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Bob Cullison
Member of the Oklahoma Tax Commission
In office
February 21, 1995 – August 1, 1997
Preceded byBob Wadley
Succeeded byJerry Johnson
President pro tempore of the Oklahoma Senate
In office
January 5, 1988 – 1995
Preceded byRodger Randle
Succeeded byStratton Taylor
Member of the Oklahoma Senate
from the 34th district
In office
1979–1995
Preceded byBob Shatwell
Succeeded byGrover Campbell
Member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives
from the 74th district
In office
1973–1979
Preceded byJerry Hargrave
Succeeded byRodney Hargrave
Personal details
Born
Robert Virl Cullison

(1936-12-22)December 22, 1936
Turley, Oklahoma, U.S.
DiedMay 18, 2021(2021-05-18) (aged 84)
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseCleo Francilla Cranford
Children2
EducationBaylor University (BS)
Military service
Branch/service United States Marine Corps
UnitUnited States Marine Corps Reserve

Robert Virl Cullison (December 22, 1936 – May 18, 2021) was an American politician who served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from the 74th district from 1973 to 1979, in the Oklahoma Senate from the 34th district from 1979 to 1995, and as President pro tempore of the Oklahoma Senate from 1988 to 1995, as a member of the Democratic Party.

Early life and education

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Cullison was born in Turley, Oklahoma, on December 22, 1936, to O. G. Cullison and Georgia Lucille. Cullison graduated from Baylor University with a degree in business administration and served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve. He married Cleo Francilla Cranford, with whom he had two children, on October 26, 1963.[1][2][3][4]

Career

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Oklahoma House of Representatives

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Cullison served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1973 to 1979.[1] During the 1976 election Cullison faced a primary challenge from Billy Mack Rountree.[5]

Cullison was appointed to serve on the six-member Wildlife Task Force Committee in 1976.[6]

Oklahoma Senate

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Bob Cullison's lieutenant gubernatorial campaign logo

On May 30, 1978, Cullison announced that he would seek the Democratic nomination for a seat in the Oklahoma Senate that was held by Democratic Senator Bob Shatwell, who was facing charges of perjury after he stated that he was kidnapped and robbed in 1977.[7] Shatwell ran for reelection and was found innocent of the perjury charges.[8] Cullison won the primary against three other candidates and a recount, ordered by Shatwell who paid the $500 fee, ruled that Cullison had won.[9][10][11]

He was appointed to serve on the Wildlife Task Force Committee in 1980.[12] Cullison served as vice-chair of the Business and Labor committee.[13]

Cullison and Speaker Glen D. Johnson Jr. filed a lawsuit to the Oklahoma Supreme Court to challenge two partial vetoes done by Governor David Walters against two pieces of legislation in 1991. House Bill 1271, which was appropriated $4 million to multiple agencies, saw parts of the bill that dealing with space and the negotiation of the purchase of a warehouse vetoed. House Bill 1743, which gave authorization for the Oklahoma Water Resources Board to sell its surplus water from the Sardis Reservoir, saw parts of the bill that dealt with space allocation at the Oklahoma State Capitol building vetoed. Walters stated that he had the right to use a line-item veto as both bills had multiple subjects which violated the Constitution of Oklahoma, but Cullison and Johnson stated that the constitution did not give Walters the right to choose which parts of a substantive bill to pass.[14] The Oklahoma Corporation Commission voted two to one in favor of supporting Walters in the lawsuit and Assistant Attorney General Neal Leader filed a brief in support of Walters.[15][16] The Supreme Court ruled that Walters had no authority to veto non-appropriation sections of legislation while approving non-appropriation sections in the same piece of legislation, but the court also restricted logrolling by the legislature.[17]

In 1986, Cullison was selected by the Democratic caucus to succeed Rodger Randle as President pro tempore of the Oklahoma Senate, who was retiring, starting in 1989.[18][19] However, he became the President pro tempore on January 5, 1988, instead as Randle had left the office to run for mayor of Tulsa.[3] He was appointed to serve another two years as President pro tempore in 1990.[20] He was given an additional two years later in 1990, which made him the longest serving leader in Oklahoma's history at the time.[21] In 1995, Stratton Taylor succeeded Cullison as President pro tempore following Cullison's unsuccessful lieutenant gubernatorial campaign.[22]

Cullison announced that he would not run in the 1994 gubernatorial election and would instead seek reelection to the state senate.[23] However, he later announced that he would run for the Democratic nomination for Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma.[24] During the campaign he was endorsed by the Oklahoma Fraternal Order of Police and by the Oklahoma Education Association.[25][26] Larry Weatherford served as Cullison's campaign manager.[27] He called for Nance Diamond, his opponent in the lieutenant gubernatorial primary runoff, to be prosecuted by the Oklahoma Ethics Commission for not disclosing some of her campaign contributions.[28] Cullison placed second to Nance Diamond in the initial primary, but lost in the runoff election.[29][30] Diamond lost in the general election to Republican nominee Mary Fallin.[31]

Later career

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Governor Walters appointed Cullison to replace Bob Wadley on the Oklahoma Tax Commission in 1994.[32] On December 20, Oklahoma County District Attorney Robert H. Macy asked for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to start an investigation into stock transaction that involved Cullison, Senator Cal Hobson, former city councilor Pete White, and lobbyist Mike Williams. Cullison and Hobson both received $4,117 from Williams that involved the stock of a company which wanted legislation passed.[33] Governor Frank Keating asked for Cullison's nomination to the tax commission to be delayed until the inquiry was completed.[34] Despite the investigation, Cullison was approved by the state senate by a vote of 34 to 12.[35] A grand jury voted in 1996, to not indict Hobson, Cullison, White, and Williams for the transactions, but called for legislators and public officials to be barred from business dealings with lobbyists.[36]

Cullison served on the three-member tax commission until his resignation on August 1, 1997, and he was replaced by Jerry Johnson, a Democrat who was appointed by Keating.[37] He became the director of state government relations for the Oklahoma Bankers Association and became executive vice-president in the organization.[38] Cullison died on May 18, 2021.[1]

Political positions

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Cullison refused to allow legislation which required the chemical castration of sex offenders to be considered in the Oklahoma Senate, stating that it would hurt the image of Oklahoma and that chemical castration was not a solution.[39]

Electoral history

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1978 Oklahoma Senate 34th district Democratic primary[40]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Bob Cullison 3,721 50.69%
Democratic Bob Shatwell (incumbent) 1,622 22.10%
Democratic Carl Ruff 1,089 14.84%
Democratic Art Nave 908 12.37%
Total votes 7,340 100.00%
1994 Oklahoma Lieutenant Governor Democratic primary[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Nance Diamond 156,624 36.80%
Democratic Bob Cullison 118,210 27.78%
Democratic Dave McBride 101,533 23.86%
Democratic Walt Roberts 49,207 11.56%
Total votes 425,574 100.00%
1994 Oklahoma Lieutenant Governor Democratic runoff primary[30]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Nance Diamond 210,031 56.32%
Democratic Bob Cullison 162,920 43.68%
Total votes 372,951 100.00%

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Former lawmaker, Senate leader Bob Cullison dies Tuesday". Tulsa World. May 18, 2021. Archived from the original on May 20, 2021.
  2. ^ "Cranford-Cullison Vows Exchanged Saturday". The Skiatook News. October 31, 1963. p. 1. Archived from the original on May 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ a b "Top senate job changes hands". Sapulpa Daily Herald. November 22, 1987. p. 6. Archived from the original on May 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Robert V. Cullison Obituary". The Oklahoman. May 21, 2021. Archived from the original on May 23, 2021.
  5. ^ "Two Seek Seats In District 4". The Daily Oklahoman. August 11, 1976. p. 51. Archived from the original on May 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Field Chairs Wildlife Committee". The McIntosh County Democrat. July 1, 1976. p. 8. Archived from the original on May 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Shatwell Due Election Foe". The Daily Oklahoman. May 31, 1978. p. 17. Archived from the original on May 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Shatwell Aims At Re-Election". The Daily Oklahoman. July 8, 1978. p. 1. Archived from the original on May 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "2 Senate Incumbents Defeated". The Daily Oklahoman. August 24, 1978. p. 18. Archived from the original on May 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Recount Asked By 2 Hopefuls". The Daily Oklahoman. August 26, 1978. p. 53. Archived from the original on May 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "2 Races Recounted". The Daily Oklahoman. September 3, 1978. p. 4. Archived from the original on May 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Wildlife Task Force". Sapulpa Daily Herald. July 27, 1980. p. 9. Archived from the original on May 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "New Senate Committee System Pares Number of Panels From 26 to 12". The Daily Oklahoman. December 6, 1980. p. 19. Archived from the original on May 22, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Court Fight Looms On Walters' Vetoes". The Daily Oklahoman. July 16, 1991. p. 35. Archived from the original on May 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Commission Backs Walters in Veto Suit". The Daily Oklahoman. July 19, 1991. p. 15. Archived from the original on May 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Attorney General Backs Walters on Use of Veto". The Daily Oklahoman. July 30, 1991. p. 47. Archived from the original on May 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Court Restricts Veto Practices For Governor". The Daily Oklahoman. October 30, 1991. p. 1. Archived from the original on May 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Democrats Pick Leader for '89". The Daily Oklahoman. April 9, 1986. p. 4. Archived from the original on May 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "Cullison secures job". Sapulpa Daily Herald. April 9, 1986. p. 9. Archived from the original on May 22, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "Cullison Keeps Top Senate Post". The Daily Oklahoman. April 27, 1990. p. 6. Archived from the original on May 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ "Cullison Tenure Breaks Record". The Daily Oklahoman. December 5, 1990. p. 9. Archived from the original on May 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ "State House, Senate Elect Leaders Today". The Daily Oklahoman. January 3, 1995. p. 11. Archived from the original on May 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ "Cullison Rejects Governor Race". The Daily Oklahoman. February 4, 1994. p. 11. Archived from the original on May 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ "Cullison Joins Race For Lt. Governor". The Daily Oklahoman. June 29, 1994. p. 13. Archived from the original on May 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ "Police Group Backs Cullison In Runoff Race". The Daily Oklahoman. August 30, 1994. p. 10. Archived from the original on May 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ^ "Educators Endorsing Cullison". The Daily Oklahoman. September 16, 1994. p. 11. Archived from the original on May 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. ^ "Foe Criticizes Diamond on Loan for Ads". The Daily Oklahoman. September 14, 1994. p. 6. Archived from the original on May 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ^ "Cullison Asks Ethics Prosecution". The Daily Oklahoman. September 16, 1994. p. 12. Archived from the original on May 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. ^ a b "1994 Oklahoma Primary Results" (PDF). Oklahoma Secretary of State. p. 8. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 5, 2021.
  30. ^ a b "1994 Oklahoma Primary Runoff Results" (PDF). Oklahoma Secretary of State. p. 8. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 5, 2021.
  31. ^ "1994 Oklahoma General Election Results" (PDF). Oklahoma Secretary of State. p. 8. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 5, 2021.
  32. ^ "Cullison Soon to Get Tax Appointment". The Daily Oklahoman. November 17, 1994. p. 48. Archived from the original on May 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  33. ^ "Macy to Push Lobbyist Deals Inquiry". The Daily Oklahoman. January 26, 1995. p. 44. Archived from the original on May 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  34. ^ "Senate Delays Vote on Cullison For Stock Inquiry". The Daily Oklahoman. January 25, 1995. p. 1. Archived from the original on May 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  35. ^ "Senate Seats Cullison Despite Ethics Inquiry". The Daily Oklahoman. February 22, 1995. p. 91. Archived from the original on May 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  36. ^ "Grand Jury Urges Ethics Crackdown". The Daily Oklahoman. March 12, 1996. p. 33. Archived from the original on May 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  37. ^ "Tax Commissioner Cullison Resigns". The Daily Oklahoman. July 16, 1997. p. 10. Archived from the original on May 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  38. ^ "Former Senate leader Cullison joins Oklahoma bankers group". Okmulgee Daily Times. August 6, 1997. p. 2. Archived from the original on May 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  39. ^ "Senate Won't Consider Neuter Bill, Leader Says". The Daily Oklahoman. February 10, 1988. p. 31. Archived from the original on May 22, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  40. ^ "Shatwell Loses Bid for Runoff". The Daily Oklahoman. August 30, 1978. p. 7. Archived from the original on May 21, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
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