Oklahoma Labor Commissioner settles lawsuit (R vs D)

[Omaha Steve]

http://newsok.com/labor-lawsuit-settled/article/3368471

Former employee alleged commissioner forced her out for supporting his opponent

BY NOLAN CLAY
Published: May 11, 2009

State Labor Commissioner Lloyd Fields settled a federal lawsuit accusing the Democrat official of forcing out a Republican employee because of her political beliefs.

A former Labor Department asbestos official, Laurie Allen, is being paid to drop the civil case. How much was not disclosed.

Allen sued Fields, chief of staff Mannix Barnes and the Labor Department. The trial had been scheduled for this week.

Allen alleged she was targeted because she supported Brenda Reneau, a Republican who was labor commissioner for 12 years.

"I think he acted inappropriately with me in every conversation just about because of my association with Brenda Reneau,” Allen testified in a deposition.

Fields ran against Reneau twice. He lost in 2002 and narrowly won in 2006.

FULL story at link.