State Election Board: post-election audits confirm results of recent legislative races

Post-Election Audits Confirm Results of Recent Legislative Races

(Oklahoma City, February 29th) – The State Election Board announced today that post-election audits conducted last week confirmed the results of the recent State Senator, District 32 Special General Election and State Representative, District 39 Special Primary Election and Special General Election.

State Rep. Martinez resigns amid fallout over felony DUI plea

Proverbs 20:1 says, "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise." True words.

State Rep. Ryan Martinez was arrested on a DUI-related offense back in October, escalated to a felony due to having a past DUI charge. As was the case with another fellow drunkard legislator, the intoxicated Martinez tried to use his "get out of jail free card" (newsflash: it isn't) and political connections to evade arrest -- to no avail. Martinex pled guilty earlier this month to the felony charge, receiving a one-year deferred sentence, $1,000 in court costs, and six months of an alcohol interlock device in his vehicle.

Statutory language prohibiting legislators from holding office with a felony conviction or plea launched a disagreement between Gov. Stitt on one side, and House Speaker Charles McCall and Attorney General Gentner Drummond on the other. I feel that Stitt is in the right on this, and McCall/Drummond are not. Martinez ended the argument by going ahead and resigning (triggering a special election). Many thanks to NonDoc for good coverage on this story over the months.

Bodycam footage of arrest

Martinez Releases Statement, Resigning Office

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Ryan Martinez, R-Edmond, today issued the following statement saying he will resign from his legislative seat effective Sept. 1, 2023.

State Rep joins Governor in calling on Elon Musk, Tesla to move HQ to Oklahoma

Martinez Calls on Tesla to Consider Oklahoma for HQ

OKLAHOMA CITY – State Rep. Ryan Martinez, R-Edmond, today joined Gov. Kevin Stitt and other Oklahomans in their invitation to move Tesla headquarters to Oklahoma after an announcement by CEO Elon Musk over the weekend that he’s moving the company out of California because of overly strict Coronavirus restrictions.

“Oklahoma is a wonderful place to do business,” Martinez said in a public message to Musk. “We’ve got a low tax base, a low cost of living, great incentives and services and plenty of space to build a manufacturing headquarters and house all of your people.”