Debbe Leftwich

Debbe Leftwich is a politician from the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Leftwich was a member of the Oklahoma Senate from 2003 until 2010. She won the vacant seat through a special election after the death of her husband and former senator Keith Leftwich. She was a key figure in the 2010 Oklahoma political corruption investigation for her role in a bribery scheme in which she was accused of agreeing to not run for re-election in 2010 in exchange for a state job with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME). [1]

Debbe Leftwich
Member of the Oklahoma Senate
from the 44th district
In office
2003–2010
Preceded byKeith Leftwich
Succeeded byRalph Shortey
Constituency44th Senate District
Personal details
BornChandler, Oklahoma
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)Widowed (Senator Keith Leftwich)
ChildrenKevin and Kurt
ResidenceOklahoma City, Oklahoma
WebsiteSenate website

Early life

Born in Chandler, Oklahoma, Leftwitch grew up in Wellston, Oklahoma where she graduated from Wellston High School. Leftwich's interest in politics began in high school with various mentors encouraging her passion. She went on to attend Oklahoma Baptist University and the University of Central Oklahoma.[2]

Political career

She was elected in a special election on December 9, 2003 to fill the vacancy from District 44 left by her husband, Senator Keith Leftwich, who died of cancer in September 2003. Leftwich was re-elected in 2006.[3][4]

Senate Committees

Leftwich remained in office from 2003 until 2010.

  • Appropriations Subcommittee on Public Safety and Judiciary
  • Business and Labor - Co-Chair
  • Criminal Jurisprudence
  • Health and Human Resources
  • Transportation

Corruption

Leftwich was a key figure in the 2010 Oklahoma political corruption investigation.[1][5]

Boards, committees and commissions

Aside from her service in the Oklahoma Legislature, Leftwich spent her time serving in a number of various organizations, including:[6]

  • Chair of the Oklahoma Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Advisory Committee
  • Co-chair of Oklahoma Women’s Legislative Caucus
  • Co-chair of Oklahoma’s Cancer Caucus
  • Member of the Oklahoma Commission on Children & Youth’s Interagency Coordinating Council for Early Childhood Intervention
  • Member of the Small Business Regulatory Review Committee
  • Member of the Department of Labor’s Worker Safety Policy Council
  • Governor’s appointee to the Oklahoma Health Information Security & Privacy Collaboration Steering Committee
  • Member of the Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women
  • Member of the SKIL Board
  • Member of the League of Women Voters
  • Member of the American Legion Auxiliary
  • Member of the South OKC Chamber of Commerce

Personal life

Leftwich and her late husband have two sons, Kevin and Kurt.

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References
  1. "Debbe Leftwich, Former Oklahoma Senator, Found Guilty in Bribery Case". Huffington Post. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
  2. Finchum, Tanya (November 30, 2007). "Oral history interview with Debbe Leftwich". Women of the Oklahoma Legislature. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
  3. "Debbe Leftwich's Political Summary". Vote Smart. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
  4. "Debbe Leftwich". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
  5. "Court upholds bribery convictions of former legislators Randy Terrill, Debbe Leftwich". Tulsa World. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
  6. "The Honorable Debbe Leftwich". ok.gov. OK Gov. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
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