Russ: county treasurers misuse taxpayer-funded gov't emails to endorse candidate, violating Ethics rules

The biggest disappointment to me so far in this election cycle was when Cindy Byrd, at the last second, switched from running for an open Lieutenant Governor seat to filing against incumbent State Treasurer Todd Russ. My impression has been that Russ has done a good job as Treasurer, and the manner in which Byrd (who has been a fantastic State Auditor) switched races last-minute has left many with a bad taste in their mouth. Here is the first set of fireworks I've seen in this race, from the campaign of State Treasurer Russ:

Oklahoma County Treasurers Misuse Taxpayer-Funded Government Emails to Endorse Political Candidate, Violating Oklahoma Ethics Rules

OKLAHOMA CITY (May 5th) – A chain of emails circulated among Oklahoma county treasurers reveals a clear misuse of official county government email addresses and taxpayer resources to endorse Cindy Byrd’s candidacy for State Treasurer. This practice directly contravenes Oklahoma Ethics Commission rules prohibiting the use of public funds, property, or time to influence elections.

The email chain, originating from Woods County Treasurer Rachel Spellman-Hughes (using her

official county email address (rhughes@woodscountyok.gov) on May 4, 2026, and forwarded by Murray County Treasurer Kim Hale and Sequoyah County Treasurer Angela Gist on May 5, 2026, urges fellow county treasurers to endorse Cindy Byrd and forward the message “to your districts.” The emails explicitly endorse Byrd as the candidate for State Treasurer, praising her commitment to “fiscal responsibility, transparency, and accountability” and inviting treasurers to be listed as “event hosts” at a May 19, 2026, event in Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma Ethics Commission Rule 2.4 states: “No person shall use or authorize the use of public funds, property, or time to engage in activities designed to influence the results of an election for state office…” County government email systems, servers, staff time, and official titles are funded by Oklahoma taxpayers. Using them to advocate for or against a clearly identified candidate for statewide office (such as State Treasurer) is a prohibited use of public resources.

This is not a gray area. Similar conduct by state officials has previously drawn Ethics

Commission scrutiny and penalties, including fines for using official channels to advocate for

candidates. County officials are held to the same standard of separating official duties from

partisan political activity. Circulating political endorsements on government email accounts blurs

the line between public service and campaign work, erodes public trust in county government, and wastes taxpayer dollars.

Treasurer Todd Russ’ Campaign issued the following statement:

“The citizens of Oklahoma expect our government officials to manage public funds with integrity—not to hijack government email systems to run political campaigns. This email chain is a textbook example of the very abuse Oklahoma’s ethics rules were designed to prevent.”

The campaign is calling on Cindy Byrd, the candidate for State Treasurer who is the direct beneficiary of this endorsement effort, to take immediate action:

“Cindy Byrd should publicly direct Woods County Treasurer Rachel Spellman-Hughes to issue a formal, written apology to the voters of Woods County for misusing her official government email and county resources for political purposes. True leadership means rejecting this kind of inappropriate entanglement between government officials and partisan campaigning. Byrd owes it to Oklahoma voters to demonstrate that she will uphold the highest ethical standards—not benefit from their violation.”

Oklahoma taxpayers deserve government officials who focus on serving the public, not advancing political candidacies on the public dime. The Oklahoma Ethics Commission should investigate this matter to ensure accountability and deter future misuse of public resources.