A former president of Rose State College has promised “to support legislation to strengthen the letter and the spirit” of Oklahoma’s open government laws if elected to the state House District 95 seat. In signing FOI Oklahoma’s Open Government Pledge for legislative candidates, James J. Cook also promised “to support at every opportunity” the state’s public policy that “the people are vested with the inherent right to know and be fully informed about their government so that they can efficiently and intelligently exercise their inherent political power.”

The Democrat served as president of Rose State College in Midwest City from 2000 to 2007. He had served as executive vice president of the school from 1996 to 2000. He also had served as president of Seminole State College in Seminole from 1987 to 1996.

Cook faces Republican Roger Ford in the Nov. 8 election. Incumbent Charlie Joyner, a Republican, chose not to run for re-election. Ford, a longtime funeral service director, also has signed the Open Government Pledge.

House District 95 covers parts of Midwest City and Oklahoma City, including Tinker Air Force Base.

FOI Oklahoma invites all candidates for state, local and legislative seats to sign its Open Government Pledge. Instructions and lists of signers can be found on FOI Oklahoma’s website.

Joey Senat, Ph.D. Associate Professor OSU School of Media & Strategic Communications Mass Communication Law in Oklahoma