In Oklahoma, state comp funds end up in campaigns

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How state comp funds end up in campaigns

By Nolan Clay and Randy Ellis
The Oklahoman

A secretive organization has raised close to $1 million throughout the last decade for political purposes, mostly from injured Oklahoma workers who sometimes don't even know they've donated.

Many of the donations to Working Oklahomans Alliance may be illegal, an investigation by The Oklahoman found. The organization could be penalized $1,000 or more for each violation.

The lawyers who control Working Oklahomans Alliance specialize in workers' compensation cases.

These lawyers raise money for a political fund by withholding a portion of their clients' workers' compensation awards. The lawyers then distribute the money to various political causes and candidates, mostly Democrats.