February 3, 2021 GMT
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Former Louisiana Senate President Michael O’Keefe, a powerful political figure in the 1970s and 1980s whose career ended when he was convicted of defrauding his business partners, has died. He was 89.
O’Keefe died from cancer at his New Orleans home on Sunday, according to an obituary and statements released by his family.
O’Keefe represented Orleans Parish in the state Senate from 1960 until 1984, the last eight years as president — the first state Senate president in Louisiana as allowed under a new state constitution. He served as the chamber’s leader under former Govs. Edwin Edwards and Dave Treen.