Opinion ID: 741895
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Mason's Version of Events

Text: 8 At trial, Mason elicited testimony which, if believed, established the following facts. Late in Richard Ridings' term as Managing Director, OTA member Sam Scott began pressuring Ridings to find work at the OTA for James Beach, a long-time, active Democratic supporter who was experiencing health problems and badly needed both a job and health benefits. App. Vol. III at 728.9. Governor Walters' chief of staff, Jerry Goodman, also pressured Ridings to hire Beach. Id. at 843. Succumbing to this pressure, Ridings asked Mason to interview Beach and hire him on a temporary contract. Ridings described Sam Scott to Mason as an old-guard type politician who believed in political patronage hiring. Id. at 728.10. Although Mason did not consider Beach particularly qualified for any available position at the OTA, Ridings told Mason to hire Beach on a temporary contract because they needed to keep in good standing with the Democrats who were in the administration at that point. Id. 9 As Beach's temporary contract neared expiration, Scott pulled Mason into an office and asked if Mason had found a way to permanently employ Beach. Mason expressed his opinion to Scott that the OTA could not lawfully hire Beach to a permanent position because all the exempt positions were filled and Beach had not satisfied the requirements for hiring under the civil service system. Scott replied, Horse manure. I don't care what the problem is, I want you to hire Mr. Beach or he'll have your job one of these days. Id. at 729-30. Not long after this conversation, Ridings received instructions from OTA member James Orbison to hire Beach as an independent contractor to work in the area of patron services and community relations. Beach received such a contract, even though Ridings considered it political patronage and a waste of OTA resources. Beach's status as an independent contractor, however, was still temporary and did not entitle him to health benefits. 10 In December 1992, Ridings left the OTA to enter private business. On February 6, 1993, Beach attended a fund-raising dinner for Governor Walters. Beach personally gave Jerry Goodman a $1000 campaign contribution for the Governor. Also in February 1993, Governor Walters and Goodman interviewed Terry Young for the Managing Director position left vacant by Ridings. Young is a prominent Oklahoma Democrat who has served as Mayor of the City of Tulsa, as a Tulsa County Commissioner, and as a member of both the Democratic National Committee and the Executive Committee of the Democratic Party of Oklahoma. App. Vol. VI at 1687-88. After Young's interview, the OTA members were informed that Young was the Governor's choice for Managing Director, and they appointed Young to that position on February 19, 1993. 11 On March 13, 1993, Mason discussed with Young a proposed plan to construct a new Coweta Toll Plaza in Scott's district. As initially conceived, the toll plaza project would be financed with surplus funds from other projects. Mason informed Young that the OTA could not lawfully commit surplus funds to the Coweta Toll Plaza until previously-committed projects were declared complete in accordance with the trust agreement. Furthermore, Mason doubted that any surplus funds actually would be available after proper accounting. Young responded that Scott would be very displeased to hear Mason's opinion because Scott strongly desired to have the project completed. App. Vol. III at 741. 12 On March 16, 1993, Scott discussed Mason's opinion with Jim Berry, an OTA engineer. According to Berry, Scott was extremely upset about Mason's opposition, and he wanted Berry to go talk to [Mason] and straighten him out. App. Vol. IV at 892. Scott told Berry that if Mason would not withdraw his opposition, then Scott would see if we couldn't get a new chief financial officer. Id. 13 After talking to Berry, Scott contacted Mason directly. Mason again explained his opinion that the Coweta Toll Plaza could not be financed with surplus funds. Scott replied, I'll make no bones about it; you're obstructing this project, and if you continue to obstruct this project, I'll have your job. Appellant' App. Vol. III at 743. Mason did not change his position. 14 Three days later, on March 19, 1993, Young met with Scott, who then served as Chairman of the OTA's personnel committee. App. Vol. V at 1248. Although Mason could not present any evidence of what occurred during this meeting, the first written record of a plan to discharge Mason was completed on that day. App. Vol. VI at 1613. On March 22, Young terminated Mason without notice, telling Mason that the personnel committee had approved the discharge. App. Vol. III at 754-55. After Mason's discharge, Young changed the title of Chief Financial Officer back to principal assistant. Young then hired James Beach as principal assistant on April 1, 1993, even though Young had never interviewed Beach, had not received any formal evaluations of his previous work at the OTA, and had met Beach only briefly eight years earlier. App. Vol. V at 1276-77. Young transferred Mason's previous financial duties to other OTA employees, and assigned Beach the primary responsibility of public and patron relations.