TULSA, Okla. — State Superintendent Ryan Walters doesn't want to wait. He wants to be impeached.
Walters addressed local media on the front steps of the Capital in Oklahoma City on August 16th. The notification about the news conference went out about 45 minutes ahead of time.
When he arrived he said he wanted to address everyone at once after hearing from several people for comment on the latest developments between his office and the Oklahoma House of Representatives.
WATCH: 2 News took a closer look at calls for an investigation into Walters:
Days after that call for an investigation was rejected another investigation was approved.
Rep. Kevin Wallace, a Republican out of Wellston, announced the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency is starting an investigation into spending concerns regarding the Oklahoma State Department of Education.
"In my capacity as Chairman, I intend to have LOFT investigate funding disbursement concerns raised by both citizens and legislators in regard to funds earmarked to OSDE for specific purposes," Wallace said. "This isn’t about Superintendent Walters; this is about the transparency of a State Agency and getting answers for our constituents."
LOFT is a state agency in the legislative branch that assists the Oklahoma House and Senate. LOFT provides budgetary recommendations to the LOFT Oversight Committee for use in setting the funding of state government, higher education, and public schools.
Walters said these are all political attacks from Rep. Charles McCall (Speaker of the House) and Rep. Mark McBride. He said he's tired of hearing them lie about him and his office.
"This is a clear attack on who he views as his biggest political opponent in this governor’s race in 2026," he said, referring to the upcoming election to replace Gov. Kevin Stitt. Right now there are no official candidates announced in that race.
With that in mind Walters said he is ready to be impeached, "We do not need to wait on a LOFT committee. We do not need to wait on an investigation. It is time to start the proceedings immediately. The speaker wants to impeach me for political advantage in the 2026 governor’s race. So then let’s start the impeachment proceedings."
Walters said he wants the impeachment to show Oklahomans the evidence, though Walters said there is no evidence to find.
Rep. McCall released a response to Walters' call for his own impeachment:
“As Speaker of the House, I remain steadfast in my position: I will not overturn the will of the people, regardless of any demands made.
While Superintendent Walters may desire a path toward his own impeachment, my focus is firmly on the LOFT investigation into the Oklahoma State Department of Education. This investigation is about ensuring taxpayer dollars are properly allocated, not targeting individuals. It is essential we understand why school districts are not receiving their required funding.
My advice to Superintendent Walters is to prioritize getting resources to Oklahoma schools and improving our state's education rankings, rather than engaging in political theatrics.”
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