If truth-in-advertising laws apply there, Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson should change the friendly billboards welcoming visitors to the state in its centennial year. The revised copy should say: “Welcome to Oklahoma (Unless you favor taxpayer rights and political speech, in which case you may go to prison).” Edmondson wants three taxpayers rights activists incarcerated for the dastardly crime of encouraging Oklahomans to sign a petition for a referendum on a proposed Taxpayers Bill of Rights (TABOR). The proposal would protect residents against surreptitious efforts by politicians to raise taxes. We can’t imagine why Edmondson would oppose a TABOR vote by the same Oklahomans who sent a certified anti-tax-and-spender like Tom Coburn to represent them in the U.S. Senate.

Edmondson has charged Tulsan Rick Carpenter and two associates from other states, Paul Jacob and Susan Johnson, with violating a state law requiring state residency for all circulators of referendum petitions in Oklahoma. Carpenter started the TABOR petition drive in 2005, assisted by Jacob and Johnson in an effort that ultimately produced more than 300,000 signatures, nearly a third more than was required to put the issue before voters. But even in a deeply red state like Oklahoma, Big Government has backers — mainly teachers and labor unions — and they persuaded a state court to throw the petition out because nonresidents allegedly helped solicit signatures. The trio now faces up to 10 years in prison if they are convicted on Edmondson’s charges. All three pleaded not guilty and claim they were advised by state officials on how to comply with the law in all respects during the petition drive.

But perhaps it’s not what the Oklahoma Three did that worries Edmondson but rather what they represent. Jacob is the best known of the trio because for many years he led the national term limits movement that came within one vote in the U.S. Supreme Court of winning the biggest victory ever against career politicians. He is now a senior fellow with the Sam Adams Alliance, a grassroots citizen activism group that gives career politicians fits. Carpenter and Johnson are similarly identified strongly with pro-citizen and anti-career politician efforts. The AG would do well to remember that his uncle — J. Howard Edmondson — was swept into the governor’s chair in 1958 by a “prairie fire” reform movement against entrenched politicians. A new prairie fire could sweep nephew Drew out of office if he keeps defending his buddies in the political establishment.