| George Wickliffe | |
| Term Start: | 2005 |
| Term End: | 2016 |
| Birth Date: | August 10, 1937 |
| Birth Place: | Kenwood, Oklahoma, United States |
| Death Place: | Muskogee, Oklahoma, United States |
| Predecessor: | Dallas Proctor |
| Successor: | Joe Bunch |
| Office: | United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians Principal Chief |
George Wickliffe (August 10, 1937 - December 19, 2017) was a Cherokee politician who served as the Principal Chief of the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians from 2005 until 2016. In 2016, Wickliffe was impeached and removed from office on charges of financial impropriety using tribal funds and signing contracts without the authorization of the tribal council.
Wickliffe was born in Kenwood, Oklahoma on August 10, 1937. He was the son of Ben Wickliffe and Rosa Blevins Wickliffe. He was a fluent speaker of the Cherokee language. He was born a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and later changed affiliation, becoming a United Keetoowah Band citizen.
Wickliffe served on the Cherokee National Council from 1975 to 1979. In 1995, he ran unsuccessfully for Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. He later changed citizenship, becoming a member of the United Keetoowah Band. In 2005, he ran successfully for Principal Chief of the United Keetoowah Band and served until 2016.[1] In 2016, he was impeached and removed from office. Three charges of impeachment were filed against Wickliffe, charging that he engaged in vote buying with cash advances and disbursements that were taken from the tribe's general fund without authorization. Other charges included that he awarded himself with $5,000 worth of tribal scholarship funds and signed multiple contracts without the approval of the tribal council.[2]
In addition to serving as Principal Chief, Wickliffe also served as a sports coach, a school superintendent, and a Cherokee language instructor.[3]
Wickliffe died in Muskogee, Oklahoma on December 19, 2017, at age 80.[3]