OKC Gazette: The executive director of 100 Ideas now pledges to reveal the state initiative’s funders

Ben Fenwick of the OKC Gazette filed a great story on the 100 Ideas project of Lance Cargill and Thad Balkman.

Here's a critical passage:

"The 100 Ideas organization previously refused to answer questions about such funding. In two previous Gazette stories, both Cargill and Balkman cited donor privacy as reasons for not revealing the organization’s financials. Several news organizations requested the names of the group’s financiers.

Two Democrats were added approximately an hour after the Gazette interviewed Balkman about the political disparity in the group, and days after Balkman had announced the makeup of the then-12-member board. It is now at 14, with a 2-to-1 Republican disparity, counting known registrations.

The advisory board additions also came after state Democratic Party Chair Lisa Pryor issued a scathing statement regarding the 100 Ideas board picks.

Pryor said the 100 Ideas initiative appears to be compromised by the ideology of its originators, who will choose only ideas that fit their party’s agenda.

“What will happen is it will raise false hopes with the public, and they will play into the Republican strategy,” Pryor said."

Read the full story.