Ryan Walters addresses nude video allegations in press conference: 'Coordinated attack to crucify my character...'

State Superintendent Ryan Walters defended himself Tuesday after days of controversy over an incident involving a TV in his office, accusing board members, the press, and teachers' unions of creating what he called the "nastiest, biggest lie ever lodged [against] an official in Oklahoma."

“What we've seen transpire over the last five days is the nastiest, biggest lie ever lodged [against] an official in Oklahoma,” Walters said in a press conference. “This has been a coordinated attack to crucify my character and to try to stop the will of Oklahomans and their vision for education in the state of Oklahoma.”

FULL VIDEO: State Supt. Ryan Walters, July 29, 2025, press conference in video player below:

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Walters went on to question Gov. Stitt's role in the allegations, asking if he may have directed the board members, Becky Carson and Ryan Deatherage, to fabricate this incident.

‘My family has watched as lies spread’

Walters claimed the allegations had harmed his family and misrepresented what actually happened, alleging misconduct by both media outlets and board members.

“For the past five days, my kids have gotten to see headlines that are lies,” he said. “My family has watched as a press corps showed why the public has zero trust in their report.”

“These board members have a lot to answer for, and so does the governor of the state of Oklahoma,” Walters continued. “Did he direct these board members to lie about me? Did he direct his board members to go in and disrupt everything in these board meetings?”

Walters: ‘There is nothing scandalous’

Walters maintained that multiple investigations had cleared him of any misconduct involving a TV screen at the center of the controversy.

“We have had our name cleared by both OMES and the sheriff's office,” he said. “There is nothing scandalous that I was a part of whatsoever.”

“We just had multiple investigations which showed none of my devices were ever connected to that TV,” Walters said, claiming the allegations were “proven to be false.”

Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office statement on its role in the investigation into Oklahoma State Supt. Ryan Walters.

"The State Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES) has asked our agency to look into an incident during a state Board of Education meeting last week that reportedly involved inappropriate images being shown on Mr. Walters office television. This investigation is still in it's infancy, so it would be inappropriate to discuss who we plan to speak with or any evidence we are seeking. You can, however, expect a thorough investigation with the results being made public at the conclusion."

Letter sent by Office of Management and Enterprise Services to Oklahoma lawmakers on Tuesday, July 29, 2025:

OMES findings from the July 28 investigation at Walters' office:

1. The TV had cable access, streaming services, was connected to an empty DVD player, and was equipped with a dipole antenna.
2. The TV was connected to the state's open WiFi network.
3. A one-time passcode was required to access screen casting to the TV, limiting the number of people with casting ability to the device.
4. The TV previously belonged to a former OSDE employee and was relocated to the Superintendent's office earlier this month. The employee's account was still connected to YouTube TV, but nder a new IP address.
5. The Superintendent mentioned that on board meeting days, many staff members, board members and the public could access his office.
6. Due to the hundreds of preloaded apps on the TV, the streaming services were not given a full review as the TV remained on-site.

Lawmakers Respond to Press Conference

Following the press conference, Senate Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton’s office issued a statement:

“After discussions this afternoon with OMES and the Sheriff’s Office, we understand the investigation remains ongoing. We believe Superintendent Walters is entitled to due process as this inquiry continues. It’s important that he, along with members of the board, are given a fair opportunity to explain their account of what took place.”

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What Happened?

Becky Carson and Ryan Deatherage allege that a video featuring nude women was displayed on a TV in Walters’ office during a board meeting on Thursday, July 24. The two said they were the only attendees in a position to see the screen.

The allegations have prompted bipartisan calls for an investigation so lawmakers can get clarity on the situation.

The Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office confirmed it was asked by the Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES) to review the incident. The agency said the investigation is in its early stages.

MORE: OMES refers Ryan Walters office incident to Oklahoma County Sheriff

Walters responded to the allegations in a statement Sunday,

As I lead the charge for a bold overhaul of education in Oklahoma, putting parents back in control, rejecting radical agendas, and demanding excellence: it’s no surprise to face politically motivated attacks.

Any suggestion that a device of mine was used to stream inappropriate content on the television set is categorically false. I have no knowledge of what was on the TV screen during the alleged incident, and there is absolutely no truth to any implication of wrongdoing.

These falsehoods are the desperate tactics of a broken establishment afraid of real change. They aren’t just attacking me, they’re attacking the values of the Oklahomans who elected me to challenge the status quo.

I will not be distracted. My focus remains on making Oklahoma the best state in the nation, in every category.