About Open Government Initiative, Inc.

Mission Statement

Private citizens, past elected officials, and community leaders form Open Government Initiative, Incorporated, a nonprofit organization with 501(c)(4) status pending. They are committed to one goal: ensuring that the legislative process remains open and answerable to the people of Oklahoma. Every two years, they use the Ballot Initiative process to achieve this goal.

Vision Statement

Open Government Initiative, Incorporated will shape a future where the legislative process remains open and answerable to ‘We the People’ by scrutinizing the actions of legislators and institutions, making it easier for voters to determine if they are upholding the rights of the people of Oklahoma to participate in government, and creating a just and responsive political system for generations to come.

About Our Media Spokesperson

Charles Key, the media spokesperson of Open Government Initiative, Incorporated, served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1986 to 1998 and later from 2006 to 2012. He is known by both Democratic and Republican colleagues for his integrity and insightful perspectives on fair and open governance.

History & Background

Key’s experiences in office, during times of shifting political landscapes, afforded him a front-row seat to the inner workings of government and the complexities of power dynamics. His political career was marked by service under both Democratic and Republican majorities.

Throughout his tenure, Key observed consistent patterns of power plays and corruption, irrespective of the ruling party. His firsthand experiences deeply inform his insight into these systemic issues. He saw the same troubling dynamics under Leadership across parties, leading him to conclude that the problems he witnessed were not rooted in party ideology but in the very nature of political power itself.

In “Stolen Government,” Key dissects these experiences, offering readers a rare glimpse into the inner mechanisms of political institutions. His book is a call to action, a plea for recognizing and addressing the pervasive issues of power and corruption that transcend party lines. Key’s narrative reflects not only his time in office but also his belief in the need for fundamental change in how government operates.