‘Political suicide’ Ryan Walters calls for his own impeachment: How did it come to this?

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — A historic, chaotic week in Oklahoma politics ended with State Superintendent Ryan Walters calling for himself to be impeached. One longtime Oklahoma politician describes it as “political suicide.”

“Let’s start the impeachment proceedings,” Walters told reporters while standing outside the doors to the Oklahoma House of Representatives’ chambers Friday afternoon. “It is time for Oklahomans to have the answers. I am calling on Speaker McCall and Mark McBride to begin their impeachment proceedings Monday… It is time to start the proceedings immediately.”

Walters also went on to make numerous false claims in response to recent controversies that have led certain Republican legislators to call for an investigation that could lead to his impeachment.

Flashpoint analyst and former Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Turpen, who has spent nearly 50 years in Oklahoma politics, told News 4 that Walters’ comments Friday could only leave him with one conclusion.

“Ryan Walters appears to be embracing what I call victim-hood,” Turpen said. “Ryan, what you’re doing right now, saying ‘come get me,’ is political suicide.”

The events of Friday afternoon can date back to last Thursday when News 4 reported Walters and the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE), were trying to deprive schools of funding legislators voted to give them to make security upgrades in the wake of the Uvalde shooting.

In an interview with News 4, State Rep. Mark McBride (R-Moore) said something no Oklahoma Republican had ever said about Walters.

“I hate to use the word impeachment,” McBride said. “But I think were getting to that point.”

As News 4 later reported, McBride’s seemed to open the floodgates for other Republicans to join him.

“I think there’s a sense of frustration,” State Rep. Daniel Pae (R-Lawton) told News 4 on Tuesday.

Pae was one of two dozen other house republicans who signed on to a letter, asking house speaker Charles McCall (R-Atoka) to open an investigation into Walters, that could potentially lead to Walters being impeached.

“We’re accountable to hold our agencies accountable,” State Rep. Tammy West (R-Bethany), who also signed the letter, told News 4 on Tuesday. “That is part of our job as legislators. And that is what this is attempting to do.”

“People want accountability,” Pae said. “And in my view, accountability should be more than just a buzzword used every couple of years in a campaign.”

It was looking like their movement had some momentum.

But Speaker McCall threw a wrench in those plans by telling them he wouldn’t even consider an investigation, unless at least 51 republicans signed on.

But then on Thursday, Rep. Kevin Wallace (R-Wellston) announced McCall had given him and other members of the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency (LOFT) his blessing to open an investigation—not into Walters—but into the Department of Education as a whole.

That brings things back to Walters’ Friday news conference.

“I want to thank everybody for joining me here today,” he greeted reporters. “What you continue to see is incredibly unfortunate for the people of Oklahoma.”

His comments focused mostly on just one man: House Speaker Charles McCall.

“So what we’ve seen here is a clear political attack,” Walters said. “And why are we getting that political attack? Because Charles McCall is more concerned about running for governor in 2026 than taking care of Oklahomans. This is a clear attack on who he views as his biggest political opponent and that governor’s race in 2026.”

He dared speaker McCall, to forget worrying about a fact finding investigation, to just go ahead and do it.

“Let’s start that impeachment investigation Monday morning,” he said.

But McCall did not give in to Walters’ demands.

He released the following statement Friday evening:

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.

House Speaker Charles McCall (R-Atoka)

Turpen said he thought McCall’s response was more measured than he expected. He said Walters’ decision to target McCall—who seemed to have done Walters a favor earlier in the week by denying house members’ impeachment investigation request unless they got 51 republicans to sign on—makes little sense.

“For Ryan Walters to provoke powerful leadership in his own party is politically unwise, to say the least,” Turpen said. “The speaker of the House, Charles McCall, a man of integrity. He’s provoking him unnecessarily. I suggest that could be political suicide.”

To Turpen, it’s plainly obvious what Walters is doing.

“Right now, Ryan Walters appears to be embracing what I call victimhood. I’m a victim. They’re all after me,” Turpen said. “Ryan Walters—hear me now, believe me later—could not carry Charles McCall’s briefcase. Charles McCall serves this state with integrity.”

Turpen said it’s likely Walters wants to avoid any investigation, but rather skip straight to an impeachment vote, because of legislators hold an investigation, they may discover things that get reluctant ones on board with impeachment.

He says Walters’ strategy is questionable at best, and a huge gamble.

“I have no idea who’s advising him, but it breaks my heart for his family,” he said. “This is a Republican Party like a firing squad of circle, and they’re all aimed at one person, Ryan Walters.”

Turpen just can’t see it paying off.

“For Ryan Walters to go out of his way to provoke him into an impeachment is political suicide,” he said.

News 4 reached out to Rep. McBride for comment Friday, but he was unavailable.

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