Walters will pay $18,300 to settle with Oklahoma Ethics Commission
State Superintendent Ryan Walters delivers opening remarks at the Aug. 22, 2024, State Board of Education meeting. (Photo by Beth Wallis/StateImpact Oklahoma)
The Oklahoma Ethics Commission is settling another campaign finance issue with State Superintendent Ryan Walters.
The Republican will pay $18,300 for an improper transfer of funds from his campaign war chest to a local school board election committee in Jenks.
The payment was $2,100 to the local campaign committee, 'Cross for Jenks,' which backed candidate Ashley Cross for school board in the district. She expressed concern about 'oversexualization' in schools during her 2022 election bid. She eventually lost to incumbent school board member Terry Keeling.
The total payment must be received by the end of September, according to the settlement. The first installment of $5,000 is due on May 30.
It's the second time Walters has paid a fine in recent months, after another $5,000 settlement for improper use of his official social media account for political purposes in March. In that case, the Commission found 10 of Walters' social media posts advocating for the election of President Donald Trump and the defeat of former Vice President Kamala Harris violated Oklahoma Ethics Rules.
In good news for Walters, the Ethics Commission also dismissed a separate complaint against him for endorsing an alternative membership organization to a union for teachers, which a Democratic lawmaker had brought.
Rep. Ellyn Pogemiller, D-Oklahoma City, filed the complaint. She told StateImpact that state law provides two avenues for potential violations: using state resources for private purposes and the obligation of state officers to avoid conflicts of interest and preferential treatment. She argued that the union was a private organization and that public resources should not be used for advocacy on its behalf.
This article was originally published by KOSU.
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