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Oklahoma Rep. Terry O’Donnell announces resignation as House Speaker Pro Tempore after he and wife processed at Midwest City Jail

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Oklahoma State Rep. Terry O’Donnell announced his resignation as House Speaker Pro Tempore after he and his wife were processed at the Midwest City Jail on Thursday. O’Donnell, R-District 23, and his wife Teresa O’Donnell were both indicted in December on multiple charges in Oklahoma County District Court. He announced Thursday that his resignation is effective Feb. 2, 2022. “I will not allow false narratives to be a distraction to the work of the State House. But rest assured, I will keep fighting for my district, stand against Biden’s federal overreach, against prosecutorial misconduct used for political purposes, and I will defend our values,” Terry O’Donnell said in a written statement. Oklahoma State Rep. Terry O’Donnell and wife indicted over alleged impropriety connected to bill he wrote Rep. Terry O’Donnell. Photo from Oklahoma House of Representatives website. The indictment includes the following charges: COUNT 1 – Violation of a provision of law regulating official conduct.COUNT 2 – Violation of a provision of law regulating official conduct.COUNT 3 – Using access to computers to violate Oklahoma statutes.COUNT 4 – Perjury by false certification.COUNT 5 – Using access to computers to violate Oklahoma statutes.COUNT 6 – Violation of a provision of law regulating official conduct.COUNT 7 – Obtaining a thing of value exceeding $15,000 in value by false pretenses.COUNT 8 – Conspiracy against the state. The O’Donnells voluntarily submitted to arrest at the Midwest City Jail. O’Donnell introduced House Bill 2098 in February 2019, according to Oklahoma State Legislature website. The bill removed a longstanding rule that immediate family of legislators could not be appointed to tag agencies. It was signed into law in April 2019. Teresa O’Donnell was put in charge of the Catoosa Tag Agency in August 2019. State Senator files bills to give Oklahoma sheriffs power to arrest federal officers, form posses against federal agents Prosecutors assert that Terry O’Donnell did not disclose a personal or private interest when submitting the bill, thus violating the state’s constitution, according to the indictment court document obtained by KFOR. Teresa O’Donnell was appointed as a tag agent in Catoosa after her mother resigned the position and later died. Court documents state Teresa O’Donnell previously worked part-time for her mother at the tag agency. Terry O’Donnell’s full statement is as follows: “Political operatives in Oklahoma City have a personal vendetta against me and are working to discredit our family’s character and destroy our reputation. This is the same Washington D.C.- style partisan politics that has attacked our freedoms, values, national history, law enforcement, churches, economy and more.And just like voters reject these constant attacks – just like they reject the constant attacks on President Trump – I believe Oklahomans will do the same in this case.This all started when I sought to hold some very influential people accountable for gross abuses of power. This is retribution. Although I can’t get into the details of the case, I can only say we look forward to our day in court and to light being shined on the facts that have been grossly distorted or completely omitted.People who know us understand fully that my wife’s mother and grandmother ran the Catoosa tag agency for over 60 years. Service is a family legacy, not a crime.But their attacks won’t work.My wife and I are INNOCENT, and WE WILL FIGHT BACK and vigorously defend our integrity.I am also announcing today my resignation as House Speaker Pro Tempore effective February 2, 2022. I will not allow false narratives to be a distraction to the work of the State House. But rest assured, I will keep fighting for my district, stand against Biden’s federal overreach, against prosecutorial misconduct used for political purposes, and I will defend our values.I’m a fighter, and I’ll never back down or compromise on what’s best for Oklahoma.”REP. TERRY O’DONNELL
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Written by: Hicham Raache/KFOR