Edwin Washington Edwards (August 7, 1927 - July 12, 2021) served as the 50th Governor of Louisiana for four terms (1972–1980, 1984–1988 and 1992–1996), twice as many elected terms as any other Louisiana chief executive. He served a total of 16 years in office. He has the sixth longest serving gubernatorial tenure in post-Constitutional U.S. history at 5,784 days.
A colorful, powerful and legendary figure in Louisiana politics, Edwards, a Democrat, was long dogged by charges of corruption. In 2001, he was found guilty of racketeering charges and sentenced to ten years in Federal prison. Edwards began serving his sentence in October 2002 in Fort Worth, Texas, and was later transferred to the federal facility in Oakdale, Louisiana. Edwards was released from federal prison in January 2011, after serving eight years. He entered into home confinement at his daughter's Denham Springs, Louisana home through the supervision of a halfway house, on January 13, 2011. Following that, Edwards was placed on parole. In February 2013, Edwards was granted early release from parole. His wife Trina made the announcement on her Facebook page.
Two men whom Edwards defeated in Louisiana elections—David C. Treen and J. Bennett Johnston Jr.—and a third who was his protégé, John Breaux, confirmed in July 2007 that they intended to approach then U.S. President George W. Bush about procuring a pardon or commutation for Edwards, who celebrated his 80th birthday in prison in August 2007. Bush denied a pardon for Edwards before he left the presidency on January 20, 2009.
Supporters lobbied President Barack Obama for a pardon for Edwards so he might run in the 2011 Louisiana gubernatorial election. Obama did not reply to petitions by supporters of Edwards and without a pardon, Edwards remains ineligible to seek the governorship until 15 years have passed from the end of his sentence.