Special To The McCarville Report
The following is a statement released tonight by Oklahoma Public Employees Association Executive Director Sterling Zearley in response to Labor Commissioner Mark Costello’s remarks calling for a new “party platform plank” that would punish Republicans who accept contributions from the OPEA.
“Oklahoma Labor Commissioner Mark Costello on Saturday viciously attacked Oklahoma Public Employees Association and other associations for contributing Political Action Committee (PAC) money to Republican state elected officials. According to The McCarville Report, Costello takes aim at well-known Republican officials, including Governor Mary Fallin, House Speaker Kris Steele (R-Shawnee), and House Speaker-Elect T.W. Shannon (R- Lawton) for taking PAC money from so-called ‘liberal’ organizations.
“Mr. Costello’s comments show he lacks a fundamental understanding about our legislators, OPEA, and about what we are advocating for at the state Capitol. OPEA does not advocate for larger government; we advocate for having the tools and labor force necessary to ensure our state has the resources to operate at a smart and efficient level.
“OPEA is currently seeking a market-based compensation plan that would pay state employees 85 percent of what their counterparts are paid in the private sector. This plan is not the hallmark of an organization that wants a bloated government sector; rather, it is a plan that seeks to ensure we can keep talented people interested in serving the state.
“Commissioner Costello has questioned the integrity of members from his own party, for accepting contributions from OPEA. In a statement that appears to be a veiled threat, he promises to ‘hold harmless’ Republican officials who have accepted contributions, but only if they stop accepting OPEA contributions by the end of May.
“It is well known that Mr. Costello does not accept any PAC money for himself, but I wonder how many Oklahomans know he donated over $524,000 to his own campaign in 2010, which is over three times the total amount given by OPEA during that same cycle.
“OPEA’s PAC receives money from dedicated state employees, both Republican and Democrat, who voluntarily donate their hard-earned dollars to an organization that advocates for the tools they need to better perform their jobs.
“This very wealthy individual is attempting to silence the voices of child welfare workers, correctional officers, and other state employees who are serving the state of Oklahoma.
“While I am not disparaging Mr. Costello for his financial success in the private sector, not everyone running for office has the luxury to spend so much from their personal bank accounts, and for him to badger members for taking money from organizations that support state employees makes him appear out of touch.
“Mr. Costello’s remarks lead me to believe he does not understand the basic differences between associations and unions. As stated in our bylaws, OPEA is not a union, and we are not affiliated with any national unions. “What we saw in places like Wisconsin and Ohio does not apply to our state because our employees do not have collective bargaining rights. Mr. Costello is conflating this with current practices in our state, and he is trying to use national political rhetoric in a state that does not have these issues to address.
“In that same vein, we do not seek to be a ‘liberal’ or a ‘conservative’ organization. We believe in advocating for the voices of state employees. In fact, OPEA was one of the first organizations to actively oppose State Question 744, which put us squarely against so-called ‘liberal’ organizations. We were one of the first organization to formulate an opposition group, and we worked closely with the State Chamber of Commerce, Farm Bureau, and other business friendly organization to defeat SQ 744, which we believed would be harmful to the state of Oklahoma if it were to pass.
“Unlike Mr. Costello, who clearly does not value our state employees, as evidenced by his past statement in which he likened state employees to ‘feral hogs,’ we have many elected officials on both sides of the aisle who wholeheartedly believe in the work state employees do in their districts on a daily basis.
“I am calling on GOP State Chairman Matt Pinnell and all Republican elected officials to distance themselves from these outlandish accusations put forth by Mr. Costello. His remarks are divisive, and we believe his statement basically accuses elected officials of compromising their principles in taking OPEA’s PAC money, and we do not believe that is true.
“I’m sure this will not be the last time Commissioner Costello seeks to undermine state employees and the elected officials who support them, but I hope others see through his self-serving tactics to recognize that he is simply trying to use his position to advance his personal political agenda, or worse, he is trying to eliminate funding sources for potential future opponents who cannot afford to bankroll their own campaigns.”
Thank you for posting the statement in its entirety. I tried to remove my previous comment, but I cannot do so.
Way to go Sterling,
Thank you for what you and your staff do!
Sterling, you voice the feelings and concerns of thousands of state workers.
From the worker directing traffic at a highway work site to the Legislator at the capitol. (Legislators are also state employees) We thank you for standing up for us and giving us a voice. You have pointed out a few things that show his bias
in not allowing PAC funding. Glad we are able to help good people get elected
and not just the rich to make decisions for us. He is the one looking like a “feral
“hog”
Great job to Commissioner Costello. GOP officials that take donations from the OEA and the OPEA should return them, or better yet donate them to charity. Keep up the good work, and you can be sure that I, as a delegate to the county convention, will vote with you on this.