Oklahoma Dems, Freedom Caucus derail GOP push for August question
Senate Democrats and members of the Freedom Caucus united to block an August ballot plan, stalling GOP efforts to fast-track constitutional changes.
A state lawmaker resigned as chairman of the Oklahoma Democratic Party in December after he reportedly used an artificial intelligence tool to animate a photo of himself and a woman kissing.
NonDoc first reported the situation Friday, April 10, after Rep. John Waldron, D-Tulsa, confirmed the rumors to the online news outlet.
Waldron reportedly sent the animation to the woman two months before he resigned in December. At the time, Waldron said he was stepping down ahead of the upcoming legislative session to handle pressing family commitments.
His resignation came ahead of a critical year for the party, which is trying to seat Oklahoma’s first Democratic governor since 2011.
Waldron did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Oklahoman. He told NonDoc he made a mistake, which he “instantly regretted.” He said he did not mean to send the woman the AI-generated animation, NonDoc reported.
“I’ve accepted every consequence that was asked of me, and I’ve done a lot of personal work,” Waldron said. “I’m still deeply regretful for making that decision. I had a bad day. That’s what happened.”
House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City, said Waldron was asked multiple times by caucus leaders to step down and not seek reelection. Waldron opted to run for his seat again, drawing a primary challenger from Democrat Kristina Gabriel.
Munson, who is her party’s frontrunner for governor, said she took “swift action” to hold Waldron accountable. She said she worked alongside the woman depicted in the animation as part of that process. The woman has not been identified.
“Victims deserve privacy, justice and accountability, and every decision made regarding this situation prioritized that,” Munson said. “Noting was done without consulting the person affected by this abhorrent behavior. My goal as a leader, and as a woman, is to continue to hold everyone up to the same standard and stand for all victims’ privacy, dignity and safety.”
Waldron told NonDoc he apologized and was taking steps to become a “better human being.”
“The short version is, I accepted responsibility, accepted all consequences, and I’m looking forward to moving forward,” Waldron said.
Kissing video marks second AI-related controversy surrounding Waldron
The situation marks the second controversy involving Waldron and AI-generated content.
In 2025, as Waldron campaigned to become chair of the state Democratic Party, an apparent AI-generated audio clip surfaced, claiming to be Waldron, making inflammatory racial remarks about his opponent.
Waldron, who is white, faced incumbent party chair Alicia Andrews, a Black woman.
The quote, attributed to Waldron, raised questions about qualifications of Andrews. The voice on the audio recording also criticized Black leadership and referenced the speaker’s time working at Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa, a school that has a large Black student population.
At the time, Waldron said he heard about the audio attributed to him from people who contacted him and asked if it was true. Waldron said it was completely fabricated. He also said he intended to introduce legislation in 2026 that would address AI deepfakes in political campaigns.
Waldron has authored 10 bills this session, none of which address AI.