Family becomes focus of trial

Muskogee Daily Phoenix

August 1983

Family becomes focus of trial

By Jim East
Phoenix Staff Writer

    In five days of testimony, members of a longtime Adair County family have emerged as the central characters in the vote fraud trial of House Speaker Dan Draper and House Majority Floor Leader Joe Fitzgibbon.
    Draper and Fitzgibbon are accused of conspiring with unsuccessful legislative candidate Barney Girdner Jr. to rig the Sept. 21, 1982, primary runoff election of House District 86 in Adair County.
    Draper and his father, Dan Draper II sought Girdner’s support after the elder Draper beat Girdner in the Aug. 24 primary election. The elder Draper lost the runoff to Larry Adair, who also won the Nov. 2 general election.
    Barney Girdner Jr.’s support involved about 50 fraudulent absentee ballots he and other members of his family “controlled,” family members have testified.
    Although there are other family members, those mentioned in U.S. District Court so far include:

1. Dora “Mama Dode” Girdner of Stilwell Pleaded guilty June 24, 1983, to a federal misdemeanor charge of obstructing the mails on Aug. 19, 1982. Accused in trial testimony of “controlling” dozens of absentee ballots cast by rural Adair County residents. Expected to testify Monday.

2. L.J Ketcher, of Stillwell: Resident of Cave Springs school board and unindicted co-cospirator. Accused in testimony of helping Fitzgibbon notarize fraudulent ballots. Hasn’t been charged. Expected to testify Monday.

3. Chris Prewett of Sallisaw: Testified her sister, Betty Girdner, gave her an absentee ballot application so she could vote in Adair County. Hasn’t been charged.

4. Sherry Martin of Sallisaw: Testified her aunt, Betty Girdner, gave her an absentee application like Girdner gave her mother, Chris Prewett. Hasn’t been charged.

5. Donnie Martin of Sallisaw: Testified he also voted by absentee ballot after his mother-in-law, Chris Prewett, asked him to sign some papers. Hasn’t been charged.

6. Barney Girdner Jr. of Sallisaw: Pleaded guilty July 28 to conspiring with Draper and Fitzgibbon to rig the Sept. 21, 1982, runoff election and irregularities in the Aug. 24, 1982, primary election. Plea bargained with federal prosecutors that if he pleaded guilty his John and wife Betty would not be charged.

7. Betty Girdner of Sallisaw: Testified she “voted” Chris Prewett, Prewett’s daughter and Prewett’s son-in-law after registering them to vote in Adair County while they lived in Sequoyah County. Plea bargained with federal prosecutors that if she testified “truthfully” she wouldn’t be charged.

8. John Girdner of Sallisaw: Testified he illegally voted ballots and registered people in Muskogee and Arkansas to vote in Adair County. Plea bargained with federal prosecutors that if he testified “truthfully” he wouldn’t be charged.

9. Ruth Ann Hembree of Stilwell: An unindicted co-conspirator, but hasn’t been charged. Accused in trial testimony of voting other people’s ballots. Plea bargained with federal prosecutors that if she testified “truthfully” she wouldn’t be charged. Expected to testify Monday.

10. Ivan Hembree: Mentioned in trial testimony as being in an Adair County grocery store the night ballots were fraudulently voted and notarized. Hasn’t been accused of any wrongdoing or subpoenaed.

11. Barney Dale Girdner Jr. of Bunch: Hasn’t been charged or subpoenaed. Two witnesses testified he registered them to vote in Adair County even though they lived in Arkansas

12. Debbie Girdner of Bunch: Hasn’t been charged or subpoenaed. Mentioned in testimony of Leonard Bean, who testified he is Debbie’s uncle, and that her husband Barney dale Girdner Jr., registered him to vote.

13. Leonard Bean of Fort Smith, Ark.: Testified Barney Dale Girdner Jr. registered him to vote although Bean didn’t live in Adair County. Willinda Neale testified she signed a registration form when Bean wasn’t present. No charges filed against Bean.

14. Delano Bean of Fort Smith, Ark.: Testimony similar to Leonard Bean, her husband. No charges filed.

15. Dana Girdner Bliss of Sallisaw: Hasn’t been charged or subpoenaed. Her former husband testified she registered him to vote in Adair County without his knowledge.

16. James A. Bliss of Fort Bragg N.C.: Testified his ex-wife, Dana, admitted registering him to vote in Adair County. Bliss said he was in Egypt and unaware he had voted in a county he’d never lived in.

17. Joy B. Neale: Hasn’t been accused of any wrongdoing or subpoenaed, but briefly mentioned in testimony by her daughter, Willinda. Current residence unknown, but formerly lived in Stilwell.

18. Charles Neale: Hasn’t been charged or subpoenaed. Daughter Willinda testified he once was investigated for absentee ballot irregularities in Adair County and he got her a job as a voter registrar. Current residence unknown, but formerly lived in Stilwell.

19. Willinda Neale of Coffeyville, Kan.: Testified that while she was living in Stilwell she illegally registered people in Muskogee and Arkansas to vote in Adair County and gave blank absentee ballots to uncle Barney Girdner. No charges filed.

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