Latest news with #OpenRecordsRequest
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawmaker asks for AG's opinion on potential Supt. Walters ethics violation
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — A freshman Oklahoma lawmaker has brought up a new possible ethics complaint centered around State Superintendent Ryan Walters. In an interview with Non-Doc, Representative Ellen Pogemiller (D-Oklahoma City) said she not only asked Attorney General Gentner Drummond for his opinion, but also filed another complaint with the Oklahoma Ethics Commission. Pogemiller said she believes that because Walters seemingly endorsed an alternate organization to what he called 'woke teachers' unions' through the use of his state letterhead, he probably violated an ethics rule. 'I knocked on several doors and most of the people told me that their main concern is holding Ryan Walters accountable,' said Pogemiller. In his press release, he promoted the Teacher Freedom Alliance, a program founded in March by the Freedom Foundation, a right-wing think tank. Walters already accepted a settlement agreement this year for an ethics violation where he pushed politically charged opinions while using his state profile on 'X.' Ethics Commission still asking for Ryan Walters' campaign donor information There he was told to take an ethics training course and to pay $5,000. Pogemiller believes that in this instance Walters issued written communications on official state letterhead and using state resources, advocating for TFA and positioning it as a preferable alternative to other labor organizations and professional organizations representing educators in Oklahoma. 'So it's (the letterhead) an official capacity as state superintendent. And so I feel like that went beyond the scope of what he was able to do and I wanted to get clarification,' said Pogemiller. Specifically, she listed two reasons the communications violated ethics rules: State officers are prohibited from using state resources to promote private interests. State officers may not use their position to provide preferential treatment to a specific private entity. State dollars have already been used to pay the Freedom Foundation. In July 2023, an Open Records Request found that Walters billed Oklahoma over $500 for airfare, mileage, and per diem for an appearance as the keynote speaker at the Freedom Foundation's Teachers for Freedom Summit in Denver, Colorado. Walters in the past, has been admittedly against teachers' unions and at one point even called them 'terrorist organizations.' The AG's office told News 4 on Friday that Pogemiller's request for an opinion is still being reviewed. News 4 reached out to an OSDE spokesperson via email on Friday and asked what specifically was woke about the teachers' unions in Oklahoma if he believes what Pogemiller is saying is against ethics rules, and for a statement. Another question we asked is if the Teachers Freedom Alliance can provide the same sort of things that other teachers' unions in our state can. News 4 also reached out to a person listed on a recent press release as being a part of the Teachers Freedom Alliance and asked if they provide liability insurance coverage to teachers or have the legal right in Oklahoma to negotiate working conditions. As of Friday evening, we have not heard back. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Nothing was held back': Former state forester speaks out after firing
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — The now former head of Oklahoma Forestry Services is speaking out after he was fired by Governor Kevin Stitt. Mark Goeller was criticized over his agency's response for the March 14 wildfires. 'He's the head of the forestry department and we had a horrible, horrible wildfire in the state of Oklahoma and, you know, didn't think they did a really good job,' said Stitt. Goeller says he's shocked, angry and anxious over the decision and says he is being falsely accused. Governor Stitt told News 4 in a statement 'At the forestry director's direction, firefighting resources were delayed, unused, or even called back during critical moments.' Goeller responded to that claim on social media, 'Preparations were made well in advance, the public was notified of the impending fire danger, firefighting resources were ordered and in place. Nothing was held back as the events of the 14th and following days unfolded,' said Goeller. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, who is running for governor, also weighed in. 'I think it is an absolute lie and an overstatement, the director deployed every available resource in a remarkably challenging environment,' said Drummond. Questions surround resignation of state forester weeks after devastating wildfires Drummond says as a cattle rancher he has first hand fought fires and knows what it's like. 'I have inhaled a lot of smoke and it's clear to me the governor has not done that. I think his ranch burned up and he's angry and has to vent and as a consequence the state of Oklahoma is injured and that is not acceptable behavior by our governor,' said Drummond. He also believes it's similar to what happened during the California wildfires. 'When I first heard it, it was almost like he was following Governor Newsom's lead who fired his DEI fire chief. Mark Goeller is a professional, he is not a DEI appointment, he has been doing this every year for 40 years, it's just a huge act of disrespect,' said Drummond. Firefighters have also been showing their support and standing with Goeller. 'Unfortunately the one that we have to blame is Mother Nature. That's the only one we have to blame for this event,' said Jason Dobson, Olive fire chief. News 4 reached out to the Governor's Office for examples of what resources weren't used and was told to submit an Open Records Request. We are waiting to hear back. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Fayette school board member in post says she's the target of ‘whisper campaigns, lies'
In an unusual Friday afternoon post on Facebook, new Fayette County Public Schools board member Monica Mundy said she's facing 'whisper campaigns' and other obstacles related to doing her job. 'I've been working hard to get up to speed and live up to my campaign promise: to represent and listen to everyone,' Mundy said in her post. 'But let's be real—some folks don't make that easy.' 'Since the moment I decided to run for office, the whisper campaigns haven't stopped. People continue to spread lies about me without ever having the decency to say them to my face. So, let me be clear: I'm not here to play games, and I'm not here to be quiet. I'm not here to fall in line,' she said. Mundy was elected to the school board's First District seat in November 2024 and assumed office in January. She said in her Facebook post she is not beholden to any person or organization. 'I am not anyone's puppet. If I were, the whispers wouldn't exist. If something doesn't serve the health, safety, and education of our community—I'm not interested. Period.' She added: 'To those who understand and respect that I stand firmly on my principles: thank you. I see you. I appreciate you. This post is public. Screenshot it. Share it. It's a new day. I ride at dawn. Let's go.' The statement was posted on Mundy's personal Facebook page and her Fayette County School Board Facebook page, where she also said, 'In the spirit of transparency, I want to share this with everyone.' Mundy's term expires in 2028. Mundy also said in her Friday post that 2025 'has been a frightening, chaotic and eye-opening year so far. ' 'We came into January facing legislation and executive orders at the federal and state level that, quite frankly, had me worried—not just for my own livelihood as a college educator, but for what this political climate and these policies mean for our students and the families who depend on them the most,' she said. President Donald Trump has issued executive orders that resulted in federal employee layoffs and the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education. When asked by the Herald-Leader for elaboration about her post, Mundy said, 'None of my comments are about any employee of the district. I look forward to continuing to work with them and I have greatly enjoyed working with them.' She declined to comment further. There has been some recent public dissension on the Fayette school board. A heated exchange erupted between school board members Amanda Ferguson and Penny Christian at a Feb. 27 budget workshop. It happened after Ferguson said, and other board members confirmed, a recent chair of the board's budget and finance committee said in an email she couldn't get a full, line-by-line copy of the district's budget. Earlier in March, Fayette Superintendent Demetrus Liggins released an email he sent to board member Ferguson in which he called her conduct 'misleading' and 'unethical' and said she would need to file an Open Records Request for certain documents. Ferguson in a Facebook post in March explained she emailed the superintendent and asked for a copy of a contract between a church and Fayette County Public Schools. 'I made no claim regarding my intended usage of the information nor did I see a need to. The three-page contract, undeniably a public record, was emailed to me. After reviewing it, I shared it with a few of the people who had asked me about it and one posted images of it on social media, ' Ferguson said in the earlier post.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kentucky bill enhancing police protections from open records requests becomes law without governor action
FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) — A bill that allows open records requests in Kentucky to be exempt from the public eye if their disclosure endangers police became law on Thursday without a veto or the governor's signature. House Bill 520 amended the current Open Records Request legislature, adding exemptions that prohibit law enforcement records from public viewing if that information poses the risk of harm to a law enforcement agency, per the Kentucky General Assembly website. Gov. Beshear vetoes 9 bills on education, healthcare, and more on Wednesday This amendment limits the amount of government records officials can allow the public to view after submitting an open records request for arrest reports and 911 call information. Specifically, the bill amends language in the existing statute that had allowed the withholding of documents that 'would cause harm' to a law enforcement agency. HB 520 amended the language to prohibit the public from viewing records that could cause harm not only to the agency but to the overall investigation as well as witnesses, the bill states. Anderson County Middle School students worked to collect supplies for Eastern Kentucky flood victims Kentucky bill enhancing police protections from open records requests becomes law without governor action Nicholasville unveils over $18M plans for state-of-the-art rec center Lawmakers argued that revealing the identity of informants or witnesses connected with investigations could cause harm to the officers or agencies involved. The bill passed with a committee vote of 25-12 on March 14 and was delivered to the secretary of state's desk on Thursday with no signature. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
