Richard Merrill “Rick” Carpenter is an Oklahoma citizen and political activist who helped organize the Oklahoma Stop Overspending Initiative in 2005 and 2006. Rick Carpenter was head of Oklahomans In Action, a citizen activist group, at the time of the petition drive.

Carpenter called the proposed law a “budget stabilization measure”, saying that, under the measure “state government will still grow, but it would be a sustainable growth.” The reason for promoting the measure as an initiative was bipartisan stalemate in Tulsa, according to Carpenter: “Democrats can’t stop eating and Republicans can’t stay on a diet.” Further, he insisted that opposition came “from those with vested interests” while support came “from one simple group of people: the taxpayers.”

Perhaps Carpenter’s characterization is being proved correct by this indictment.