Daniel Draper

This article is about the attorney and politician. For the meteorologist, see Daniel Draper (meteorologist).
Daniel D. Draper
36th Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives
In office
1979–1983
Preceded byWilliam P. Willis
Succeeded byJim Barker
Member of the
Oklahoma House of Representatives
from the 13th district
In office
1971–1983
Preceded byBob Shatwell
Succeeded byLarry Gish
Personal details
BornApril 12, 1940
Tahlequah, Oklahoma
DiedNovember 18, 2004(2004-11-18) (aged 64)
Stillwater, Oklahoma
Political partyDemocratic
Alma materOklahoma State University
Washington University in St. Louis
OccupationLawyer

Daniel David Draper Jr. (April 12, 1940 – November 18, 2004) was an American attorney and politician from the U.S. state of Oklahoma. He served as a member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1971 until 1983, and served as the 32nd Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, beginning in 1979 until his conviction of a felony in the 1980s.

Background

Born in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, he received his bachelor's degree in accounting from Oklahoma State University. He then went to University of Oklahoma College of Law and later received his law degree from Washington University School of Law. He was the Stillwater, Oklahoma, city attorney and taught business law at Oklahoma State University. He died in Stillwater, Oklahoma.[1]

Political career

Draper was first elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives in 1971.[2] In 1978, Draper was presiding in the chair during the final day of session when there was a dispute over adjournment.[3]

He was first elected speaker in 1979.[2] The speaker's race was competitive, with five vying for the seat, and he won the race with the support of a group of conservative, rural Democrats led by Vernon Dunn and a group of progressive Democrats led by Cleta Deatherage and Jim Fried.[3]

Draper was convicted of a felony, forcing him out of office, and was succeeded by Jim Barker.[4] The felony charge of voter tampering was eventually overturned by a federal judge.[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ 'Daniel David Draper, Jr.-1940-2004-obituary,' The Perkins Journal (Oklahoma), November 25, 2004, A2
  2. ^ a b Historic Members Archived 2013-07-11 at the Wayback Machine, Oklahoma House of Representatives Archived June 22, 2013, at the Wayback Machine (accessed June 15, 2013)
  3. ^ a b A Century to Remember Archived September 10, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, Okhouse.gov, p. 73. (accessed July 8, 2013)
  4. ^ House speaker role assumed by Jim Barker, The Oklahoman, September 20, 1983 (accessed June 15, 2013).
  5. ^ Morgan, David R. Oklahoma Politics and Policies, University of Nebraska Press, 1991. (accessed via Google Books on June 20, 2013)