Michael D. Brown

:For other people of the same name, see Michael Brown (disambiguation).

Background

Brown was born in Guymon, Oklahoma on November 8, 1954. He received a B.A. in public administration/political science from Central State University (now the University of Central Oklahoma) in 1978. He received his J.D. from Oklahoma City University's School of Law in 1981 (the school was not accredited by the Association of American Law Schools at the time.)

Related Topics:
Guymon, Oklahoma - November 8 - 1954 - B.A. - Public administration - Political science - Central State University - 1978 - J.D. - Oklahoma City University - 1981 - Association of American Law Schools

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While he was in college, from 1975 to 1978, he handled "labor and budget matters" {{ref|citymanager}} as an administrative assistant to the city manager of Edmond, Oklahoma. His White House biography states that he had emergency services oversight in this position. However, the head of public relations for the city denied that Brown had oversight over anybody, and explained that "the assistant is more like an intern." {{ref|TIME}} Brown disputes this characterization of his position, and the city official cited by Time Magazine in this quote claimed on a local news broadcast (Oklahoma City's News 9) that the remark was taken out of context.

Related Topics:
1975 - City manager - Edmond, Oklahoma - White House - Emergency services - Intern - Time Magazine - Oklahoma City

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While attending law school, Brown was appointed by the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee of the Oklahoma Legislature as the Finance Committee Staff Director, where he oversaw state fiscal issues from 1980-1982. In 1981, he was elected to the city council for Edmond, but resigned to work in private practice{{ref|privatepractice}}.

Related Topics:
Law school - Oklahoma - 1980 - 1982 - 1981 - City council

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Later in the 1980s he lived in Enid and practiced law there. He worked for prominent Enid attorney Stephen Jones, who later described him as "not serious and somewhat shallow." (ibid). Of 37 lawyers with Jones's firm, Brown was one of two let go when Jones and his partners decided to split up the firm.

Related Topics:
1980s - Enid - Stephen Jones

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He also taught at OCU law school as an adjunct. From 1982-1988, he was the chairman of the board of the Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority. Several power plants were built during his tenure. One hydroelectric plant located at Kaw Reservior was completed in 1989 and named the Michael D. Brown Hydroelectric Power Plant and Dam in his honor.

Related Topics:
Adjunct - 1988 - Chairman of the board - Power plant - Hydroelectric - 1989

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He ran for Congress in 1988 against Democratic incumbent Glenn English, who had not been challenged in the previous election. English's well-financed campaign beat Brown with 122,763 votes against 45,199. After losing, Brown promised to try again in 1990, saying, "I have an excellent chance of prevailing. It's a Democratic state, but a very Republican district."{{ref|1990}}

Related Topics:
Congress - Democratic - Incumbent - Glenn English - 1990 - Republican

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