On the surface this makes for a convincing story for those who may not be informed of the circumstances and timing. Circumstances were that the Attorney General had a history of ignoring all fraud and corruption related to politics and government. Within a 3 week period in March and April 2007, the Attorney General was connected with two separate campaign fund violations. Then within days the Attorney General announced the indictment of a Oklahoma County Commissioner and had invited himself to visit the U.S. Attorney handling the Stipe campaign donation investigation. An investigation that Attorney General name had been tied to. Then immediately informs the news media in time to get a headline story in the weekend edition.
See foot note about his family's political connections with Gene Stipe. [Ref N103]

For more see - Attorney General spooked into knee jerk reactions

State prosecutors may file state charges over an alleged illegal campaign-contribution scheme orchestrated by former state Sen. Gene Stipe, The Oklahoman has learned.

Attorney General Drew Edmondson confirmed he has met with U.S. Attorney Sheldon Sperling about the federal investigation into the alleged "straw donor" scheme.

"We have offered our services," Edmondson said. "And, if there are any charges that they can't reach federally that they would like us to take state action on, they will refer those to us."

The FBI and a federal Grand Jury are investigating allegations Stipe and a former business partner, Steve Phipps, used straw donors to funnel excessive contributions "to a number of political campaigns over a long period of time."

A straw donor is someone who donates someone else's money, typically as a way to get around limits on how much one donor can give.

The FBI has specifically alleged straw donors were used to finance U.S. Rep. Dan Boren's 2004 campaign although agents say there is no evidence Boren knew. One of the alleged straw donors has testified she used money from Phipps to donate to Boren and to state Auditor Jeff McMahan.

Straw donors also may have been used to make excessive donations to Gov. Brad Henry and former state Rep. Mike Mass, records show.

Edmondson said Friday he and a top assistant, Joel-lyn McCormick, met with Sperling, the U.S. attorney in Muskogee. He said McCormick also has spoken separately with the federal prosecutor.

McCormick is the assistant in charge of advising the state's multicounty Grand Jury.

He said the U.S. prosecutor "indicated a willingness to work with us, and if there is anything that we should be handling ... they will so advise."

No charges have been filed out of the new investigation. The federal Grand Jury meets again this week.

Stipe, 80, is on probation through 2009 over his admitted use of a straw donor scheme to finance Walt Roberts' unsuccessful congressional campaign in 1998. A federal judge could be asked to revoke Stipe's probation and send Stipe to federal prison because of the new allegations.

Stipe admitted illegally funneling $245,189 of his own money into Roberts' campaign.