Rep. Chris Kannady on Russian TV Attacking
the U.S. Government for Prosecuting a Terrorist
Comrade Kannady Confronting
the State Chamber of Commerce
Paying Back Campaign Donors by Attacking Workers Comp Reforms
Supporting Terrorists on Russian TV Just One of Kannady's Skills
Well you can't predict politics in Oklahoma. Last year Comrade Republican Chris Kannady tapped the Chambercrats for funding to take down conservative Republicans and this year he stabs them in the heart with a 178 page bill that would roll back much of the Workers Comp reforms passed a few years ago. Comrade Kannady did raise quite a bit of money from state lawyers, mostly all Democrats, and Comrade Kannady himself works for Foshee &Yafee, a downtown law firm that is hip deep in Worker Comp claims.
The bill was bad enough that the Chamber of Commerce passed out a full color flyer with Comrade Kannady's picture and the message that jacking with the 2013 Workers Comp reform is a very bad idea and "disturbing". The State Chamber is learning that bought politicians don't always stay bought....
There is the possibility that Comrade Kannady is merely trolling for money and support from the Chamber, baiting them, playing them off against the Democrat lawyers that largely funded his own election. And Comrade Kannady tried in previous years to gain traction, just not as hard, no doubt being able to portray it as taking advantage of Democrat lawyers, making them the patsies, stripping them of cash while not delivering.
This time Comrade Kannady appears to have worn out the patience of his Democratic donors and had to push for their agenda and was visibly upset over the flyer. The Chamber for their part are playing it cool, claiming that the flyer didn't mention his bill yet there is Comrade Kannady's ugly mug on the front. Their flyer specifically ruled out any attorney benefits added but left the door open for injured worker benefits increasing, something that Comrade Kannady's bill doesn't cover other than tiny raises in compensation while taking much more for the attorneys.
As it is, the 2013 reforms slashed a lot of unnecessary medical costs involved in cases. Comrade Kannady wants to include "mental injury" or PTSD as a compensable injury, something fellow Don't Ask, Don't Tell Caucus member Josh West is pushing in HB 2271. Comrade Kannady wants to stretch out treatment including "medical maintenance" that continues long after the case ought to be closed and the worker back to work. Keeping cases alive means more dollars in lawyers pockets and in medical provider pockets, a group that Comrade Kannady is no doubt wanting to shake down for cash. The bill also expands what is considered a job site, pegging employers for injuries that are claimed to occur in the parking lot or even "near" the business. It also expands the definition of what a disability is and what constitutes permanent disability.
Of course House Democrats support Comrade Kannady's bold plan. They equate unneeded medical expenses with benefits paid to workers, exposing who really funds their campaigns.
