Drew Edmondson
Encyclopedia
William Andrew "Drew" Edmondson (born October 12, 1946), is an American
lawyer
and politician
from Oklahoma
. A member of the Democratic Party
, Edmondson served as the 16th Attorney General of Oklahoma
from 1995 to 2011. Prior to serving as Attorney General, Edmondson served as District Attorney for Muskogee County, Oklahoma
, from 1983 until his election as Attorney General in 1995.
, and is the son of former U.S. Congressman Ed Edmondson
and June Edmondson. He is also a nephew of former Governor J. Howard Edmondson
. His brother, James E. Edmondson
is a Justice on the Oklahoma Supreme Court
. As a child, he grew up in Muskogee, Oklahoma
and Washington, D.C. and graduated from Muskogee High School
in 1964. In 1968, he earned a B.A. in speech education from Northeastern State University
, where he was a member of Phi Sigma Epsilon Fraternity which merged with Phi Sigma Kappa Fraternity in 1985. While a college student, he married Linda Larason of Fargo, Oklahoma
. The couple has two children.
. He graduated from the University of Tulsa
Law School in 1978. That same year, he joined the Muskogee County
District Attorney's Office as an intern and became an Assistant District Attorney the following year. While with the Office, Edmondson worked under District Attorney Mike Turpen
.
Following a brief stint in private practice with his brother, when incumbent DA Mike Turpen stepped down to run for Attorney General of Oklahoma
, Edmondson was elected as Muskogee County District Attorney
in 1982. He was subsequently reelected without opposition in 1986 and 1990. As District Attorney, he personally prosecuted cases ranging from DUI
to death penalty. He resigned in 1992, half way through his third term and reentered private practice.
, successfully advocated for reform of the death penalty appeals process, and created a victim assistance unit. In 1998, he became the second Oklahoma Attorney General to win reelection unopposed. He was elected to a third term in 2002, defeating state Corporation Commissioner Denise Bode
. During 2002-2003, he served as President of the National Association of Attorneys General
. Notable cases investigated during his tenure as Attorney General have included the August, 2003 indictment of WorldCom and its former CEO Bernard Ebbers
on charges of violating state securities
laws although the charges were later dropped following Ebbers's federal sentencing. Furthermore, he conducted a corruption
investigation against now-former State Insurance Commissioner Carroll Fisher, which resulted in Fisher's impeachment
, resignation, and indictment on charges including embezzlement
, tax evasion
, perjury
, and bribery
.
In 2001, Edmondson became involved in a legal dispute with then-Governor Frank Keating
over the Governor's restruction of his Cabinet
, winning a state Supreme Court ruling that Keating had no authority to restructure his Cabinet without legislative approval in the case of Keating v. Edmondson
.
Following the 2002 federal appeals court decision declaring the Pledge of Allegiance
unconstitutional, he joined several other state attorneys general in urging the U.S. Supreme Court to review the decision. Drew Edmondson's legal activities have not been limited to Oklahoma - they have reached as far away as New Jersey. He decided to support a New Jersey lawsuit in 2000 against the Boy Scouts of America, in an attempt to require the Boy Scouts to accept homosexual scout leaders. The Supreme Court ruled against Edmondson's position, ruling that the Boys Scouts of America had the authority to set the criteria for leadership within their organization.
In October 2007, Edmondson indicted term limits and initiative rights activist Paul Jacob
and two others on the grounds that they had illegally used out-of-state petitioners to collect signatures on a ballot initiative. On December 18, 2008 the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the underlying Oklahoma law that barred out of state petition circulators, noting that it was in violation of the First Amendment
. Edmondson appealed the decision on behalf of Secretary of State Susan Savage. On January 21, 2009 the Tenth Circuit court denied the state's appeal, effectively ending the case. The Attorney General's office dismissed the charges against Jacob and the other defendants, with Edmondson saying "The statute under which these defendants were charged has been declared unconstitutional, and the appellate process is complete...The statute is no longer enforceable." on January 22, 2009. The indictment of Jacob drew criticism for being politically motivated. 2008 independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader
referred to the laws such as the one Jacob was charged with breaking as “Jim Crow laws,” adding, “We’ve seen this before against African Americans. The Wall Street Journal editorialized against the prosecution twice, calling it "bizarre", and Steve Forbes
asked the question "Has North Korea Annexed Oklahoma?".
Edmondson was elected to a fourth term in the 2006 election, running against Republican James Dunn in the general election.
On July 27, 2010 Lieutenant Governor Jari Askins
"edged Attorney General Drew Edmondson in the Democratic primary by fewer than six-tenths of 1 percent — about 1,500 votes — with all but three of the state's 2,244 precincts reporting unofficial results." "Edmondson threw his support to Askins in a concession speech that resolved a tightly run contest.
In the speech, Edmondson stated, "To her credit and mine, this primary has been one on the issues, on the record, clean, positive, straightforward. ... I think it will be written down in the history books as a testament to both Jari Askins and Drew Edmondson that the Democratic Party comes out of this primary united and unfractured and ready to win this state."
with a 100 Centurion award. This award was given to 100 individuals that have had a positive impact on the NSU community in the last 100 years.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
. A member of the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, Edmondson served as the 16th Attorney General of Oklahoma
Attorney General of Oklahoma
The Attorney General of Oklahoma is the State Attorney General for the state of Oklahoma. The Attorney General serves as the chief legal and law enforcement officer of the State of Oklahoma. The Attorney General is responsible for providing legal advise to the various agencies and departments of...
from 1995 to 2011. Prior to serving as Attorney General, Edmondson served as District Attorney for Muskogee County, Oklahoma
Muskogee County, Oklahoma
Muskogee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2010, the population was 70,990. Its county seat is Muskogee.-Government:...
, from 1983 until his election as Attorney General in 1995.
Early life
Drew Edmondson was born in Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, and is the son of former U.S. Congressman Ed Edmondson
Ed Edmondson (U.S. politician)
Edmond "Ed" Augustus Edmondson was a U.S. politician from Oklahoma.-Early life:He was born and raised in Muskogee, Oklahoma, where he attended public school before going on to attend Muskogee Junior College. Upon graduation from the University of Oklahoma in 1940, he joined the Federal Bureau of...
and June Edmondson. He is also a nephew of former Governor J. Howard Edmondson
J. Howard Edmondson
James Howard Edmondson was the 16th Governor of Oklahoma from 1959 to 1963. Elected at the age of 33, Edmondson is the youngest governor in the history of the state.- Biography :...
. His brother, James E. Edmondson
James E. Edmondson
James E. Edmondson , is currently the Chief Justice on the Oklahoma Supreme Court. He was elected to this position by the other eight members of the Supreme Court in 2009 after he was appointed to the Court's District 7 seat by Governor Brad Henry in 2003.James Edmondson was born in Kansas City,...
is a Justice on the Oklahoma Supreme Court
Oklahoma Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Oklahoma is one of the two highest judicial bodies in the U.S. state of Oklahoma and leads the Oklahoma Court System, the judicial branch of the government of Oklahoma....
. As a child, he grew up in Muskogee, Oklahoma
Muskogee, Oklahoma
Muskogee is a city in Muskogee County, Oklahoma, United States. It is the county seat of Muskogee County, and home to Bacone College. The population was 38,310 at the 2000 census, making it the eleventh-largest city in Oklahoma....
and Washington, D.C. and graduated from Muskogee High School
Muskogee High School
Muskogee High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school in Muskogee, Oklahoma. MHS has a steady enrollment of 1,700 students. It is accredited by the Oklahoma State Department of Education and the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association...
in 1964. In 1968, he earned a B.A. in speech education from Northeastern State University
Northeastern State University
Northeastern State University is a public university with its main campus located in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, United States, at the foot of the Ozark Mountains. Northeastern's home, Tahlequah, is also the capital of the Cherokee nation of Oklahoma...
, where he was a member of Phi Sigma Epsilon Fraternity which merged with Phi Sigma Kappa Fraternity in 1985. While a college student, he married Linda Larason of Fargo, Oklahoma
Fargo, Oklahoma
Fargo is a town in Ellis County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 364 at the 2010 census. Fargo, like many towns in the region, has never fully recovered from the Dust Bowl years.-Geography:Fargo is located at ....
. The couple has two children.
Early career
From 1968 to 1972, he served in the United States Navy including a year of duty in Vietnam. From 1974 to 1976, he served one term in the Oklahoma House of RepresentativesOklahoma House of Representatives
The Oklahoma House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oklahoma Legislature, the legislative body of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Its members are responsible for introducing and voting on bills and resolutions, providing legislative oversight for state agencies, and helping to craft the...
. He graduated from the University of Tulsa
University of Tulsa
The University of Tulsa is a private university awarding bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. It is currently ranked 75th among doctoral degree granting universities in the nation by US News and World Report and is listed as one of the "Best 366 Colleges" by...
Law School in 1978. That same year, he joined the Muskogee County
Muskogee County, Oklahoma
Muskogee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2010, the population was 70,990. Its county seat is Muskogee.-Government:...
District Attorney's Office as an intern and became an Assistant District Attorney the following year. While with the Office, Edmondson worked under District Attorney Mike Turpen
Mike Turpen
Michael C. "Mike" Turpen is an American lawyer and politician from Oklahoma. A member of the Democratic Party, Turpen served as the Chairman of the Oklahoma Democratic Party and as the Attorney General of Oklahoma from 1983 to 1987...
.
Following a brief stint in private practice with his brother, when incumbent DA Mike Turpen stepped down to run for Attorney General of Oklahoma
Attorney General of Oklahoma
The Attorney General of Oklahoma is the State Attorney General for the state of Oklahoma. The Attorney General serves as the chief legal and law enforcement officer of the State of Oklahoma. The Attorney General is responsible for providing legal advise to the various agencies and departments of...
, Edmondson was elected as Muskogee County District Attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
in 1982. He was subsequently reelected without opposition in 1986 and 1990. As District Attorney, he personally prosecuted cases ranging from DUI
Driving under the influence
Driving under the influence is the act of driving a motor vehicle with blood levels of alcohol in excess of a legal limit...
to death penalty. He resigned in 1992, half way through his third term and reentered private practice.
Attorney general
Edmondson was elected as Oklahoma Attorney General in 1994. During his first term, he joined other state attorneys general in filing suit against the tobacco industryTobacco industry
The tobacco industry comprises those persons and companies engaged in the growth, preparation for sale, shipment, advertisement, and distribution of tobacco and tobacco-related products. It is a global industry; tobacco can grow in any warm, moist environment, which means it can be farmed on all...
, successfully advocated for reform of the death penalty appeals process, and created a victim assistance unit. In 1998, he became the second Oklahoma Attorney General to win reelection unopposed. He was elected to a third term in 2002, defeating state Corporation Commissioner Denise Bode
Denise Bode
Denise Bode is a nationally recognized energy policy expert and a former Corporate Commissioner of that state. In January 2005 she began her second and last six-year term in office, having won reelection by the most votes ever garnered by a Republican candidate for an Oklahoma state-wide...
. During 2002-2003, he served as President of the National Association of Attorneys General
National Association of Attorneys General
The National Association of Attorneys General is an organization of 56 state and territorial attorneys general in the United States...
. Notable cases investigated during his tenure as Attorney General have included the August, 2003 indictment of WorldCom and its former CEO Bernard Ebbers
Bernard Ebbers
Bernard John "Bernie" Ebbers is a Canadian-born businessman. He co-founded the telecommunications company WorldCom and is a former chief executive officer of that company....
on charges of violating state securities
Security (finance)
A security is generally a fungible, negotiable financial instrument representing financial value. Securities are broadly categorized into:* debt securities ,* equity securities, e.g., common stocks; and,...
laws although the charges were later dropped following Ebbers's federal sentencing. Furthermore, he conducted a corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
investigation against now-former State Insurance Commissioner Carroll Fisher, which resulted in Fisher's impeachment
Impeachment
Impeachment is a formal process in which an official is accused of unlawful activity, the outcome of which, depending on the country, may include the removal of that official from office as well as other punishment....
, resignation, and indictment on charges including embezzlement
Embezzlement
Embezzlement is the act of dishonestly appropriating or secreting assets by one or more individuals to whom such assets have been entrusted....
, tax evasion
Tax evasion
Tax evasion is the general term for efforts by individuals, corporations, trusts and other entities to evade taxes by illegal means. Tax evasion usually entails taxpayers deliberately misrepresenting or concealing the true state of their affairs to the tax authorities to reduce their tax liability,...
, perjury
Perjury
Perjury, also known as forswearing, is the willful act of swearing a false oath or affirmation to tell the truth, whether spoken or in writing, concerning matters material to a judicial proceeding. That is, the witness falsely promises to tell the truth about matters which affect the outcome of the...
, and bribery
Bribery
Bribery, a form of corruption, is an act implying money or gift giving that alters the behavior of the recipient. Bribery constitutes a crime and is defined by Black's Law Dictionary as the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official or...
.
In 2001, Edmondson became involved in a legal dispute with then-Governor Frank Keating
Frank Keating
Francis Anthony "Frank" Keating is an American politician from Oklahoma. Keating served as the 25th Governor of Oklahoma. His first term began in 1995 and ended in 1999...
over the Governor's restruction of his Cabinet
Oklahoma State Cabinet
The Cabinet of the Governor of Oklahoma is a body of the most senior appointed officials of the executive branch of the government of Oklahoma. Originally an informal meeting between the Governor of Oklahoma and various government officials, the Governor's Cabinet has evolved into a major part of...
, winning a state Supreme Court ruling that Keating had no authority to restructure his Cabinet without legislative approval in the case of Keating v. Edmondson
Keating v. Edmondson
Keating v. Edmondson, 2001 OK 110, 37 P.3d 882 , was an Oklahoma Supreme Court case that ruled that the Governor of Oklahoma could not alter the structure of his Cabinet without the approval of the Legislature. The case was primarily concerned with the Governor–Legislature relation...
.
Following the 2002 federal appeals court decision declaring the Pledge of Allegiance
Pledge of Allegiance
The Pledge of Allegiance of the United States is an expression of loyalty to the federal flag and the republic of the United States of America, originally composed by Christian Socialist Francis Bellamy in 1892 and formally adopted by Congress as the pledge in 1942...
unconstitutional, he joined several other state attorneys general in urging the U.S. Supreme Court to review the decision. Drew Edmondson's legal activities have not been limited to Oklahoma - they have reached as far away as New Jersey. He decided to support a New Jersey lawsuit in 2000 against the Boy Scouts of America, in an attempt to require the Boy Scouts to accept homosexual scout leaders. The Supreme Court ruled against Edmondson's position, ruling that the Boys Scouts of America had the authority to set the criteria for leadership within their organization.
In October 2007, Edmondson indicted term limits and initiative rights activist Paul Jacob
Paul Jacob
Paul Jacob is an activist, organizer, and advocate for legislative term limits, initiative & veto referendum rights, and limited government in the United States. He writes a weekly column for Townhall.com and his short radio commentary feature, "Common Sense," is syndicated by the Citizens In...
and two others on the grounds that they had illegally used out-of-state petitioners to collect signatures on a ballot initiative. On December 18, 2008 the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the underlying Oklahoma law that barred out of state petition circulators, noting that it was in violation of the First Amendment
First Amendment to the United States Constitution
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering...
. Edmondson appealed the decision on behalf of Secretary of State Susan Savage. On January 21, 2009 the Tenth Circuit court denied the state's appeal, effectively ending the case. The Attorney General's office dismissed the charges against Jacob and the other defendants, with Edmondson saying "The statute under which these defendants were charged has been declared unconstitutional, and the appellate process is complete...The statute is no longer enforceable." on January 22, 2009. The indictment of Jacob drew criticism for being politically motivated. 2008 independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader is an American political activist, as well as an author, lecturer, and attorney. Areas of particular concern to Nader include consumer protection, humanitarianism, environmentalism, and democratic government....
referred to the laws such as the one Jacob was charged with breaking as “Jim Crow laws,” adding, “We’ve seen this before against African Americans. The Wall Street Journal editorialized against the prosecution twice, calling it "bizarre", and Steve Forbes
Steve Forbes
Malcolm Stevenson "Steve" Forbes, Jr. is an American editor, publisher, and businessman. He is the editor-in-chief of business magazine Forbes as well as president and chief executive officer of its publisher, Forbes Inc. He was a Republican candidate in the U.S. Presidential primaries in 1996...
asked the question "Has North Korea Annexed Oklahoma?".
Edmondson was elected to a fourth term in the 2006 election, running against Republican James Dunn in the general election.
2010 Governor's Election
Edmonson announced on June 10, 2009 that he is a candidate for Governor of Oklahoma in the 2010 election cycle.On July 27, 2010 Lieutenant Governor Jari Askins
Jari Askins
Jari Askins is an American lawyer and Democratic politician from the US state of Oklahoma. She was the 15th Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma, being the second female and the first Democratic female to hold that position....
"edged Attorney General Drew Edmondson in the Democratic primary by fewer than six-tenths of 1 percent — about 1,500 votes — with all but three of the state's 2,244 precincts reporting unofficial results." "Edmondson threw his support to Askins in a concession speech that resolved a tightly run contest.
In the speech, Edmondson stated, "To her credit and mine, this primary has been one on the issues, on the record, clean, positive, straightforward. ... I think it will be written down in the history books as a testament to both Jari Askins and Drew Edmondson that the Democratic Party comes out of this primary united and unfractured and ready to win this state."
Awards and honors
On March 6, 2009 Edmondson was honored by his alma mater Northeastern State UniversityNortheastern State University
Northeastern State University is a public university with its main campus located in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, United States, at the foot of the Ozark Mountains. Northeastern's home, Tahlequah, is also the capital of the Cherokee nation of Oklahoma...
with a 100 Centurion award. This award was given to 100 individuals that have had a positive impact on the NSU community in the last 100 years.