Opinion ID: 1111135
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: history of succession

Text: The text of 45 O.S.Supp. 1995 § 1(A) [3] provides that an appointment to the Commission's position number 2 shall be for a two-year term. Thus far five appointments have been made to that post: (a) Amzi Gossard was initially appointed for a two -year term (ending January 1, 1988); [4] (b) Charles Campbell was then appointed for a seven -year term (ending January 1, 1995); [5] (c) Bennie Cox, the petitioner herein, was first appointed October 8, 1993 to fill Campbell's unexpired term [6] and then reappointed on November 18, 1994 for a new seven -year term (ending January 1, 2002); [7] and (d) Ralph Dawson [Dawson] was appointed October 16, 1995 for a term ending October 16, 1996. [8] Cox urges: (1) by the provisions of 45 O.S.Supp. 1995 § 1 the legislature had intended that, following the initial gubernatorial appointments, all commissioners will serve staggered seven-year terms, and (2) his appointment in 1994 was for a seven -year period, to begin January 1, 1995 and to end January 1, 2002. [9] According to Dawson (as well as to Governor Keating), [10] the plain language of 45 O.S.Supp. 1995 § 1 unequivocally establishes a two-year term for the post here in contest (position number 2). [11]