Ryan Walters Asks House Speaker to Impeach Him
Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters is asking Oklahoma’s House of Representatives to impeach him.
The controversial Republican firebrand was defiant as he asked House Speaker Charles McCall to impeach him with whatever evidence he has.
"We need to lay it all out there. I’m tired of the innuendo. I’m tired of not being upfront with Oklahomans. Let’s run it live," Walters said at a press conference on Friday.
Walters says McCall is already laying the groundwork for an impeachment hearing to bolster himself politically.
"Charles McCall is more concerned about running for governor in 2026 than taking care of Oklahomans," Walters said. "This is a clear attack on who he views as his biggest political opponent in that governor's race in 2026."
McCall hasn’t announced a bid for governor in two years. And neither has Walters.
McCall responded hours after Walters’ press event to say he would not be filing any impeachment proceedings.
Attorney General Orders Distribution of Overdue School Safety Funds
Attorney General Gentner Drummond has ordered the State Department of Education to distribute overdue school safety funds.
This directive follows a request from State Superintendent Ryan Walters, who sought Drummond's opinion after reports surfaced that OSDE was refusing to let schools keep unused funds from the School Security Revolving Fund.
In a news release, Drummond clarified that the funds are allowed to carry over from one year to the next, and he ordered immediate distribution to school districts.
The AG criticized Walters for delaying over a year before seeking guidance, causing schools to miss out on millions of dollars in security funds.
Walters responded to Drummond, disputing the claim that schools have gone without security funding.
Tulsa Concludes Fourth Excavation for 1921 Race Massacre Victims
Tulsa has completed another round of excavations for victims of the 1921 Race Massacre.
At a press conference on Friday, Mayor G.T. Bynum was joined by members of the scientific team on the final day of Tulsa’s fourth excavation.
State Archaeologist Dr. Kary Stackelbeck says a total of eleven remains have been exhumed, while forensic anthropologist Dr. Phoebe Stubblefield says three of those remains had signs of trauma, like a man in a burial the team labeled 135.
"One hundred thirty-five had a bullet in his torso area, but he’d also been shot by shotgun into his left foot, right ankle," said Stubblefield.
Officials say the remains will be sent to Intermountain Forensics, the lab creating DNA profiles of victims to locate their descendants.
Bynum says he hopes the city’s next mayor will continue the work to find victims’ remains.
Tribal Nations Feed Oklahoma Kids as State Rejects Federal Summer Aid
At least 140,000 Oklahoma children participated in a federal summer feeding program thanks to the state’s tribal nations. Despite that, state officials still won’t take part in the USDA’s Summer EBT program for a second year in a row.
The program offers low income families $40 per child per month over the summer to use for groceries.
This summer, Gov. Kevin Stitt turned down the federal dollars, but certain tribal nations offered the program to all eligible people on their reservations.
Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. says his tribe brought in almost $8 million worth of food while spending less than a quarter of that amount on administration.
“You cannot beat that return on investment. So if you look at it that way, it's a winner. If you look at it in terms of something everybody has an interest in, that's bringing federal tax dollars home, those are hard earned dollars that are paid in - bringing those home.”
Stitt says the state is fully capable of serving children without the federal program and people will have more money because he signed a bill cutting the grocery tax.
Oklahoma is one of the top ten hungriest states in the nation. Hunger Free Oklahoma says it is disappointed in the decision and federal benefit is effective.
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