OKLAHOMA CITY – State Rep. Mike Ritze today joined the call for State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister, R-Tulsa, to resign following the filing of felony charges against her.
“It is evident that the superintendent cannot represent the best interests of the children of Oklahoma or the employees in our state public schools while preparing to fight felony charges which accuse her of knowingly committing fraud during her campaign for public office,” said Ritze, R-Broken Arrow.
Hofmeister and four others were charged Nov. 3 in Oklahoma District Court with four felony counts that included knowingly accepting campaign contributions in excess of the maximum amount allowed by law, working together to channel the money through a dark money group and conspiracy to commit a felony.
The others charged alongside Hofmeister were people who worked on her campaign and former officials of the Cooperative Council of Oklahoma School Administration and the Oklahoma Education Association teacher’s union.
Ritze said his call for Hofmeister to step down is not an attempt to try her case outside of court; it’s instead what he considers in the best interest of the state of Oklahoma and the schools the superintendent represents.
“The evidence already collected and released to the public as part of these felony counts show a willingness to operate outside of the scope of law,” Ritze said. “It is my duty as a legislator to ask that someone in charge of a large state agency, with access to billions of taxpayer dollars, is held responsible to the highest level.”
State Rep. Mike Ritze
“It is evident that the superintendent cannot represent the best interests of the children of Oklahoma or the employees in our state public schools while preparing to fight felony charges which accuse her of knowingly committing fraud during her campaign for public office,” said Ritze, R-Broken Arrow.
Hofmeister and four others were charged Nov. 3 in Oklahoma District Court with four felony counts that included knowingly accepting campaign contributions in excess of the maximum amount allowed by law, working together to channel the money through a dark money group and conspiracy to commit a felony.
The others charged alongside Hofmeister were people who worked on her campaign and former officials of the Cooperative Council of Oklahoma School Administration and the Oklahoma Education Association teacher’s union.
Ritze said his call for Hofmeister to step down is not an attempt to try her case outside of court; it’s instead what he considers in the best interest of the state of Oklahoma and the schools the superintendent represents.
“The evidence already collected and released to the public as part of these felony counts show a willingness to operate outside of the scope of law,” Ritze said. “It is my duty as a legislator to ask that someone in charge of a large state agency, with access to billions of taxpayer dollars, is held responsible to the highest level.”
State Rep. Mike Ritze
