OKLAHOMA CITY (May 7, 2024)—The Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs has filed a request for summary judgment in a lawsuit first filed in 2020 by Paycom.

“Paycom’s frivolous lawsuit is intended only to target free speech by conservatives,” said Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs President Jonathan Small. “The law is on OCPA’s side and there are no meaningful facts in dispute. Therefore, it is time to put this sad excuse for a lawsuit out of its misery. We have requested summary judgment to allow a judge to quickly conclude this case in our favor.”

In a 2020 article, OCPA briefly referenced Paycom CEO Chad Richison’s public advocacy for draconian COVID policies that would have had a significant negative impact on the livelihood of many Oklahomans. The article linked directly to a copy of Richison’s public letter demanding those draconian COVID restrictions, allowing Oklahomans to view the entire document for themselves.

Paycom subsequently sued OCPA, claiming the think tank engaged in defamation and tortious interference by highlighting Richison’s public comments.

Paycom is represented by the McAfee & Taft law firm.

“Since 1993, the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs has been a voice for free enterprise, limited government, individual initiative, and personal responsibility,” Small said. “We make no apologies for fighting for the basic rights of Oklahomans to live, work, and prosper at all times—including during a pandemic—and will not back down from that mission even if it angers the head of a multi-billion dollar company who apparently prefers that conservative Oklahomans be neither seen nor heard.”