John O'Connor (Oklahoma)
John O'Connor (Republican Party) was the Attorney General of Oklahoma. He assumed office on July 23, 2021. He left office on January 9, 2023.
O'Connor (Republican Party) ran for re-election for Attorney General of Oklahoma. He lost in the Republican primary on June 28, 2022.
O'Connor was appointed as the state's attorney general by Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) on July 23, 2021, to succeed Mike Hunter (R). He was sworn in the same day.[1]
O'Connor was a nominee to a split seat on the United States District Courts for the Northern, Eastern, and Western Districts of Oklahoma. President Donald Trump (R) submitted his nomination on April 10, 2018.[2] O'Connor's nomination was not confirmed by the U.S. Senate before the conclusion of the 115th United States Congress, and he withdrew from consideration for re-nomination on April 12, 2019. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R) said, "While I understand John’s decision to withdraw, I don’t like it ... We are missing out on an opportunity to place a person of the highest integrity and competence on the federal bench to serve all Oklahomans."[3]
Biography
John O'Connor earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Oklahoma State University and a law degree from the University of Tulsa. O'Connor's career experience includes working as an attorney with the Hall Estill law firm. He served as the president of the Rotary Club of Tulsa and as the president and director of Tulsa's Ronald McDonald House.[4]
Elections
2022
See also: Oklahoma Attorney General election, 2022
General election
General election for Attorney General of Oklahoma
Gentner Drummond defeated Lynda Steele in the general election for Attorney General of Oklahoma on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Gentner Drummond (R) | 73.8 | 792,466 |
 | Lynda Steele (L)  | 26.2 | 281,923 | |
| Total votes: 1,074,389 | |||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Attorney General of Oklahoma
Gentner Drummond defeated incumbent John O'Connor in the Republican primary for Attorney General of Oklahoma on June 28, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Gentner Drummond | 50.9 | 180,444 |
 | John O'Connor | 49.1 | 174,256 | |
| Total votes: 354,700 | |||
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Libertarian primary election
The Libertarian primary election was canceled. Lynda Steele advanced from the Libertarian primary for Attorney General of Oklahoma.
Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
John O'Connor did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Federal judicial nomination
- See also: Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump
United States District Courts for the Western, Eastern, and Northern Districts of Oklahoma
On April 10, 2018, President Donald Trump nominated O'Connor to be a judge on the United States District Courts for the Western District, Eastern District, and Northern District of Oklahoma.[2]
On August 21, 2018, the American Bar Association standing committee on the federal judiciary unanimously rated John O'Connor as not qualified for his nomination to the United States District Courts for the Western, Eastern, and Northern Districts of Oklahoma.
 |
| Nominee Information |
| Name: John O'Connor |
| Court: United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma |
| Progress |
| Returned 268 days after nomination. |
 Nominated: April 10, 2018
|
| ABA Rating: Unanimously Not Qualified
|
| Questionnaire: Questionnaire |
| Hearing: July 11, 2018
|
| QFRs: (Hover over QFRs to read more) |
 Reported:
|
| Confirmed:
|
| Returned: January 3, 2019
|
In a statement to the Senate Judiciary Committee, committee Chair Paul Moxley wrote, "The consensus based on confidential peer review is that Mr. O'Connor lacks sufficient litigation experience, going to the depth and breadth of his law practice to date. His judgment was also found to be deficient." He further wrote that the peer review "revealed several instances of ethical concerns."[5] Click here to read the committee's written statement.
In an email to The Oklahoman, O'Connor said he had "received the highest peer ratings for ethics and competence" throughout his career. He also said that none of the committee members knew him or previously worked with him.[5]
O'Connor was the fifth federal judicial candidate nominated by President Trump to be rated "not qualified." The ABA's assessment in 2017 that some of President Trump's judicial nominees were not qualified for their positions prompted responses from senators and from various media outlets. Click here for more information about ABA ratings during the Trump administration and what proponents and opponents said.
O'Connor withdrew from consideration for re-nomination on April 12, 2019.[3]
Responses to O'Connor's ABA rating
U.S. Sens. James Lankford (R) and Jim Inhofe (R) expressed support for O'Connor's nomination. Lankford referred to the ABA review process as unfair, disappointing, and hypocritical. Inhofe said he was disappointed in the rating but added that the ABA's "opinion should not outweigh the fact that John had a successful appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee" in July.[5]
See also
2022 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ The Oklahoman, "Gov. Kevin Stitt appoints new Oklahoma AG who plans to run in 2022," July 23, 2021
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 White House, "Ten Nominations Sent to the Senate Today," April 10, 2018
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Tulsa World, "Tulsa attorney John O'Connor withdraws from consideration for federal judge post," March 14, 2019
- ↑ Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, "Governor Kevin Stitt Appoints John O'Connor to Serve as Attorney General," July 23, 2021
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 The Oklahoman, "Oklahoma judicial nominee John O'Connor is unqualified, Bar Association says," August 22, 2018
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
Attorney General of Oklahoma 2021-2023 |
Succeeded by Gentner Drummond (R) |
| Preceded by - |
United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by - |
United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by - |
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma |
Succeeded by - |
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State of Oklahoma Oklahoma City (capital) |
|---|---|
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