OPEA

OKLAHOMA CITY (April 2, 2010) – In an on-going battle to protect state employees dates of birth from being made public, the Oklahoma Public Employees Association has filed an injunction against the Office of Personnel Management. Now the state’s leading newspaper is attempting to thwart the efforts by “judge shopping.”

“The Oklahoman is not even named in the action,” said OPEA Executive Director Sterling Zearley. “However, they are asking Judge Noma Gurich to recuse herself from the case, since her husband is a state employee. This is an outright attempt to skew this case in their favor, which is laughable since the only two parties involved are the OPEA and the Office of Personnel Management. The Oklahoman has absolutely no right or authority to make such an asinine request.

“Our attorneys have been in contact with Judge Gurich, and let her know that it seems premature to allow a non-party to request a reassignment to the case,” Zearley said.“Until a court order has been issued allowing The Oklahoman to intervene as a party defendant, they have no standing in this matter.”

At issue is a February 19th request The Oklahoman made to the Office of Personnel Management, demanding the release of private information on 40,000 state employees. The OPEA supports SB 1753, authored by Senator Debbe Leftwich, which will keep state employees’ birth dates from becoming public record.

A hearing on OPEA’s injunction has been set for  Friday, April 9th in Oklahoma County District Court.