Walters facing ethics complaint

Claim asserts misuse of public funds, time

Murray Evans

The Oklahoman USA TODAY NETWORK

A Democratic lawmaker is asking the Oklahoma Ethics Commission to look into former state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters’ use of state resources to promote his new employer.

State Rep. Ellen Pogemiller, D-Oklahoma City, filed a formal complaint with the commission on Monday, Sept. 29, saying Walters’ hiring as chief executive officer of the Teacher Freedom Alliance – which he announced during an appearance on Fox News Sept. 24 – raises ethics concerns. Walters repeatedly touted the organization in the months leading up to his hiring.

“This development strongly suggests that his prior actions were motivated by personal financial or professional gain, further underscoring the need for investigation,” Pogemiller wrote in her complaint, which was addressed to Lee Anne Bruce Boone, the Ethics Commission’s executive director.

Walters submitted his letter of resignation to Gov. Kevin Stitt on Tuesday, Sept. 30, the governor’s office confirmed.

In her complaint, Pogemiller said Walters’ hiring “indicates that his official actions may have been designed to personally benefit him, potentially constituting an additional conflict of interest or abuse of public trust warranting scrutiny.”

A spokeswoman for Walters didn’t return an emailed message seeking a response to the complaint. The Teacher Freedom Alliance is a new professional organization that touts itself as “an alternative to union membership” for teachers. It is a part of the Freedom Foundation, a far-right anti- labor union think tank. The Teacher Freedom Alliance said after Walters’ announcement he’d begin his new job Wednesday, Oct. 1.

In March, Walters’ office sent out multiple press releases on Oklahoma State Department of Education letterhead, with Walters’ signature, touting the Teacher Freedom Alliance. In one of them, Walters was quoted: “Teachers deserve the ability to be rewarded for being great. 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 CRT, DEI, gender ideology, and antisemitism in our classrooms.”

Also in March, Pogemiller asked Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond for an official opinion asking if Walters was ethical in using state resources to promote a new professional organization that touts itself as “an alternative to union membership” for teachers. She asked Drummond “clarify the legality” of Walters’ conduct concerning the Teacher Freedom Alliance and to “investigate the financial ties and contacts (Walters) has with TFA.”

Drummond, a Republican, instead sent Pogemiller a “letter of counsel” to respond to her questions. Drummond wrote that Walters “has no role or substantive authority” in collective bargaining negotiations, “and thus no power or authority to ‘discriminate’ against district employees or to ’impede, restrain or coerce’ the exercise of their right to collectively bargain.”

He also wrote, “the Press Release does not condition any person’s employment (or continued employment) on anything. It simply advocates for a purported alternative to existing teachers’ unions. While some may disagree with the Superintendent’s position or the manner in which it was presented, there is nothing in the Press Release that can be construed as forcing school district employees (or those hoping for school district employment) to become members of the Teacher Freedom Alliance as a condition of employment.”

In May, the Ethics Commission dismissed a complaint against Walters regarding the conduct described in Pogemiller’s request.

In her new complaint, Pogemiller said Walters’ conduct “raises serious concerns under Oklahoma law,” including possible violations of ethics rules prohibiting the use of state resources for private purposes, obligating state officers (such as the superintendent) to avoid “conflicts of interest and preferential treatment,” as well as laws prohibiting the misuse of public funds.

Pogemiller also said public records show Walters and his staff used “state funds and time” to travel to TFA-related events, “including a July 2023 trip to Denver for the Teacher Freedom Summit, where he served as keynote speaker.” She asked the Ethics Commission to “office investigate how much of the reported hundreds of thousands of dollars in PR funds spent by Ryan Walters while in office was used to directly or indirectly promote TFA” or affiliated organizations.

Twice in 2025, Walters has reached settlements with the Ethics Commission over separate issues. In March, he paid a $5,000 settlement after being accused of ethics violations for pushing for President Donald Trump’s election on a social media account with his official title. In May, he agreed to pay an $18,300 settlement to resolve accusations of ethics violations in his 2022 campaign. He also agreed to give refunds to donors who over-contributed to the campaign.

Walters’ conduct “raises serious concerns under Oklahoma law,” including possible violations of ethics rules prohibiting the use of state resources for private purposes, obligating state officers to avoid “conflicts of interest and preferential treatment.”

State Rep. Ellen Pogemiller wrote in the formal complaint to the Oklahoma Ethics Commission.