United States v. Hall (1975)

Federal prosecutors swiftly charged David Hall with bribery and extortion after he failed to win reelection as Oklahoma’s Governor in 1974. The scheme, for which Hall was ultimately convicted, concerned a backroom deal to guarantee Oklahoma invested its state retirement fund with a private investment company. In exchange for guaranteeing the $10-million investment, Hall was to receive $50,000 personally.

Key to the jury’s conviction was the testimony of Hall’s Secretary of State, John Rogers. Rogers testified that Hall offered him half of the bribe money ($25,000) for his assistance in securing the investment.

Hall was sentenced to three years imprisonment but served 18 months.

Information from, and additional reading at,

United States v. Hall, 424 F. Supp. 508 (W.D. Okla. 1975)

Martin Waldron, Jury in Oklahoma Bribery Case Fails in First Effort at Verdict, N.Y. Times, Mar. 13, 1975, at 26, https://www.nytimes.com/1975/03/13/archives/jury-in-oklahoma-bribery-case-fails-in-first-effort-at-verdict.html

Bob Burke, Hall, David, The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture, https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=HA007

Brian Hardzinski, Former Oklahoma Gov. David Hall, Convicted Of Bribery And Extortion, Dies At 85, KGOU, May 16, 2016, https://www.kgou.org/post/former-oklahoma-gov-david-hall-convicted-bribery-and-extortion-dies-85

Randy Ellis, March 14, 1975 David Hall Convicted of Extortion, Bribery, The Oklahoman, Apr. 18, 1999, https://oklahoman.com/article/2649996/march-14-1975-david-hall-convicted-of-extortion-bribery

Oklahoma Governor Is Charged With Seeking Bribe of $50,000, N.Y. Times, Jan. 17, 1975, at 38, https://www.nytimes.com/1975/01/17/archives/oklahoma-governor-is-charged-with-seeking-bribe-of-50000-rogers.html