G. T. Blankenship | |
---|---|
10th Attorney General of Oklahoma | |
In office 1967–1971 | |
Governor | Dewey F. Bartlett |
Preceded by | Charles R. Nesbitt |
Succeeded by | Larry Derryberry |
Minority leader of the Oklahoma House of Representatives | |
In office 1964–1966 | |
Member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from the 83rd district | |
In office 1961–1966 | |
Succeeded by | Ralph Gordon Thompson |
Personal details | |
Born | George Tony Blankenship Jr. March 11, 1928 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S. |
Died | April 20, 2024 | (aged 96)
Political party | Republican |
Spouse | Libby |
Children | 3 |
George Tony Blankenship Jr. (March 11, 1928 – April 20, 2024) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the Attorney General of Oklahoma from 1967 to 1971 and in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1961 to 1966. He also served as the minority leader of the Oklahoma House of Representatives between 1964 and 1966 and was the first Republican Attorney General of Oklahoma.
A member and minority leader of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, he initiated the investigation of corruption on the Oklahoma Supreme Court that resulted in the removal of three justices during the 1965 Oklahoma Supreme Court scandal and changing the process by which future justices would be selected. Leaving the House to run for higher office, Blankenship served as the 10th attorney general of Oklahoma. After serving as attorney general, he entered private law practice in Oklahoma City and served two terms on the University of Oklahoma's board of regents.