The Libertarian candidate for state auditor & inspector has pledged that the office will comply with the letter and spirit of Oklahoma’s open government laws if he is elected. In signing FOI Oklahoma’s Open Government Pledge for statewide candidates, John Yeutter 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 general election is Nov. 6. Incumbent Gary Jones ran unsuccessfully for governor in the Republican primary.

Since FOI Oklahoma began the pledge in 2008, 186 candidates have signed — with 95, or 51 percent—being elected at least once.

Yeutter, a licensed CPA, has taught accounting at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah for the past 22 years.

"The voters need transparency from their government, and the office of the State Auditor and Inspector is the State agency that provides citizens with that assurance," Yeutter says on his campaign website. "I have the knowledge and skills to provide taxpayers with independent assessment of the quality of their government’s financial information."

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

FOI Oklahoma began the Open Government Pledge as part of a national effort to spur public commitments to government transparency from candidates for president down to city council contests.

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

The opinions expressed in this blog are those of the commentators and do not necessarily represent the position of FOI Oklahoma Inc., its staff, its board of directors or the commentator’s employer. Differing interpretations of open government law and policy are welcome.