Attorney General Drew Edmondson
Sen. Randy Brogdon
OKLAHOMA CITY (Legal Newsline)-Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson is urging state lawmakers to reject a term-limits bill that would block him from seeking re-election.
Edmondson, a fourth-term Democrat, argued that the bill would make the mandated 12-year limit on terms retroactive, The Associated Press reported Monday.
State legislators in the Sooner State are currently limited to 12 years in office, while the governor is limited to two 4-year terms.
The House-approved bill, co-authored by state Rep. Trebor Worthen, would impose a 12-year limit on statewide officeholders, including attorney general, state treasurer and superintendent of schools.
Worthen says his proposal would not apply to current officeholders, but only those elected in 2010 and after, the AP reported.
Worthen, the chairman of the House Committee on Elections and Redistricting, has said the intent of the bill is not to block the attorney general from seeking re-election.
Worthen, an Oklahoma City Republican, has said he will not seek another term.
The proposal must be approved by the Senate and approved by voters in November before it could go into effect.
Edmondson said in addition to him, Superintendent of Schools Sandy Garrett and Corporation Commissioner Bob Anthony would be prevented from running again.
In a statement Monday, state Sen. Randy Brogdon, R-Owasso, a principal backer the term-limits proposal, criticized Edmondson for breaking his tradition of not weighing in on pending legislation.
"General Edmondson's stated practice is to avoid commenting on pending legislation," Brogdon said. "It is very disappointing that in this case he is deviating from his usual practice."
Edmondson was first elected as Oklahoma Attorney General in 1994, and re-elected unopposed in 1998.
He was elected to a third term in 2002, defeating state Corporation Commissioner Denise Bode, and elected to a fourth term in 2006, beating Republican James Dunn.
From Legal Newsline: Reach reporter Chris Rizo by e-mail at chrisrizo@legalnewsline.com.