Terry O'Donnell (politician)

Terry O'Donnell (born November 1, 1963) is an American politician and a member of the Republican Party who has served as the Oklahoma House Representative for the 23rd district since January 8, 2013. He first won elected office in the 2012 Oklahoma state elections. In January 2021, O'Donnell was promoted to be the speaker pro tempore of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, the second highest ranking Republican Party of Oklahoma member in the state house. On December 17, 2021, O'Donnell was indicted in relation to a tag agency corruption scandal. He resigned as speaker pro tempore on February 2, 2022 but later rejoined House Republican leadership in 2023 as majority whip, "a position that involves coordinating the teams of legislators that whip vote counts ahead of key bills."

Legislative career

O'Donnell was first elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives in the 2012 Oklahoma state elections to represent district 23. O'Donnell is from Catoosa, Oklahoma in 2024.

2012 election

O'Donnell was first elected as the State House Representative for district 23 in the 2012 Oklahoma state elections.

2016 election

The Tulsa World endorsed O'Donnell in his 2016 re-election bid.

56th Oklahoma legislature

In 2018, during the second session of the 56th Oklahoma Legislature, O'Donnell supported multiple bills to loosen the regulation of tag agencies. He voted in favor of both HB 3278 and SB 1439. HB 3278 allowed a tag agent to submit a letter of resignation "contingent on the appointment" of a specific replacement. SB 1439 removed the requirement that the Oklahoma Tax Commission interview all applicants for tag agent positions.

57th Oklahoma legislature

In 2019, during the first session of the 57th Oklahoma Legislature, O'Donnell introduced HB 2098 which allowed the spouses of legislators to serve as tag agents.
During floor debate only one member, Democratic Representative Shane Stone, questioned the bill asking "I feel like voting for this could be a little self-serving, wouldn’t you agree?” O'Donnell responded that "I think it restores your right as a citizen." Stone and two Republican Representatives, Tom Gann and Tommy Hardin, were the only no votes in the Oklahoma House. Eight Republican Senators voted no. In April 2019, Governor Kevin Stitt signed the bill into law.

2020 election

In August 2019, the Oklahoma Tax Commission appointed O'Donnell's wife, Teresa O'Donnell, to succeed her mother as the head of the Catoosa Tag Agency.
During the election, Oklahoma City Democratic State Representative Collin Walke criticized O'Donnell tag agency reforms saying "The timing of Rep. O’Donnell’s legislation in connection with the timing of the transfer of his mother-in-law’s tag agency to his wife smacks of self-dealing; and at best, created an appearance of impropriety that should have kept Rep. O’Donnell from running the bill in the first place."
O'Donnell responded by saying he did not know his wife would be acquiring her mother's tag agency until after the latter's death in July 2019.

58th Oklahoma legislature

O'Donnell served as the second highest-ranking Republican in the Oklahoma House of Representatives for the first session of the 58th Oklahoma Legislature. He resigned from leadership before the second session of the 58th Oklahoma legislature after being indicted.

59th Oklahoma Legislature

In 2023, Democratic lawmakers called "for Republican lawmakers to be held accountable" after O'Donnell, Ryan Martinez, and Dean Davis all had trouble with the law This came after the March 2023 censure of Representative Maureen Turner for sheltering someone wanted by the police in their office.

In June 2023, he endorsed Ron DeSantis for the 2024 presidential election.

Grand Jury Investigation

On December 17, 2021, Terry O'Donnell was indicted on charges, including conspiracy against the state, related to his 2019 Tax Agency bill. The indictment alleges that O'Donnell violated his oath of office by knowingly removing statutory requirement that could have prohibited his wife from functionally inheriting a tag agent position from her mother and that he knew his family would profit from the position. O'Donnell has since described the indictment as a being driven by the " woke left" and "Oklahoma City operatives". Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater has been prosecuting corruption cases against state lawmakers for 16 years. O’Donnell stepped down from his house leadership position in January 2022 and filed for reelection in April."

Getner Drummond's office later took control of the corruption case against O'Donnell from the newly elected Oklahoma County district attorney Vicki Behenna's office in February 2023; in April, his office later dismissed the charges against O'Donnell saying he was "guilty," but politically targeted for prosecution.

References

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1963 births
21st-century American politicians
Living people
Republican Party members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives