GOP, Dems Battle Over Donations

Republicans and Democrats battled today over contributions from the secretive Working Oklahomans Alliance, whose donations from injured workers and donations to political candidates were revealed in The Oklahoman on Sunday.

Oklahoma Victory 2008, a GOP group, was first out today with a challenge to Andrew Rice, Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, challenging him to "return thousands of dollars in tainted campaign contributions" he received from the trial lawyers alliance.

Next up today was Rep. Al Lindley, D-Oklahoma City, who said the "recent inquiry regarding contributions to the Lawyers for Working Oklahomans Political Action Committee has resulted in a barrage of harsh remarks and demands from Rep. Trebor Worthen, R-Oklahoma City. The article in question alleges that their investigation uncovered a secretive organization of lawyers who route portions of the workers' compensation award money of clients who are unaware of their donation. This organization...adheres to disclosure rules ensuring complete transparency. They receive voluntary contribtions marked by signature consent from donators.

The Oklahoman revealed that the Working Oklahomans Alliance PAC has raised nearly $1 million over the past decade from injured workers, many of whom said they were not aware they had made a contribution to the PAC. The Oklahoman also said many of the donations made to the PAC, which is controlled by workers’ compensation attorneys, may be illegal.

Matt Pinnell, speaking for the GOP group, said Rice’s U.S. Senate campaign has accepted $4,600 from Richard Bell, a leading fund-raiser for Working Oklahomans Alliance PAC, as well as $1,000 from PAC board member Joseph C. Biscone II. During his 2006 state Senate campaign, Rice took $5,000 from the PAC, $2,000 from Bell and $350 from Biscone.

Said Lindley: "Representative Worthen, who is completing his final term in office as he as is not seeking re-election, also works as a paid political consultant on behalf of Republican campaigns. Per the Tulsa World, Representative Worthen said 'I demand that members and candidates who receive donations from this unethical PAC return this tainted money.'

“It is not surprising that Representative Worthen would latch onto an outlandish investigation that without merit made allegations of illegality, and that he would demand the return of campaign funds of Democratic candidates.

“One of his primary concerns as a paid political consultant is to ensure Republican seats in the Legislature, and these unsubstantiated claims against the LWO is merely a political convenience towards that end. I am surprised at Representative Worthen’s newfound concern of injured workers, however, as during his tenure in office he has systematically voted in favor of insurance companies and against the interests of injured employees.

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