DOGE-OK public portal flooded with trolling submissions aimed at Ryan Walters, Governor

OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — Oklahoma’s answer to the federal DOGE has seen success in savings costs in recent weeks, but its public input portal was nearly completely filled with people trolling the Governor and Republican leaders.

Oklahoma Voice first reported findings in early May about the public submissions to the DOGE-OK website.

After an Open Records Request, FOX 25 obtained a list of 92 submissions made to the DOGE-OK public portal. Meant as a way to let the public submit ideas on how the state government can save money and run more efficiently, the portal was nearly overrun with people complaining about either the Governor or State Superintendent Ryan Walters.

The submissions to the portal started on March 12th and FOX 25 received a list that went through March 24th.

Of the 92 submissions, 16 were calls for State Superintendent Ryan Walters to be fired.

“Fire Ryan Walters. His salary is a waste of tax payer dollars. He has only made OK schools weaker. He has also wasted tax payer dollars on unnecessary travel,” one person wrote on their submission.

Many also brought up issues with Walters’ travel expenses and bible-in-every-classroom crusade.

The only submission to include a link was one regarding Ryan Walters’ travel expenses, which included a link to FOX 25’s story about it.

“Ryan Walters shouldn’t be spending tax money to promote his own political career,” Preston Wilson wrote in the submission.

Along with requests to fire or impeach Ryan Walters, many took aim at the Governor and DOGE-OK itself.

“Why create an entire agency to tell existing agencies to be more efficient? Isn’t that like hiring a life coach for your personal trainer?” one person wrote in their submission.

Several requests called for the Governor to resign or targeted some of his policies.

“Picking fights with the Tribes (when they prop up our State) is a massive waste of time, energy, and taxpayer money,” one person wrote.

The next most requested submission called for the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority to be disbanded. Four people made that recommendation to the portal.

“They have NOT done THEIR job to pay off bonds and make them fee-free roads as promised 60 YEARS AGO. If you hired a contractor to build your house and you’re still paying for it 60 years later and he wants MORE money FROM YOU to build SOMEONE’s house, you would say “HELL NO”. Do the same for the citizens of Oklahoma—say NO MORE to the OTA and close the door on the greed,” one submission read.

Although a large majority of submissions were trolling leaders, there were some well-thought-out ideas about how the state could save money.

One included putting the Bureau of Narcotics, Highway Patrol, and Bureau of Investigation under one roof.

Another asked for the state to use AI to fulfill FOIA or Open Records Requests. At least two submissions, from Department of Corrections employees, wanted the state to revert to its old purchase order submissions. Another ODOC employee requested tablets for corrections officers to help with counts inside prisons.

Several requests asked for state employees to resume telework. Another requested the state look at state agency PR and marketing contracts, which FOX 25 has reported on extensively.