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.
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.
[3] Wickliffe died in Muskogee, Oklahoma on December 19, 2017, at age 80.