OSBI Investigating Threat Made Against State Lawmaker

The Oklahoma State Bureau is investigating a "threat" against a state lawmaker.

Rep Mark McBride, R-Moore, says he was tipped off last month that someone may be following him.

“I’d seen a vehicle parked behind my home, watching my home. And then I crawled under my truck and lo and behold there is this little black box and that really freaked me out,” McBride told News 9.

The little black box had a high tech remote tracking device inside. McBride called police and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI).

“Last month, I received a notice that Mr. McBride, Rep. McBride, believed that his reputation was being threatened, based on some legislation that he was trying to pass,” said OSBI Special Agent Steve Tanner. “We initiated an investigation at that time.”

McBride says OSBI learned the device belonged to a private investigator, but he says he doesn’t know who hired the investigator or why. He’s suing the investigator now. 

The suit claims, “The defendant’s actions caused Mark McBride to suffer emotional injuries and damages and, as a result of defendant’s actions Mark McBride is entitled to actual and punitive damages” in an amount “…in excess of $10,000.”

OSBI believes this is some type of attempt at political character assassination.

“When you try to attack someone’s reputation, they go after several things that are important to you, and things that will bring down your credibility,” Tanner said, “such as infidelity, alcoholism, drug use, something to that effect.”