Who’d have thought Danny Fortson would wield so much influence over his new paymasters? From the Stranger’s Josh Feit. (link swiped from True Hoop)
The campaign finance records I’ve reviewed show that Sonics/Storm co-owner Tom Ward (above) has contributed $475,000 to Gary L. Bauer’s Americans United to Preserve Marriage. And another Sonics/Storm co-owner, Aubrey McClendon, contributed $625,000.
Both men made their first contributions to the group, $250,000 apiece, on September 8, 2004, the day after the group was formed.
As I said, the controversial group doled out $1,056,962 in the 2004 election cycle, which means Storm owners Ward and McClendon basically bankrolled the whole thing. Indeed, records show that between the 2004 and 2006 cycles the group spent $1.3 million total while Ward and McClendon’s donations total $1.1 million.
Amongst the pithier reader comments,
“I will feel especially good about NOT going to see any Sonics games ever.”
“There is no way in Hell that one PENNY of our tax dollars should be used to build these fuckers another sports arena so that they can continue to transfer funds from that enterprise to their favorite hate groups.”
“Clay Bennett gave money to Pat Buchanan, Tom Coburn, Bush I, Bush II, Bill Frist and others.
Howard Schultz ran the Sonics into the ground, but at least his politics were somewhat reflective of the community’s.”
“Clay Bennett & gang’s politics are reflective of the community. Only that community is Oklahoma City.”