State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters may be the target of a House investigation which could lead to impeachment.
A letter from State Representative Mark McBride (R-Moore), and signed by twenty or so of his fellow Republicans thus far, asks House Speaker Charles McCall to form an investigative committee to look into Walters and the state board of education.
McBride has been a particularly vocal critic of Walters and the state board.
[Hear the KRMG In Depth Report with Rep. Mark McBride on his letter regarding Ryan Walters HERE]
In a lengthy conversation Tuesday, he likened what was going on in Walters’ office to a third-world dictatorship.
“This is tyranny,” McBride said. “I mean, I’ve traveled a lot around the world, and most of it was in third-world dictatorships. I’ve done a lot of work. And believe me, this is nothing more than having a state-run school dictator. I mean, it just smells bad.”
He said he’s had any number of concerns over the last couple of years since Walters took office, but the final straw may have come when schools were told the state was going to withhold money for school resource officers and other safety measures which had been promised them.
“That’s one of my number one jobs as a legislator, as an appropriator, is to make sure these kids not only learn, but that teachers and children are protected in the environment, in the school,” McBride said.
He’s convinced that a large majority of Oklahomans would like to see a change in the superintendent’s office.
“I have done what my constituents want, what I think the majority of Oklahomans want,” he said. “I think at least seventy percent of Oklahomans.”
He thinks more lawmakers will sign on to the call for an impeachment inquiry.
Meanwhile, Speaker McCall has reportedly said he will not take action unless and until at least 51 members of his caucus agree that it’s necessary.