State Superintendent Won’t Resign After Campaign Violation Charges

State School Superintendent Joy Hofmeister defiantly says she won’t resign because of the charges filed against her by the Oklahoma County District Attorney.

Investigators obtained emails and text messages that led to the charges of campaign finance violations.

The complaints accuse Hofmeister and four others of conspiring to skirt Oklahoma’s campaign finance laws to pay for TV commercials that aired during the 2014 Republican primary campaign.

There are 22 pages of text messages and e-mails in the criminal filing. Investigators say Hofmeister knew about her campaign's involvement to funnel large donations into an account to run ads against Republican incumbent Janet Barresi.

The 2014 race for State Superintendent got statewide media attention, and attack ads ran all over the air.

"...instead of improving school Janet Barresi has fought with parents and lawmakers hurting our children,” one ad said.

It is ads from the Oklahomans for Public School Excellence that came under scrutiny and prompted an investigation by the Oklahoma County District Attorney's Office.

Another ad said, "...Janet Barresi, a bad apple when it comes to education."

Through dozens of interviews, emails and text messages, they concluded then candidate Hofmeister and her team were behind the creation of the attack ad campaign fund.

11/3/2016 Related Story: State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister Charged With Campaign Violations

Investigators say $300,000 came into the super PAC from the Oklahoma Education Association, the state's largest teachers union, and the Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration, which represents the state's school superintendents.

Prosecutors say contributions were funneled through these two groups to the Oklahomans for Public School Excellence PAC to make the anti-Barresi commercials.

To prove this, investigators found an email between Hofmeister and former Jenks Superintendent Kirby Lehman - "this independent campaign would do...negative ads and allow me to take the high road with my own campaign."

That e-mail is just one of several that investigators say shows Hofmeister's campaign working to create the "Oklahomans for Public School Excellence" campaign fund account.

Prosecutors charged Hofmeister with knowingly accepting contributions in excess of the maximum amounts and conspiracy to commit a felony.

Hofmeister campaign consultant, Stephanie Dawn Milligan, CCOSA Executive Director Steven Crawford, former OEA Executive Director Lela Odom, and owner of AH Strategies Fount Holland also face charges. Each is charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit a felony.

Superintendent Hofmeister denies the allegations saying, "I will fight these charges, but I will not be distracted. The state of Oklahoma, our parents and children, deserve my continued focus, and they will have it.

Hofmeister's attorney said she doesn't plan on resigning her post as State Superintendent.