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Despite State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters’ recent settlement agreement for an ethics violation case involving how he uses social media, his subsequent endorsement of an alternate organization to “woke teachers’ unions” on official state letterhead has spurred Rep. Ellen Pogemiller to request a legal opinion from Attorney General Gentner Drummond and to file another complaint with the Oklahoma Ethics Commission.

On March 18, using a designated House of Representatives Democratic Caucus press release, Pogemiller (D-OKC) announced she had submitted a letter requesting an AG opinion on the ethics of Walters’ use of state resources to promote the Teacher Freedom Alliance — a program the Freedom Foundation launched March 7 that “provides liability coverage for teachers, promotes historically accurate curriculum and offers professional development opportunities,” according to Walters.

“I write to formally request an attorney general opinion regarding whether Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters’ use of state letterhead and other state resources to endorse a labor organization/professional organization known as Teachers Freedom Alliance, explicitly advocating for it as a superior alternative to other unions and professional organizations in Oklahoma, constitutes a violation of state law,” Pogemiller said in the letter (embedded below).

In conjunction with his constant criticism of “woke” ideology, journalists and teachers unions, Walters said in his March 10 press release that the Teacher Freedom Alliance provides a free market solution aimed at rewarding teachers for their “proficiency” instead of their “longevity and allegiance” to teachers unions. (In May 2023, Walters told a legislative committee that he consider teachers unions a “terrorist organization.”)

“Teachers deserve the ability to be rewarded for being great,” Walters said. “They will no longer be harassed into joining an organization that is laser focused on breaking up the moral fiber of America. We’ve been clear that we’re not going to tolerate distractions to education like [critical race theory], [diversity, equity and inclusion], gender ideology and antisemitism in our classrooms.”

Pogemiller’s concerns emanate from the press release, titled “Walters Touts Alternative to Woke Teachers’ Unions,” in which he promotes the launch of the Teacher Freedom Alliance while “explicitly suggesting that other labor organizations and professional associations were inferior or not in the best interests of educators in Oklahoma,” according to Pogemiller.

Pogemiller said Walters’ use of his official state seal and letterhead falsely gives the impression that the state and the Oklahoma State Department of Education support one particular organization over other teachers organizations.

“There are at least three active teacher unions or professional organizations in our state that all meet the exact same standards on how we interact with teachers, how we can work with them on joining an association, how we work with them on leaving an association, and it’s an equal playing field,” Pogemiller told NonDoc on April 4. “And Superintendent Walters utilizing his platform as state superintendent to not only identify a new organization in this state, but to talk about it as a superior organization to all other professional organizations in our state, is beyond the scope of what I think he is allowed to do.”

The letter requesting an AG opinion lists concerns regarding potential violations of the following provisions:

A freshman lawmaker who won election to House District 88 in November, Pogemiller previously worked as a registered lobbyist for the Oklahoma Education Association, the state’s largest teachers organization. As an elected official, however, Pogemiller said she would never promote OEA over the American Federation of Teachers or the Professional Educators of Oklahoma.

“I can be invited to any of the professional associations to go and speak and talk about education at the Capitol and listen to their concerns, but by no scope would I ever endorse one of those organizations above the other,” she said.

Grace Kim, Walters’ press secretary at OSDE, did not respond to a request for comment on Pogemiller’s complaint prior to the initial publication of this article. Wednesday afternoon, she sent a statement attributed to Walters.

“Democrats and union bosses are grasping at straws because teachers finally have a real choice,” Walters said. “My office will always communicate with educators about their options, no matter how much it upsets the political establishment.”

Ethics Commission director ‘cannot confirm or deny’ formal complaint

Although Pogemiller’s announcement was exclusively about her AG request, she told NonDoc that she sent a similar letter to the Ethics Commission, which writes and enforces rules for political campaigns, candidates and elected officials.

“I’m not sure exactly who Superintendent Walters relies on to provide accurate on ethics guidelines at the Capitol, but I feel like that trusted advisor may be misleading him in allowing him to overstep his role and capacity as state superintendent,” Pogemiller said.

Asked about Pogemiller’s complaint Tuesday, Ethics Commission executive director Lee Anne Bruce Boone said she needed to check with her general counsel about whether Pogemiller’s disclosure to NonDoc meant Bruce Boone could acknowledge the complaint. Ultimately, she provided a statement:

Thanks for checking with me on this. I cannot confirm or deny the receipt of a complaint at this time in accordance with Rule 6.9. The Commission would have to determine, if we have such a complaint, that it was in the matter of public interest to make such complaint public (such as what occurred not too many months ago with the Hiett complaint). Sorry I cannot be of more help in this instance.

Bruce Boone also provided a link to the Ethics Commission’s annotated rules. Rule 6.9 relates to the confidentiality of an ethics complaint or investigation and says all complaints or formal investigations “shall remain confidential and “shall not be disclosed” unless the commission “determines that a complaint or a formal investigation should be made public.”

However, the rule does note that the director of the commission may confirm or deny the existence of a complaint “upon the written request of that individual” who filed the complaint.

Walters reached a settlement agreement March 13 with the Ethics Commission following two complaints about the use of his official Twitter account — with the username @RyanWaltersSupt, despite Walters calling it his “personal account” — to advocate for the election or defeat of a specific political candidate. The complaints involved his advocacy of President Donald Trump’s reelection and frequent admonishment of former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris.

Under the agreement, Walters agreed to take steps to make his Twitter account more clearly a personal account by changing his profile photo and handle — which he has made @RyanWalters_. Walters also agreed to pay a $4,000 penalty and $1,000 in attorney’s fees.

Asked March 31 at the State Capitol if there is anything the public needs to know about the situation, Walters downplayed the social media rules settlement.

“No, I mean, look, we’re gonna always work with the Ethics Commission, and we’ll continue to do so,” he said.

The social media rules settlement was not the first instance in which Walters has paid a fine to resolve ethics concerns. In March 2024, Walters reached his first settlement agreement with the Ethics Commission involving 12 late financial reports that were due between June 2022 and November 2022, when he was elected. A total of $6,600 in fines were assessed, and Walters and the Ethics Commission settled the matter by the state superintendent paying $3,000 in fines.

Additionally, during their March 13 meeting, Ethics Commission members voted to pursue litigation against Walters over allegations of more campaign finance law violations, although no lawsuit appears to have been filed at this point. After authorizing the formal investigation of alleged campaign finance rules in October 2024, the commission subpoenaed Walters in January for declining to provide campaign finance records from his 2022 campaign.

It’s possible that Walters and the commission reach a similar settlement. On March 31, Walters said discussions were ongoing.

“We’re in constant communication with them, making sure that we’re the most transparent campaign in the state,” Walters said. “We’re going to continue to do that. So we’ll continue to work with the Ethics Commission to make sure that we’re working together.”

Previously, Fort Worth attorney Tim Davis — who represents Walters and the Walters for State Superintendent 2022 Committee — wrote that Walters objected to the subpoena owing to a lack of any responsive documents to produce. Elected state superintendent in November 2022 with nearly 60 percent of the vote, Walters served as chairman and treasurer of his own campaign committee.

Regarding the pending litigation over his alleged campaign finance violations, Walters said he is in a “constant cycle” of communication with the Ethics Commission about filings and requirements.

“What does it look like? You know, let us know,” he said. “Need to prove anything? We can switch anything. So, yeah, that’s just a constant cycle thing.”

The Oklahoma Ethics Commission meeting is scheduled to meet 10 a.m. Thursday. According to the meeting’s agenda, Case No. 2024-03 — the pending case involving Walters’ campaign finances — is listed to be discussed during executive session.

Asked March 31 if he has formalized his electoral plans in 2026, Walters said he has not decided whether to run for reelection as state superintendent or for another position like governor.

“We’ll look at it this summer,” he said. “You know, I’m very interested in the end of the school year and end of session, and that’s my focus now. But you know, over the summer, we’ll look about making some decisions on what’s next.”

(Update: This story was updated at 5:14 p.m. Wednesday, April 9, 2025, to add a new statement from Walters.)

Sasha Ndisabiye Sasha Ndisabiye grew up splitting her time between southern California and southern Arizona before moving to Oklahoma to attend Langston University. After graduating from Langston with a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism and a minor in sociology, she completed a NonDoc editorial internship in the summer of 2024. She became NonDoc’s education reporter in October 2024.

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – The Ethics Commission meeting wrapped up Thursday without an understanding of certain donors from State Superintendent Ryan Walters’ 2022 campaign committee.

The committee voted to continue negotiating a settlement agreement with Walters, which almost became prosecution.

Last month, the commission voted to pursue possible prosecution surrounding the ethics violations. But it seems that Walters has responded since then and entered into negotiations with them.

The ethics case is one of several Walters has had, with this one surrounding whether he violated campaign finance laws during his 2022 run for state superintendent.

“I mean, we’re almost at re-election time, so I would say the people have a right to be concerned,” said Senator Julia Kirt (D-Oklahoma City) when asked about the commission’s meeting Thursday.

They had asked for information as to certain donors who helped get him elected. He didn’t answer, so they voted last month to pursue possible prosecution, but now they have gone back from that and are in negotiations that could bring about an agreement.

It follows a settlement agreement that came out last month after Walters used his official office and social media accounts to share politically charged messages.

Ethics Commission settlement reached with State Supt. Ryan Walters

That complaint stemmed from multiple social media posts he made to his X account leading up to the November election.

Walters’ X account, formerly Twitter, displayed his official state portrait as its profile picture and used Walters’ official state office title, “Superintendent Ryan Walters,” in the account name.

The account’s handle, @RyanWaltersSupt, also included an abbreviation of his official ‘Superintendent’ title.

“The biggest threat out there to our U.S. economy, our parents, our kids—is Kamala Harris,” Walters said in a clip he shared of himself on Fox Business Network.

Oklahoma Ethics Commission votes to pursue prosecution against State Supt. Walters

Soon after last month’s agreement was sent to him, he made those changes to his profile.

It is possible that a similar type of agreement/arrangement could come after the negotiations that were announced on Thursday.

The settlement from last month revealed no further ethical violations were found, with Walters required to comply with the following:

Remove the title of “Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction from his personal X account

Remove “Supt” from the personal account handle listed as @RyanWalterSupt. and instead use his personal name in the title of the account without reference to his elected position

Remove the official State Superintendent profile picture associated with his account @RyanWaltersSupt and instead use a non-state picture

Participate in training from the Ethics Commission on ethics rules

$5,000 fine, which includes the Commission’s attorney fees

“I think what we see is, you know, a willful move towards not complying. If you’re not saying who paid for things in your campaign, and you are you are hiding that on purpose, and it has to be vetted,” said Senator Kirt.

News 4 has reached out multiple times, over several months, for information as to who the donors are, why Supt. Walters isn’t giving that information to the commission, and just asking for a statement as to what’s happening with their findings.

On Thursday, an OSDE spokesperson did not provide a statement, again.

It is possible that there could be more information at next month’s Ethics Commission meeting as to what a settlement agreement could look like.

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The City of Norman has announced litigation against the architects and builders of its doomed $39 million library, which closed in November after four years of operation due to widespread mold. Perhaps Norman will have more success going on offense than the University of Oklahoma has had so far in the Southeastern Conference.

Former congressional candidate Paul Bondar also filed a lawsuit recently. Bondar is suing three media groups and a PAC for defamation over reports that he does not live in Oklahoma and has ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Meanwhile, the Oklahoma Ethics Commission had a busy meeting Friday, approving a settlement agreement with a state bureaucrat who violated impartiality rules, granting a sitting representative an extra 30 days to file an amended campaign expense report and walking back extra fees the commission had issued to lobbyists in violation of state statute.

Read about all of that — and more — in this roundup.

Paul Bondar lawsuit alleges defamation by media, PAC

Former political candidate Paul Bondar is seeking more than $10 million in alleged damages from Gannett, Nexstar Media Group, ABC News and the Americans 4 Security PAC for defamation he claims to have faced while trying to unseat Oklahoma’s most powerful congressman.

Bondar spent millions of his own dollars to flood airwaves with advertising as he pursued the GOP nomination for Oklahoma’s 4th Congressional District. But while Bondar spent weeks assailing incumbent Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK4) for his long tenure in Congress, he only finished with 25.8 percent of the June 18 Republican vote. Cole, the current chairman of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, won his party’s nomination with 64.6 percent support.

During the campaign, Cole was boosted and Bondar was blasted by the Americans 4 Security Super PAC, which ran ads mocking the challenger’s ritzy Dallas lifestyle, tailing him at motel stops and instructing voters, “Don’t buy Bondar’s Texas bull.”

According to his Sept. 24 filed in the district court of Cook County, Illinois — where his insurance company has been headquartered — Bondar is suing Gannett because The Oklahoman reported that Bondar was living in a condominium owned by a man with connections to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Bondar is suing Nexstar because the news outlet reported that it could not confirm Bondar was a resident of Oklahoma. An ABC News affiliate also reported that “Bondar’s wife may have a loose connection to a Russian pop star who has received awards from Putin — a tie that Bondar’s campaign rejects.”

In his lawsuit petition, Bondar claims a “loss” of $6 million he “invested” into his ill-fated run for Congress. In the suit, Bondar claims to be a resident of Oklahoma and denies having any connection with Putin.

Bondar also claims the reporting damaged an ongoing business relationship with Alera Group, Inc., an insurance conglomerate that purchased Bondar Insurance Group in 2021. Bondar has remained with the company as a managing partner of the subsidiary bearing his surname.

“Alera threatened to terminate its relationship with (the) plaintiff and to rescind a portion of the prior sale because of the false and negative media reporting and the resulting public relations fallout and effect on Alera’s stock price,” the lawsuit alleges. “[Bondar] suffered severe mental and emotional distress as a result of the same, as well as damage to his business reputation, and [Bondar’s] business relationship with Alera was significantly damaged as a result of the defamatory statements.”

Cook County’s court system shows the defendants were served with the lawsuit in early October and that an initial court date has been scheduled for Nov. 27.

Ethics Commission fines state’s chief information officer

The official in charge of developing and implementing information technology and telecommunications initiatives for the state has been fined $2,500 for violating Oklahoma’s ethics rules.

On Friday, the Oklahoma Ethics Commission approved a settlement agreement with Joe McIntosh, chief information officer for the Oklahoma Office of Management and Enterprise Services. The commission found he violated two ethics rules, one dealing with state officer impartiality and the other addressing misuse of office by a state officer.

As part of the settlement, McIntosh must pay the money within 60 days to the state’s General Revenue Fund. The settlement notes he has no previous ethics rules violations and that corrective measures have been established, including that he no longer has oversight, control or decision making, or takes part in any manner regarding contracts entered between the state and his wife’s employer or any of its subsidiaries. If his spouse changes jobs, McIntosh agrees in the settlement to ensure similar measures with that employer.

The agreement takes into account that he self-reported the incidents to OMES and to the Ethics Commission’s executive director.

McIntosh must attend an Ethics Commission continuing education training program related to conflicts of interest within one year. He attended ethics training within OMES in the past two months, according to the settlement.

In other matters, commissioners agreed to give State Rep. Ajay Pittman another 30 days to file amended campaign reports as a result of a May settlement agreement in which she admitted spending nearly $18,000 of campaign funds for her personal use instead of campaign purposes as intended by donors.

Pittman (D-OKC) agreed to use personal funds to reimburse her 2020 and 2022 campaign accounts $17,848.22. On top of that, she agreed to pay a fine of $17,141.78 to the state’s General Revenue Fund. She paid $5,000 from her personal funds to her 2020 and 2022 campaign accounts as required on May 31. By May 31, 2025, Pittman has agreed to pay $12,000 to her 2022 campaign account. And by May 31, 2026, Pittman must pay $858.22 to her 2022 campaign account and $17,141.78 in a civil penalty.

Pittman, who is unopposed in next month’s general election, won reelection to the House District 99 seat in Oklahoma’s June 18 Democratic primary.

The Ethics Commission has required Pittman to amend campaign reports to reflect actual disbursements and reimbursement, but she said Friday that she had difficulty making the changes to all the reports by the required deadlines.

On another topic, the Ethics Commission’s executive director, Lee Anne Bruce Boone, told commissioners they lacked the authority to increase registration fees for lobbyists last year. In June 2023, commissioners increased the registration fees from $100 to $125. However, commissioners overlooked a state law that states lobbyists are to pay a registration fee of $100. The higher fee affected lobbyists who registered for this year. Those who register again next year will be charged only $75 to make up the difference, and commissioners will look at how to refund those who paid the additional $25 in 2024 but ultimately do not register again in 2025.

As of July 1, 2023, when the new rate took effect, 758 lobbyists registered; 185 were new and 573 were renewals. Boone said her staff will contact the Attorney General’s Office for help in clarifying if the definition of lobbyists also includes lobbyist principals, which are private or public entities that employ or retain another person to lobby, and legislative liaisons, who are state officers or employees who lobby. There are 1,261 lobbyist principals and 176 legislative liaisons registered with the Ethics Commission, Boone said.

Depending on interpretation, she said the refund in fees could range from about $36,000 to nearly $100,000.

Mental health commissioner mum on treatment specifics, Donahue funding gap

Although state leaders rejected a proposed consent decree Oct. 8 to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging unconstitutional delays of mental health competency restoration services, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Commissioner Allie Friesen claimed at a press conference Oct. 10 that her department is making progress in treating jail detainees who have been judged mentally incompetent.

Underscoring concerns about the agency’s transparency, however, Friesen said she could not provide specific details about ODMHSAS’ work with criminal defendants deemed mentally incompetent because of the pending litigation.

“Lawsuit or not, and no matter where we go from this point, the work will continue to improve the quality of services,” Friesen said. “We are continuing to provide as many services as we are legally able to provide at this point, and we’ll continue monitoring the quality of those services and improving them where they need to be improved.”

Friesen said people should “never hear from me that we’ve reached our goal and we don’t need to go any further.”

“No matter what domain of service, if we’re talking criminal justice or crisis care or pediatrics, we should always be doing better,” she said. “So, everything that we have been (doing), within our legal parameters that we can execute on to improve care, we are doing and will continue to do.”

Asked about the number of Oklahoma detainees waiting for competency restoration services — which plaintiff attorneys have said is more than 200 — Friesen declined to discuss specifics.

“I would lump that in under we are improving the quality of care and processes, yes,” she said.

Friesen made her comments during a press conference called to unveil the agency’s new vision, mission and strategic plan. Friesen, who said she was the first mental health commissioner who came from outside the state since 1999, was appointed commissioner by Gov. Kevin Stitt in January and took office in February.

“Every single person that has come before me in this role has had their own priority,” she said. “From where I stand or sit, our patient care has not been a priority in many, many, many years. And I do not mean that disrespectfully. There are different phases, there are different needs in the community at different times.”

Friesen said her agency is “blessed to have a significant budget,” and she said one of her top priorities is using that money to improve state mental health facilities.

“Our facilities have been neglected. There are no words for the environment of care we have allowed our patients and employees to operate within,” she said. “We have sewage that has come through the wall in one of our crisis facilities for years and years and years. We have toilets that do not work in patient care areas so that patients have to line up like kindergartners and go to the bathroom. So, when I say we are making things better, I say we are making things better because none of that should be tolerated, and we should not have any privilege to do anything else until we figure that out.”

Friesen said she is working on building out a system-wide digital infrastructure that will allow the management of safety events in real time. In a six-month period this year, from Jan. 1 to June 15, the agency had 1,044 incidents of employees and health care providers being assaulted.

“There is no world in which I can tolerate 1,044 assaults on employees in a health care setting,” she said. “This has been tolerated, purposely or otherwise, and we’re not doing that anymore.”

Friesen said it is a priority of the agency to keep patients safe.

“We are equipping our staff with the tools they need to be successful,” she said. “We are equipping them with training that goes beyond the standard package of mental health training so that they feel empowered and confident when they enter into these high-risk situations. (…) Patient care always comes first, but we will not have any employees, clinicians or physicians left if we continue to let them be treated this way.”

Asked the status of the delayed Donahue Behavioral Health Hospital, slated to become the state’s primary mental health facility serving central Oklahoma, Friesen said the agency has hired J.E. Dunn Construction as construction manager. The construction company led the recent renovation, repair and restoration of the exterior of the Oklahoma State Capitol.

“We are finally at a point where we have concrete plans, concrete numbers, concrete figures,” Friesen said. “And now it’s a matter of essentially putting a menu in front of the decision makers at the Legislature and in the executive branch to make sure that everybody’s on the same page and so that we can get this done the right way. We are on track.”

The Donahue is deesigned to be a 200,000-square-foot behavioral health facility on the OSU-OKC campus, and it is intended to replace the Griffin Memorial Hospital in Norman, which served as the state’s primary mental health hospital for more than a century.

According to agency documents provided to lawmakers last session, the Donahue was targeted for a December 2026 move-in. Friesen said Thursday that its opening will be pushed back to 2027.

On April 30, legislators asked ODMHSAS officials about the Norman property, which was anticipated to net $50 million when sold. With that $50 million unrealized, Friesen provided legislators with a spreadsheet showing a $78.6 million funding hole for the Donahue hospital.

Asked Thursday if that funding hole had changed, Friesen declined to discuss it.

“Out of respect for the leaders that we have not had a chance to sit down with, I’m not going to give you specifics on numbers,” Friesen said. “When we come back with the figures for the funding gap, we will have a specific opening date as well.”

City of Norman sues library construction companies

Nearly a full year after what was initially intended to be a one-week mold remediation project, the central branch of the Norman Public Library remains shuttered because leaks and mold have plagued the building. Now, the City of Norman has filed a lawsuit against the library’s architects and builders.

Oklahoma-based construction group FlintCo and Oklahoma-based architectural firm ADG Blatt are named as defendants in the lawsuit, which alleges each of the defendants failed to use “the ordinary skill, care and diligence of (…) a reasonably prudent” contractor. Minnesota-based architecture firm Meyer, Scherer and Rockcastle was also named as a defendant, along with 20 John Does who supplied building materials and subcontracted construction work, the names of whom are “not yet known to (the) plaintiff.”

The $39 million building, funded by Norman’s MAPS-like Norman Forward sales tax, opened in November 2019 and closed in November 2023. Norman Parks and Recreation director Jason Olsen said at the time of the building’s closure that his department had been “nonstop chasing leaks” as soon as the building opened. The building’s roof was replaced and windows were resealed annually, but nothing curbed the widespread water intrusion.

In April, Olsen shut down rumors that the library would need to be torn down, but he acknowledged the city does not have enough funding to make the repairs necessary on its own.

“We’re going to need some help getting this building across the finish line,” Olsen told the Norman Public Library Board, adding that the city was entering “a phase of litigation.” The lawsuit was officially filed Oct. 2.

KFOR published excerpts from a report by Norman-based architecture firm McKinney Partnership Architects, which is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit. Dated September 2018, the report detailed extensive mold growth on the library’s second and third floors prior to it even opening to the public.

“There could be a high probability that the mold could show up after the building is 100 percent enclosed,” the report said.

Pemberton out, Lepak in as Stitt general counsel

On Monday, Gov. Kevin Stitt announced that a new general counsel will replace his current top attorney, Trevor Pemberton.

State Chamber Research Foundation executive director Ben Lepak will join Stitt’s administration as Pemberton approaches his last day on the job Nov. 1. Lepak is the son of state Rep. Mark Lepak (R-OKC) and the brother of State Board of Education member Sarah Lepak.

“It’s an honor to serve my state in this capacity,” Lepak said in a press release. “I’ve long admired the governor’s business acumen and commitment to free market principles. I look forward to helping him advance his top 10 agenda.”

Ben Lepak currently sits on the Statewide Charter School Board, and he was critical of having an attorney from Attorney General Gentner Drummond’s office represent the board at a recent meeting. Typically, state boards can receive legal counsel from the AG’s office or hire their own attorneys, although Drummond successfully sued to block the board’s creation of a Catholic charter school.

At the SCSB’s July 30 meeting, Lepak and other members of the board disagreed with Drummond’s decision to attempt to remove the board’s outside attorney from the role. The board decided at that meeting to continue to retain its outside counsel and pursue a U.S. Supreme Court appeal of the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s June decision to block a potential new Catholic charter school from opening. Lepak voted in favor of both measures. Drummond has been a staunch opponent of the idea of allowing religious charter schools, which are public schools that can be privately run.

Lepak will join an administration steeped in legal questions, such as how Oklahoma should handle jurisdictional questions in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2020 McGirt decision, which functionally affirmed eastern Oklahoma as a series of Indian Country reservations. Stitt has been critical of the decision and vocal in his calls to overturn it, often angering tribal officials.

“Ben has worked tirelessly in the public and private sectors to advance free market principles,” Stitt said. “I’m excited to add his legal and policy expertise to my team as we continue to make Oklahoma a top 10 state for business.”

It is unclear where Pemberton, who held his position for three years, will go after he leaves the governor’s office. He shared words of faith in the press release announcing his departure.

“Three years ago, I accepted this incredible opportunity out of obedience to the Lord’s call on my life, and I am laying it down all the same,” Pemberton said. “We are called to be strong and courageous, to not be frightened or dismayed; the lord our God is with us wherever we go. Indeed, he has been. May the lord continue to bless this great state and Gov. Kevin Stitt.”

Pemberton has advised Stitt’s office that Lepak will not need to step down from the Statewide Charter School Board, according to Abegail Cave, the governor’s director of communications.

Former OKC councilman Larry McAtee dies

Longtime Oklahoma City Ward 3 City Councilman Larry McAtee died Friday. McAtee, 87, served on the OKC City Council from 2001 to 2021 and became the second-longest-serving member of the council during that time.

McAtee also held positions on numerous boards during his time in city government, including chairing the airport trust, economic development trust and sports facilities oversight board, among others.

OKC Mayor David Holt praised McAtee as the epitome of an elected official.

“Councilman Larry McAtee was a model public servant who connected with his constituents on a personal level to solve problems and seize opportunities,” Holt said. “Though his first priority was always his ward, Larry was also a contributor to the many citywide accomplishments we realized during his two decades of service, including the passage of three MAPS initiatives and the arrival of major league professional sports. We are grateful for his lifetime of service, and we send our deepest condolences to his family.”

Last year, a park in Crystal Lake — just southwest of the Interstate 40 and MacArthur Boulevard intersection — was named after McAtee, who championed neighborhoods and city beautification efforts during his time in office.

“It was an honor to serve the residents of Ward 3 and the City of Oklahoma City for 20 years,” McAtee said at the park dedication, according to a press release. “It was my privilege to serve alongside neighborhood leaders and city staff who were passionate about growing and improving our great city. May God continue to bless the City of Oklahoma City.”

Michael McNutt Michael McNutt has been a journalist for 40 years, working at The Oklahoman for 30 years, heading up its Enid bureau and serving as night city editor, assistant news editor and State Capitol reporter. He served as NonDoc’s managing editor from January 2023 until his retirement from full-time work in early 2025. An inductee of the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame, he served as communications director for former Gov. Mary Fallin and then for the Office of Juvenile Affairs. Send tips and story ideas to mcnutt@nondoc.com.

Matt Patterson Matt Patterson has spent 20 years in Oklahoma journalism covering a variety of topics for The Oklahoman, The Edmond Sun and Lawton Constitution. He joined NonDoc in 2019. Email story tips and ideas to matt@nondoc.com.

Andrea Hancock Andrea Hancock became NonDoc’s news editor in September 2024. She graduated in 2023 from Northwestern University. Originally from Stillwater, she completed an internship with NonDoc in 2022.

Bennett Brinkman Bennett Brinkman became NonDoc’s production editor in September 2024 after spending the previous two years as NonDoc’s education reporter. He completed a reporting internship for the organization in Summer 2022 and holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma. He is originally from Edmond.

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — After reporting Thursday night of State Superintendent Ryan Walters being investigated by the Ethics Commission for allegedly violating campaign finance rules, a second investigation is underway, alleging his use of state social media accounts and OSDE communications staff to share politically charged opinions which may have violated state ethics laws.

According to documents obtained by News 4, the Ethics Commission authorized a formal investigation after determining “reasonable cause to believe that violations of one or more” provisions occurred.

Documents state that Walters allegedly used “…internet social media account(s) maintained in the name of you, as a state officer, and social media account(s) maintained in the name of a state agency to advocate the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate for an elective office. The following are the relevant facts and allegations that relate to this specific matter, so far as known to the Commission.”

The official notice of investigation can be viewed below.

The letter listed several example of posts Walters made to his X (formerly Twitter) account.

The profile picture on his X account is his official state portrait, and the account’s name is “Superintendent Ryan Walters”—his official state title.

One of the example posts the ethics commission listed, Walters posted a video of himself in his car on election day in November.

“Just got through casting my ballot for President Trump,” Walters says in the video. “I encourage everybody to get out today, vote for President Trump.”

Another post the Ethics Commission flagged was an October post Walters made to his X account, in which he shared a video of himself giving an interview on Fox Business Network.

“The biggest threat out there to our U.S. economy, our parents, our kids—is Kamala Harris,” Walters says in the video.

Another post included a video of Walters speaking about the southern U.S. border on the show ‘Fox and Friends’ in October.

“The administration, Kamala Harris, has ignored this crisis, has ignored this issue,” Walters said in the Fox and Friends clip he posted.

The Ethics Commission also flagged a post the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) made on its official X account in October.

The post included a video, which shows pictures of President Biden and Vice President Harris, while text on the screen says:

“The Oklahoma Department of Education sends notice to the office of the Vice President, charged with addressing the border crisis. The federal government’s failure to secure the border has a price.”

The video then lists several statistics related to illegal immigration and border crossings, and then goes on to say:

“The federal government created this problem, so they’re going to pay for it. We hereby demand reimbursement in the amount of $474,900,000.00.”

The Ethics Commission also raised concern over a press release, sent to news outlets in October by OSDE’s Director of Communications Dan Isett, in which Isett shares a statement from Walters about the war between Israel and Hamas.

The press release, titled ‘Walters Condemns Hamas War Against Israel,’ was written on Walters’ official OSDE letterhead.

In his statement included in the release, Walters wrote:

“Oklahomans are horrified at the atrocities perpetrated against the Israeli people by Iran-backed Hamas. Make no mistake: Oklahoma stands with our ally, Israel, and against these senseless acts of violence. As a sovereign and indissoluble nation, Israel’s right to self-defense is absolute. I call on the Biden Administration to act swiftly to ensure Israel has the military resources it needs to confront this shocking act of mass terrorism. Under President Trump, Israel could rest assured that the United States had its back, but under the Biden Administration, the US arms Israel’s enemies.

We are taking a fresh look at standards to ensure Oklahoma schools do not teach terrorism as a legitimate means to political ends. I hope all Oklahomans will join me in prayer for the people of Israel that peace and security will soon return to their land.”

In the letter the ethics commission sent Walters, they told him they had “reasonable cause” to believe Walters may have violated campaign ethics rules by using public funds to share those messages on his official state platforms.

This development came after News 4 reported about a separate Ethics Commission investigation into Walters on Thursday.

In that investigation, the Ethics Commission is looking into Walters for allegedly violating campaign finance rules during his 2022 campaign for state superintendent.

And, if you ask State Rep. Forrest Bennett (D-Oklahoma City), who has long been a Walters critic, he says, these investigations were a long time coming.

“[Walters] has gone way, way out of his scope just about from day one,” Bennett said. “I mean, it was pretty evident to all of us who have to abide by Ethics Commission standards and rules that that using official superintendent office, social media and the other trappings of the office like his emails and all those other things, letterhead—and using those to promote one political candidate over another. I mean at the House, even in sending out press releases, we have to be careful about how partisan we are.”

But, even some members of Walters’ own party, like State Rep. Daniel Pae (R-Lawton) are not shocked.

“Honestly, with everything that’s transpired in the past several months, I’m not surprised,” Pae said. “In 2024, we saw time after time where Superintendent Walters was focused on trying to increase his name I.D. Many of the provocative instances were to generate headlines… When it comes to a matter of one’s ethics, we should be held to a high standard.”

So what do these ethics investigations mean for Walters?

“It’s tough to say how deep of water he’s in at this point,” said Tim Gilpin, a former Assistant Oklahoma Attorney General. “But no matter what you sure don’t want the state ethics commission investigating you.”

Gilpin says, depending on what the ethics commission does or doesn’t find, typically, these things result in fines, but sometimes the commission uncovers things that can be considered criminal.

“It could also catch the attention of the district attorney or the attorney general’s office with its findings and potentially provide that information to one of those entities,” Gilpin said.

What really catches Gilpin’s attention in this case is the fact that the ethics commission —a long underfunded and understaffed agency—has opened not one, but two investigations into Walters—at the same time.

“Our ethics commission really hasn’t got the resources to go out on a limb,” he said. “So when they’re pushing the buttons on a politician, that usually means that they’re very concerned about it and they’re willing to go out on that limb. So it’s a big deal that the Ethics commission is doing multiple investigation into Mr. Walters, because typically they just don’t have the resources to do that for one reason or another.”

News 4 has contacted the Oklahoma State Department of Education for comment but have not heard back from the Superintendent’s spokesperson.

Support Journalism

With the football season now in full swing to cause elation and heartbreak for fans across the nation, it can be easy to miss some important Oklahoma news.

In this roundup, get caught up on developments concerning the University of Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Ethics Commission, layoffs at the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office and more.

Regents approve OU policy changes with no discussion

The University of Oklahoma Board of Regents approved revisions to two significant policies at its meeting in Tulsa on Friday: the Institutional Conflicts of Interest Policy and the Fraud Prevention, Reporting and Whistleblower Policy.

The board also approved a new policy regarding “degree revocation,” which outlines how OU can revoke an individual’s degree when it “has been obtained by fraud or other serious misconduct, including, but not limited to, providing false information on an application for admission, tampering with student records, and other non-scholarly or non-research misconduct activities,” according to an explanation in the board’s Sept. 12 agenda.

Despite the significance of the three policy topics, none received explanation or discussion from OU President Joe Harroz or the regents, who unanimously approved all three policies in 33 seconds.

After the meeting concluded, both Harroz and board Chairman Eric Stevenson indicated that OU general counsel Armand Paliotta could explain the policy changes regarding fraud investigations and conflicts of interest.

“I think they’re updates,” Harroz said. “I think it’s updating to make sure they are consistent with federal law.”

But OU communications officials said Paliotta was unavailable to discuss the changes, and requests for statements or redlined documents showing the changes — as are typically included in the board agenda — only yielded PDF versions of the prior policies and reiteration of their brief agenda descriptions, which included only quoted or paraphrased portions of the policies themselves.

A comparison of the prior Fraud Prevention, Reporting and Whistleblower Policy with the new version indicates seven main revisions:

The addition of “failure to disclose or concealment of a conflict of interest for purposes of personal gain, including a gain for immediate family” to the definition of fraudulent activities;

Specification of the phone number — (844) 428-6531 — and web address for the OU Report It! Hotline;

Specification that “employees may report fraud to the hotline anonymously”;

Notation that OU employees “also may confidentially report claims of mismanagement and criminal misuse of state funds or property to the Civil Service Division of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services”;

Adjustment in a list of who shall be alerted when “an investigation reveals evidence that supports a finding of fraud.” The policy now states “the investigative report shall be referred to the executive officer over the area, the president, or the Board of Regents, as appropriate, for corrective action.” Previously, the policy specified “and/or” the Board of Regents;

Specification that OU’s chief audit executive may conduct “periodic fraud risk assessments”;

In specifying that the chief audit executive is empowered to “manage the appropriate referral of reports,” the revised policy adds “in consultation with the general counsel as needed.”

The revised Institutional Conflicts of Interest Policy approved Friday involved a broader rewrite and restructuring. Some apparent changes include:

Specification that required “personal disclosures” made by the president and other “covered officials” at OU “shall be considered confidential, and the information disclosed will be available only to individuals duly charged with the responsibility for review. However, the information may be released in accordance with and as required by applicable law or lawful court order”;

A requirement that, “no later than 30 university business days after notice of the event giving rise to a real, potential or apparent institutional conflict, the Conflicts of Interest Office of the appropriate campus or his/her designee shall secure information on institutional interests”;

Establishment that, when a potential conflict of interest is identified and an elimination or management plan is created by a provost and provided to the Institutional Conflicts of Interest Committee, “the president or his/her designee, in consultation with the general counsel, shall have final approval”;

Stronger language in the “Sanctions” section to say “failure to fully disclose conflicting relationships and/or interests or to follow a prescribed management plan is a serious breach of this policy and may itself be considered research or ethical misconduct.” Previously, the policy said such failure “may be a serious breach”;

A new caveat in the “Sanctions” section that says punishment for violations shall be “as determined by the president or president’s designees.” That section also adds “abrogation of tenure” as a punishment option;

A change in the “Sanctions” section about reporting “allegations against an employee for breach of this policy.” Previously, the policy said such allegations “should be reported in a confidential writing to the appropriate provost and, if against a staff employee, the appropriate executive officer.” The new policy says such allegations “may be reported to the appropriate provost or vice president or via any university compliance or ethics reporting hotline.”

Friday’s gathering marked the second meeting in a row where the OU Board of Regents has taken action on major policies. In June, the board approved alcohol policy revisions and the overall transition of OU’s sexual misconduct, discrimination and harassment policies — dubbed the “Institutional Equity Policy” — from regent responsibility to “presidential level” management. The item received no discussion from Harroz or the board.

“Simply, that’s a better place for it at the presidential level,” Stevenson said after the June meeting.

Harroz left the that meeting immediately after its conclusion, but asked what June’s vote on the Institutional Equity Policy means functionally, he discussed the matter Friday.

“It functionally means that I’ll be addressing it. It makes it an ability to adapt to [where the U.S. Department of Education] is that issues it and to deal with the litigation that is taking place right now,” Harroz said, referencing how more than two dozen states have challenged a federal rule expanding the scope of sex discrimination to include gender identity. “As you’ve probably followed, there is litigation over the Title IX component of how it’s handled. [This OU policy management change] allows it to be something we can do once we have a clear authority from the courts on what we are allowed to do. Which I think, probably, we will see turn on the election. But right now it’s with the courts.”

Harroz said OU leaders wanted to switch the Institutional Equity Policy from being regent-approved to president-approved for flexibility, meaning he would be able to make changes quickly “rather than have that issue arise and have to wait for the next board meeting to address it.”

Asked how how members of the public would know about his changes to OU’s policies on sexual misconduct, discrimination and harassment now that they will not be included in public board agendas, Harroz said, “That’s a fair question.”

“Anything we would do, look, we would have to disseminate it to the entire community for a change. So at a minimum, it would be me sending it to all faculty, staff and students,” Harroz said. “Realistically, we couldn’t affect it without publishing it. If you’re either the person who is accusing or the accused, you would have to know what the ground rules were ahead of time to go by. So that’s how we would probably publish any change. And then typically, on some of these items, we do something annually as well.”

Click to review the three policies approved Sept. 20 by the OU Board of Regents.

Norman council approves long-debated entertainment district TIF



After nearly three hours of public comment, the Norman City Council approved a controversial economic development agreement that could spur a new arena for OU basketball and gymnastics, as well as hundreds of millions of dollars in housing and retail developments on land owned by the OU Foundation and other parties on Norman’s northern edge.

While the vote, which occurred shortly after 1 a.m. Wednesday, marks a victory for OU officials and Norman economic development advocates, it obligates up to $600 million of future sales and property taxes through a pair of Tax Increment Finance districts that opponents hope will be rejected through an already-announced referendum petition.

According to the Rock Creek Entertainment District project plan approved 5-4 by the council, the cost of the arena and its associated parking garage is expected to be $190 million, and the city has also pledged $40 million toward infrastructure improvements in the area. But the total authorized project cost is $600 million instead of $230 million because of the city’s commitment to support private developers with debt financing over 25 years.

If the total cost of the arena ultimately goes over $600 million, the private developers, not the city, are responsible for coming up with the extra money, the agreement states. In exchange for the city’s financial contributions toward the arena, the private developers are obligated to build a new entertainment district surrounding the arena. The entertainment district is supposed to include 140,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, 180,000 square feet of office space, a 150-room hotel, 177 units of single-family housing and “up to” 750 units of multifamily housing. The arena and entertainment district will be located in northern Norman right off of Interstate 35 in the city’s University North Park neighborhood.

“The entire OU family is grateful to the City Council for its leadership, vision, and vote of support,” Harroz, OU’s president, said in a statement. “Tonight’s vote was an important milestone, and we look forward to continuing to work in close partnership with government and business leaders from Norman and Cleveland County to move this project to completion.”

Through a combination of OU and the OU Foundation sources, OU-affiliated entities are expected to contribute $100 million to the project costs. However, it remains unclear what type of annual lease payments the university’s athletic department would make for rental of the arena.

As revealed in documents ahead of the City Council vote, the arena and parking garage portions of the project will be owned by the Cleveland County Recreational and Entertainment Facilities Authority, a public trust created earlier this year. And unlike the city’s prior TIF for the University North Park area, the new TIF does not include an anti-cannibalism provision that would prevent relocated retail operations from having their taxes diverted to the TIF project.

The project has been contentious among Normanites. One study estimates the arena and entertainment district will generate $2.3 billion in direct, net-new spending over 25 years, while 17 percent of commercial activity will be net-new to Cleveland County.

However, another study notes the district will cause “cannibalization,” redirecting consumer spending from elsewhere in Norman, where sales tax would still benefit the general fund as normal, to the new entertainment district, where no sales tax would benefit the general fund until the TIF district expired. Using the figures provided in that study, the city’s general fund and capital expenditures fund would lose $1.26 million in projected revenues beginning in 2031.

Oklahoma’s Local Development Act allows residents to call a referendum election challenging the creation of TIF districts by collecting signatures equal to at least 25 percent of the total votes cast at the preceding general municipal election. Signatures must be gathered and submitted within 30 days of a TIF district’s approval.

While the arena would be used for OU basketball and gymnastics programs, the university is eyeing upgrades to its football facilities, too. At the OU Board of Regents meeting Friday, the board approved $7 million toward developing architectural examination and planning for renovations to the football stadium’s west side.

Quarter Horse Racing PAC fined for failing to disclose political contributions

The Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Political Action Committee has agreed to pay $11,000 in civil penalties and costs for violating state ethics rules by failing to report more than $80,000 of contributions to legislative and statewide candidate committees from 2020 through 2023.

The Oklahoma Ethics Commission’s board accepted a settlement agreement during its meeting Friday. The agreement calls for the OQHR PAC to pay a $10,000 civil penalty to the state’s General Revenue Fund and $1,000 to the Ethics Commission to cover attorney fees and costs. The money is to be paid within 30 days.

The OQHR PAC failed to report a total of $84,600 in contributions to candidates in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023, according to a notice of allegations sent to the PAC from the Ethics Commission.

Also, as part of the settlement, the OQHR PAC agreed to send its officers within one year to an Ethics Commission continuing education program related to PACs.

The notice of allegations sent to the OQHR PAC in June notes that the treasurer is responsible for filing reports of contributions and expenditures. According to its statement of organization filed with the Ethics Commission, the executive director of the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association serves as treasurer for the OQHR PAC.

Krissy Bamberg has been OQHRA’s executive director since May 2021. Asked to respond to the settlement, Bamberg said in an email that she has no comment at this time.

In 2021, Kole Kennemer served as the association’s executive director and PAC treasurer until he resigned in May of that year. He was hired in January 2019 after the death of longtime OQHRA executive director Debbie Schauf.

Before being named OQHRA executive director, Bamberg — who is Schauf’s daughter — worked since 1999 in the association’s Edmond office. In 2019, she was named special events coordinator and race administrator.

Most of the contributions not reported by the OQHR PAC occurred in 2020 when it failed to report $61,100 given to 116 legislative candidates, including Republicans and Democrats seeking seats in the Senate and the House of Representatives. All but one of the contributions were for $500. A contribution of $1,000 was given to Rep. Dell Kerbs (R-Shawnee).

In 2022, the OQHR PAC failed to report contributing $12,500 to four Republican statewide candidates: $2,500 each to then-Attorney General John O’Connor; AG challenger Gentner Drummond, who was elected to the post that year; and Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell; and $5,000 to Gov. Kevin Stitt.

The OQHR PAC in 2023 failed to report contributing $9,000 to six legislators: $1,000 each to designated House Speaker Kyle Hilbert (R-Bristow); designated Senate President Pro Tempore Lonnie Paxton (R-Tuttle); and Trey Caldwell (R-Lawton), who is the vice chairman of the House Appropriations and Budget Committee; Rep. Tammy Townley (R-Ardmore); Kerbs; and Kurt Murray, of Stillwater, who withdrew ahead of the June Republican primary for the open Senate District 21 seat.

In 2021, the OQHR PAC failed to report contributing $500 to each of four legislators: Rep. Kevin McDugle (R-Broken Arrow); Sen. Chris Kidd (R-Waurika); then-Sen. John Michael Montgomery (R-Lawton); and Rep. John Waldron (D-Tulsa).

The OQHR PAC is a limited committee, which means it is required to file quarterly reports of contributions and expenditures, according to the Ethics Commission.

Campaign funds may be used for caregiving expenses

Political candidates and elected officials may spend campaign funds on childcare or other caregiving expenses, according to an interpretation of rules approved by the Oklahoma Ethics Commission.

Commissioners voted 4-0 on Friday to state that Ethics Commission rules allow for using contributions to a campaign committee to pay for dependent care expenses as an ordinary and necessary expense. The change takes effect immediately.

Campaign funds may be spent for caregiving expenses when:

The candidate or officeholder has primary caregiving responsibility for a dependent, such as a dependent child or an elderly parent;

The candidate or officeholder needs to have the dependent cared for to allow the candidate or officeholder to attend or participate in an event that would not exist but for the campaign or officeholder’s position; and

The costs associated with caring for the dependent would not be incurred if there were no campaign or office holding.

Sen. Jessica Garvin (R-Duncan) requested the commission look at whether dependent expenses could be considered expenses associated with campaign activity and holding public office.

“When I ran for office, I was fortunate to have an incredible support system who helped with our children while we were spending 10-12 hours a day knocking doors; not every candidate has that same type of village,” Garvin said in a statement. “I am incredibly proud of the Oklahoma Ethics Commission for their decision regarding campaign finances and childcare, and believe this demonstrates the commitment we have in Oklahoma to ensure less barriers exist for young families to be engaged and involved in civics and government.”

Sarah Hague, chief program officer of the Vote Mama Foundation, appeared before the commission to request that campaign funds be eligible for dependent care expenses.

“Childcare obligations are one of the major factors that families consider when making their decision to run for office,” Hague said. “In many states, it costs more to send an infant to childcare than it does to make a mortgage payment. And this is just not an expense that working families can take on, especially while running for office.”

The Vote Mama Foundation is the only organization advocating to pass the usage of campaign funds for childcare in all 50 states, Hague said. In 2018, the organization in 2018 made an initial request to the Federal Election Commission to allow federal candidates to use their campaign funds on childcare, she said. Now, the organization is requesting states to do the same.

“To date, 33 states have allowed the use of campaign funds to be used on childcare expenses,” Hague said. “And since 2018, we’ve seen over a 2,000 percent increase in usage by state candidates. Over $1 million has been spent by federal and state candidates on childcare expenses. And to date, we’ve seen no instances of abuse.”

Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office lays off staff



In the midst of budget woes, the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office announced a round of layoffs Friday. A statement on Facebook from the agency said the layoffs are “primarily affecting administrative staff, with some impact on deputies,” while patrol and detention staffing retention will be prioritized. According to News 9, 24 staff members have lost their jobs, while six others were reassigned.

To further reduce costs, the sheriff’s office will begin using Cleveland County’s IT and HR departments and will sell surplus assets, according to the Facebook post. The agency will shift its patrol focus to unincorporated areas and incorporate cross-training with other emergency response agencies.

In a statement released Friday, the Cleveland County Board of Commissioners said Sheriff Chris Amason’s agency overspent its 2024 fiscal year budget by $4.5 million. In June, commissioners approved $3.2 million to get the agency through the end of the year. Although commissioners needled Amason by dubbing it a “bailout” fund, he was reelected against multiple challengers in June.

Commissioners have reported that, since Amason took office in 2020, his office has seen a turnover of 315 personnel.

“The Cleveland County Board of County Commissioners is saddened to learn that more valued employees are losing their jobs,” Commissioners Rod Cleveland, Jacob McHughes and Rusty Grissom said in a joint statement. “These layoffs are the consequence of mismanagement and previous decisions made by Sheriff Amason, which have affected the operations and stability of his department.”

Report: Grand jury investigating Ryan Walters

On Monday, Nolan Clay of The Oklahoman reported that “multiple sources,” who were not named, had confirmed Oklahoma’s multi-county grand jury is investigating State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters over his handling of federal pandemic relief money. NonDoc has also been able to confirm the inquiry.

Attorney General Gentner Drummond indicated shortly after taking office in January 2023 that he intended to investigate “state actors” for the possible misspending of millions of dollars. The multi-county grand jury meets at the office of the attorney general, which also advises the body of citizens tasked with hearing evidence from prosecutors around the state. A grand jury can order subpoenas, issue indictments and write reports about situations investigated in front of it.

Walters, for his part, has insisted the Florida-based software company ClassWallet is to blame for at least some of the misspending of funds. Walters contracted the company to administer $39 million in the federal Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund. At the time, he was Gov. Kevin Stitt’s Secretary of Education and the executive director of Every Kid Counts Oklahoma.

Low-income families eligible for one of the two GEER programs meant to provide money for educational materials for kids at home during the pandemic could use ClassWallet to purchase those materials online. Reporting from The Frontier and Oklahoma Watch, along with state and federal audits, has shown that families were able to purchase gaming consoles and other non-educational products through the system.

The multi-county grand jury meets for up to three days each month during its regular 18-month term. Its next session is scheduled for Oct. 8-10, according to The Oklahoman.

As questions about Walters and the multi-county grand jury abound, the attorney general’s office — where the jury meets — appears to be tightening security. Last week, the office implemented a new policy effectively barring anyone who does not have an appointment or other approval from entering the building. Previously, members of the public were allowed to sit in the office’s lobby, and Clay became known for doing so on days that a grand jury was meeting.

Phil Bacharach, the agency’s director of communications, said the new policy is unavailable for review because it is currently in draft form. He said it should be finalized sometime next week.

Woman acquitted of obstruction charges after protest at Trump rally

A woman acquitted by a jury last week on charges of obstructing a police officer at a 2020 rally for Donald Trump in Tulsa will likely resume a civil lawsuit against the City of Tulsa, her attorney said.

Sheila Buck, 67, went to downtown Tulsa for Trump’s 2020 reelection rally at the BOK Center to protest. Wearing a t-shirt proclaiming, “I Can’t Breathe,” Buck was arrested after campaign staffers asked police to remove her from the area. Buck was found not guilty Sept. 10 of misdemeanor obstruction charges.

Buck’s civil lawsuit alleges the City of Tulsa violated her First, Fourth and 14th Amendment rights.

“This is not a partisan issue,” Buck’s attorney told NPR last week. “This goes to every single American’s civil right to voice their opinion in a public forum and not be arrested for it.”

Oklahoma County Jail loses health care provider

Turn Key Health, a longtime health care provider at the Oklahoma County Jail that operates clinics inside jails in 10 states, will be out of the facility by early October after the company informed the jail trust it would no longer serve the facility because of what it said were inadequate staffing levels at the jail, according to a report from The Frontier.

In its letter, the company said low staffing levels prevented its employees from adequately accessing its patients.

That leaves the county’s jail trust about a month to find a new vendor. While Turn Key has blamed the issue on jail staff, the company has had numerous problems in recent years. A July 2024 investigative report by the Marshall Project found that at least 50 people had died under Turn Key’s care in the last decade, including some at the Oklahoma County Jail.

Michael McNutt Michael McNutt has been a journalist for 40 years, working at The Oklahoman for 30 years, heading up its Enid bureau and serving as night city editor, assistant news editor and State Capitol reporter. He served as NonDoc’s managing editor from January 2023 until his retirement from full-time work in early 2025. An inductee of the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame, he served as communications director for former Gov. Mary Fallin and then for the Office of Juvenile Affairs. Send tips and story ideas to mcnutt@nondoc.com.

Bennett Brinkman Bennett Brinkman became NonDoc’s production editor in September 2024 after spending the previous two years as NonDoc’s education reporter. He completed a reporting internship for the organization in Summer 2022 and holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma. He is originally from Edmond.

Matt Patterson Matt Patterson has spent 20 years in Oklahoma journalism covering a variety of topics for The Oklahoman, The Edmond Sun and Lawton Constitution. He joined NonDoc in 2019. Email story tips and ideas to matt@nondoc.com.

Tres Savage Tres Savage (William W. Savage III) has served as editor in chief of NonDoc since the publication launched in 2015. He holds a journalism degree from the University of Oklahoma and worked in health care for six years before returning to the media industry. He is a nationally certified Mental Health First Aid instructor and serves on the board of the Oklahoma Media Center.

Andrea Hancock Andrea Hancock became NonDoc’s news editor in September 2024. She graduated in 2023 from Northwestern University. Originally from Stillwater, she completed an internship with NonDoc in 2022.