The second historic oath

Oklahoma Corporation Commission Chair Dana Murphy will take two different oaths of office on Monday, Jan. 10 – the second a specific affirmation to her specific duties that speak to the unique powers of the Commission.  

After she and all state-elected officials beginning new terms take the “standard” oath of office at noon Monday at the State Capitol, a ceremony will be held at 3 p.m. at the Corporation Commission at which Commissioner Murphy will take the additional oath required by the Oklahoma Constitution for the office of Corporation Commissioner.

The public is invited to attend. This unique oath includes many elements of Oklahoma’s past and to the formidable responsibility of the Corporation Commission. A copy of the Oath can be found below.

CONSTITUTIONAL OATH OF OFFICE – CORPORATION COMMISSIONER

I, (name), do solemnly swear that I am not, directly or indirectly, interested in any railroad, street railway, traction line, canal, steam boat, pipe line, car line, sleeping car line, car association, express line, telephone or telegraph line, nor in the bonds, stocks, mortgages, securities, contract or earnings of any railroad, street railway, traction line, canal, steam boat, pipe line, car line, sleeping car line, car association, express line, telephone or telegraph line; and that I will, to the best of my ability, faithfully and justly execute and enforce the provisions of this Constitution of the State of Oklahoma, and all the laws of the State of Oklahoma concerning railroads, street railways, traction lines, canals, steam boats, pipe lines, car lines, sleeping car lines, car associations, express lines, telephone and telegraph lines, compress and elevator companies, and all other corporations over which said Commission has jurisdiction.

The oath will be taken at 3 p.m. Jan. 10, 2011 in Room 301 (Commissioners’ courtroom), Jim Thorpe Building, 2101 North Lincoln Blvd., Oklahoma City.  The Commission oath of office will be administered by The Honorable Stephen P. Friot, U.S. District Judge.

Murphy began serving as a Commissioner on January 12, 2009, following election in 2008 to a short two-year term, completing the unexpired term of former Commissioner Denise Bode.  On July 27, 2010, Murphy was elected to a full six-year term on the Commission in a primary election, as she faced no opponent on the general election ballot in November 2010. She became Commission Chair on January 3, 2011.

The Corporation Commission’s jurisdiction includes regulated electric, natural gas and water utilities, telephone companies, trucking and some forms of public transportation, rail crossings, oil and gas production and related environmental matters, storage and dispensing of gasoline and other motor fuels, environmental remediation of areas polluted by refined product, intrastate pipelines, and cotton gins.