Wes Cooley
| Wes Cooley | |
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Cooley's official congressional photo, circa 1995
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Oregon's 2nd district |
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In office January 3, 1995 – January 3, 1997 |
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| Preceded by | Robert F. Smith |
| Succeeded by | Robert F. Smith |
| Member of the Oregon Senate | |
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In office 1992–1994 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Wester Shadric Cooley March 28, 1932 Los Angeles, California |
| Died | February 4, 2015 (aged 82) Bend, Oregon |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Rosemary Herron Cooley |
Wester Shadric "Wes" Cooley (March 28, 1932 – February 4, 2015) was a Republican politician and rancher from Oregon. He was a U.S. Representative from Oregon's 2nd congressional district for the 1995–1997 term.
Cooley was born in Los Angeles, California. He served in the United States Army from 1952 to 1954, and is described in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress as a rancher. He owned the vitamin supplements company Rose Laboratories. Cooley graduated from the University of Southern California with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1958.
Cooley was elected to the Oregon State Senate in 1992. In 1994, midway through his State Senate term, Cooley was elected to the House of Representatives as a Republican from the 2nd District.
In the 104th Congress, Cooley was an advocate of private property rights, American military superiority, tort reform to limit recovery by plaintiffs, and other planks of the Republican Party's proclaimed Contract with America.
In April 1996, the Medford, Oregon Mail Tribune questioned Cooley's statement in the 1994 Voter's Guide that he had served in the Army Special Forces in Korea. Charges also arose that Cooley and his wife kept their marriage secret for several years in order for her to continue to receive veteran's benefits from her prior marriage. Cooley was unopposed for renomination in the May primary and vigorously denied the charges; however, he came under increasing pressure from fellow Republicans, including his campaign manager Greg Walden and House speaker Newt Gingrich, to step down. Walden even went as far as to announce an independent run for the seat, but implied that he would serve as a Republican if elected.
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