OPEA Considering Charges Against Fields

Staff and Wire Reports

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The state worker's union says it's considering criminal charges against Labor Commissioner Lloyd Fields over his alleged conduct in the union's office.

Oklahoma Public Employees Association deputy director Scott Barger said Wednesday that Fields came into the group's headquarters, entered a private office and grabbed a candidate questionnaire he had dropped off a day earlier. He then destroyed it.

Barger says Fields was apparently upset that the organization's political action committee had contributed $5,000 to Jason Reese, a Republican candidate for Labor Commissioner in the July 27 primary election. Fields, a Democrat, has no challenger in the primary.

"Fields spoke to a third employee and was visibly upset because we had given the other candidate a contribution," said OPEA Executive Director Sterling Zearley. "He did not have permission nor did he ask permission to enter the private office of one of my employees and take something off his desk."

Barger also says Fields did not have permission to retrieve the questionnaire. Fields was not immediately available for comment.