Historic Quote: “The word is not covert, it’s overt. Covert means you’re out in the open. Overt is what I did. That means you’re undercover.” Ex-Nevada Senator Chic Hecht
Unlike Ray Blanton, a fellow Democratic Governor in the 1970s who would also end up in jail, David Hall’s administration was far from mediocre. In fact, it was quite accomplished. But a scandal would not only send him to prison but forever taint his name, and hold him back from higher aspirations he may well have realized.
Born in Oklahoma City, Hall graduated from the University of Oklahoma and joined the Army and would become a veteran of the Korean War. Upon his return, Hall served as an Assistant Attorney in Tulsa. But by 1962, Hall won the Attorney position in his own right and compiled quite a record. His biography from Oklahoma State says “during his tenure as county attorney, he successfully prosecuted 940 out of 1,000 criminal cases.” At night, he taught law.
Hall’s memory for names and a gift-for-gab helped give him the politicians touch. He first sought the Governorship in 1966 but took just 18% in the primary. 1970 would be different. With 49.4% of the vote, Hall was dangerously close to clinching the nomination without a runoff. His opponent, Bryce Baggert, did not have to force one but did. It made little difference. Hall took 57% and advanced to the general with a memorable campaign jingle:
David Hall, Oklahoma,
He’s for all Oklahoma,
He’s what it takes to make our country strong;
David Hall, Oklahoma,
He’s for all Oklahoma,
What Oklahoma needs is David Haaallllll……
Running on a reformist platform, set his sights on incumbent Republican Dewey Bartlett. He was given a few openings.
Bartlett, expecting his record would take care of everything else, didn’t hit the stump especially hard. That was an obvious mistake. But he may have been especially hurt by his campaign manager Mike McCarville talking the day before the election talked about voters “out in the sticks.” The margin was just 2,200 votes.
Hall was Governor but had often found himself feuding with The Daily Oklahoman and its publisher, Edward Gaylord. Still, he had a number of solid accomplishments to boast of. He signed the Oklahoma Income Tax Act and an increase in the gross production of natural gas. He strived to improve the roads though his Proposition 77 failed. And he was credited with helping Oklahoma escape its economic problems (Hall entered office with a shortfall).
Education was at the top of Hall‘s agenda. “Measuring up and Moving On” was a report based initiative compiled by his staff. By the time he was finished, Hall had authorized an expansion of the vocational technical system which gave free training for residents. Not only did he fight to bring teacher salaries in light with regional standards but he made Kindergarten mandatory and made class sizes smaller. On other matters, a 1973 inmate riot at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary saw the taking of 20 hostages. His role in the negotiations drew acclaim.
Hall was often talked about as a candidate for national office and years later admitted he had been putting together a team. But first he had to win a second term as Governor in 1974.
No one expected Hall to have an easy road. Several of his aides had been indicted and the state’s Attorney General, Larry Derryberry, even suggested legislators impeach him (an investigation found that he had done nothing impeachable and Hall called him a “traitor”). Still, he got prominent endorsements, such as from labor and the political action committee of the Oklahoma Political Action Committee.
Hall’s loss was in no way a surprise. Some even thought he might fail to make the runoff. That did happen, though not the way it expected. Clem McSpadden, a grand-nephew of Will Rogers was given a strong shot of winning outright. Hall had expected to come in second. Instead, that distinction fell to a little known State Senator named David Boren who would go on to win the runoff.
With just 26%, Hall was nine points behind and out of the runoff. Then, the real trouble began.
Hall was indicted three days after leaving office on “violations of anti-racketeering statutes” and extortion. The allegations involved a plot with Secretary of State John Rogers to receive $50,000 by steering money from the employment fund of the Oklahoma Retirement fund to a Texas businessman, who would supposedly invest it in Oklahoma. He was convicted two months later and appealed. But Rogers had cooperated with federal officials by wearing a wiretap and an appeal by the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals was dismissed.
Hall was ultimately sentenced to three years in an Arizona Corrections facility. He served 19 months and was forced to surrender his legal license. It was upon his release that he moved to La Jolla, California where he and his wife found a new life. But he took a strange tact. He published a memoir, “Twisted Justice,” in which he expressed the view that Bartlett and U.S. Attorney General John Mitchell “talked about investigating him.” He said “federal prosecutors in the Nixon administration hounded him throughout his tenure” and that he was among five targeted. Only he and Maryland’s Marvin Mandel were convicted.
In a column, McCarville wrote he “suspect(ed) Hall has deluded himself into believing his conviction was the nefarious work of those out to get him for political reasons. He’s wrong.”
Hall wouldn’t talk about his tribulations until 2007 when he returned to Oklahoma for a political affairs event. But there was no bitterness. “No road is so long that it doesn’t turn.” Besides, he said, “The people who made up their minds back then that I was guilty aren’t going to change their minds.” But he’s okay with that, he said. That’s something he addresses in his book as well — the capacity to forgive, though he said it didn’t come easy, particularly when he was in prison. “You must forgive and get by it so your life can be full then and beyond.”