Back in January, I received multiple tips via The Ogle Mole Network letting me know that NonDoc – or as we affectionately call it, Yawn Doc – was about to drop a big exposé on State Representative and former OK Democratic Chair John Waldron.
According to my Moles, the non-profit was preparing to report that the real reason behind Waldron’s sudden resignation from his party post wasn’t due to “time and family reasons”... but because he allegedly sent an aspiring candidate a totally out-of-the-blue, creepy, and wildly inappropriate AI-generated photo of the two of them kissing.
You know – the one that, while courteously waiting for Yawn Doc to drop their report, I teased in several Dumpster Fires.
Well, after months and months and months of waiting, I guess William H.P. “Tres” Archibald Merriweather Savage III & IVth finally found the time to do his thing!
On Friday morning, just a few days after the candidate filing deadline, he released this report.
Rep. John Waldron confirmed Thursday that he resigned as chairman of the Oklahoma Democratic Party in December two months after meeting with a potential candidate for office and then using an AI tool to animate their photos into a fictional depiction of him making out with the young woman.
Waldron’s revelation comes after months of rumor, at least two tense meetings of the House Democratic Caucus, and a temporary caucus suspension that is set to end Monday.
Wow. That’s one hell of a lede! That was so well written, I bet even John Waldron gave Trey a high five:
Then again, if NonDoc had three months to write it, it probably should be of high quality!
Seriously, what took them so long to report on this? I know they have to play political games, do insider favors, and deal with all the other “How the sausage gets made!” bologna, but at least bury little tidbits in articles like we did!
Naturally, Trey talked to Waldron about the incident. He went with the Daniel Powter “Had a Bad Day” excuse.
“I was under enormous personal stress. I made a mistake, which I instantly regretted. I’ve accepted every consequence that was asked of me, and I’ve done a lot of personal work. I’m still deeply regretful for making that decision,” Waldron (D-Tulsa) said Thursday. “I had a bad day. That’s what happened.”
Waldron called the situation a “misunderstanding” and “a foolish mistake on my part.” He claimed he did not mean to send the woman the AI-generated GIF he had made showing the two of them kissing.
Yep. That’s right. He was simply having a bad day, and it’s all a big misunderstanding. I guess that makes sense. We’ve all been there. Your boss is on your ass, your wife’s giving you a hard time, and oops… you accidentally send someone an AI-generated fantasy of you kissing them.
I hate it when that happens!
Here’s more:
“The short version is, I accepted responsibility, accepted all consequences, and I’m looking forward to moving forward,” Waldron said. “I, of course, apologized, immediately accepted consequences, took measures to become a better human being, and I think I’ve learned a lot from the process.”
He accepted all the consequences?
Uhm, are we sure about that? If that were the case, I don’t think he’d still be in office, standing on the House floor quoting his favorite Bible verses about sodomy! He would have resigned, right?
Seriously, imagine that dude sending you an unsolicited AI-generated makeout GIF at 2:13 a.m. It’s enough to make you rethink the entire concept of technology, isn’t it?
Anyway, as NonDoc mentioned, the deepfake scandal has caused quite a ruckus in Oklahoma Democratic Party caucus.
I’ve talked to a variety of Moles who are wondering what state and House party leaders knew about Waldron, when they knew it, and why party leadership seemingly signed off on his “I’m stepping down for family reasons” excuse back in December.
One theory floated by a Mole is that party leadership, embarrassed that they inadvertently kicked independents out of the primary, didn’t want another scandal to develop under their watch, while others chalked it all up to general incompetence.
Future gubernatorial runner-up Cyndi Munson has apparently heard these rumblings, and in a statement to NonDoc, went out of her way to say the slow, clandestine nature of things was to protect the victim:
“I take all allegations of misconduct seriously, and I took swift action in contacting and working alongside the victim to hold Rep. Waldron accountable,” Munson said. “Victims deserve privacy, justice, and accountability, and every decision made regarding this situation prioritized that. Nothing 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.”
I don’t disagree with what Cyndi’s saying, but I’m pretty sure it is possible to respect a victim’s privacy, dignity, and safety while also being transparent and open with the public, party members, and the voters who are expected to trust your leadership. Unlike politics and honesty, those things aren’t mutually exclusive. You can protect someone without pretending nothing happened.
I mean, it’s not like this had to do with John Waldron’s alleged inappropriate relationship with Republican Democratic State Senator Jo Anna Dossett – an apparent open secret at the Capitol that I learned about while researching this story.
Not to bury the lede, but that – and another Waldron story I’m chasing down – is probably a different story for a different day.
Anyway, you can read the full report over a Yawn Doc. It apparently took several months to write, so please pay it attention.
Until then, stay with The Lost Ogle. We’ll keep you advised.
Update #1: A few minutes after I hit publish on this post, Waldron announced he will not be seeking reelection.
