mike Morgan succeeds.

“Our state will pay a high price if Sen. Morgan succeeds in shutting down the state government,” Coffee said. “State employees will be furloughed and state agencies will be shuttered. State troopers won’t be patrolling our highways. Corrections officers won’t be guarding prisoners. DHS caseworkers won’t be investigating child abuse. Poor children won’t get their health care.”

Morgan, D-Stillwater, continues to say ‘no’ to reasonable, bipartisan compromises offered by House Speaker Todd Hiett, a Republican, and Gov. Brad Henry, a Democrat. Coffee believes Morgan’s stubbornness is part of a larger plot by Senate Democrats to shut down the state government for political gain.

“Sen. Morgan has been talking for months about the need for a special session on the budget. I now believe that Sen. Morgan and the Senate’s old guard liberals have planned all along to force an election-year shutdown of the state government,” said Coffee, R-Oklahoma City.

Coffee said he doesn’t place much stock in Henry’s promise on Monday that he would not “allow” a government shutdown to occur.

“If Mike Morgan and the old guard liberals want to shutdown government for political reasons it will happen, and the governor can’t stop it. Gov. Henry needs to show leadership and convince Sen. Morgan to compromise,” Coffee said.

July 1 is the beginning of the state’s new fiscal year. A government shutdown will occur if a budget is not in place by then.

For more information, contact:
Senate Republican Leadership Assistant's Office: (405) 521-5654