Should Ryan Walters spend public money on an outside PR firm? 'Honest question,' says governor

Noting state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters was “separately elected,” Gov. Kevin Stitt chose not to say much Friday about a report the agency led by Walters spent about $30,000 of money on an out-of-state public relations firm for the purpose of landing Walters national media interviews.

“I’m for limited government,” Stitt said when asked about the story during a weekly news conference at the state Capitol. “I think we should criticize all taxpayer spends. I think we should criticize and ask questions on all programs. You’ll have to ask them. They’re separately elected on how they spend their money and on what their budget is, but it’s a fair point to ask questions of every agency that hires PR firms and those kinds of things. It’s an honest question – is that good use of the taxpayer dollars?

“I think a lot of agencies have a lot of different people in the communications groups and it’s a logical question. People should have to answer that.”

A story published by nonprofit news organization Oklahoma Watch on Thursday detailed how the Oklahoma State Department of Education hired an out-of-state public relations firm for the purpose of landing Walters at least 10 national media interviews per month. That firm, Vought Strategies of Arlington, Virginia, also was tasked with writing speeches and opinion pieces.

Walters has claimed in media interviews that his appearances on national media were for teacher recruitment, but none of the reported email pitches mentioned that subject.

Citing public records, Oklahoma Watch reported the state had agreed to pay Vought an estimated $30,000 for the first four months of the contract, from March 6 until June 30, although it appeared Vought had begun work for the Education Department as early as Aug. 10. A department spokesman said the contract that began March 6 was an extension but didn’t provide a copy of the original contract to Oklahoma Watch.

An Education Department employee, David Martin, set up a Limited Liability Company for Vought Strategies in Oklahoma on Nov. 9, according to the Oklahoma secretary of state’s office, and used the Oliver Hodge Building — which houses Education Department operations — as his address. Television station KOKH reported it had confirmed Martin’s final day of employment at the agency would be Friday. Agency spokesman Dan Isett didn’t immediately return a message from The Oklahoman seeking confirmation of Martin’s employment status.

Phil Bacharach, a spokesman for Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, said Friday that Drummond’s office had no comment on the Oklahoma Watch report.

Stitt said he hasn't paid attention to key departures from the state Education Department

There’s been a steady drain of experience and talent from the Education Department since Walters took office in January 2023. Last week The Oklahoman confirmed the agency’s general counsel, Bryan Cleveland, and its executive director of accreditation, Ryan Pieper, both were leaving. School districts have reported delays in the agency’s distribution of federal funding that passes through the agency, which usually is a routine process that's taken care of during the fall portion of the academic year.

Asked Friday if he’s concerned about the agency’s ability to handle its responsibilities, given all the key departures, Stitt said he hadn’t paid much attention to the situation.

“There’s 31,000 state employees and so … all the time there’s a lot of attrition, there’s people moving out of state,” Stitt said. “I don’t really track specifically resignations or people leaving different agencies. But overall, when we limit government, that’s kind of a good thing. I want to have fewer state employees than when I took over in 2019. That’s a goal of mine.”

Stitt said he had not spoken to any of the current five members of the state Board of Education, who were appointed by him, about issues within the Education Department. He said asking about a specific employee leaving “is just not something I would get in the weeds on.”

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt says little on Ryan Walters' PR firm