Frank Thompson
Encyclopedia
Frank Thompson, Jr. was a Democratic Party
politician
from New Jersey
. Thompson represented in the United States House of Representatives
from 1955 to 1980.
Thompson was born in Trenton, New Jersey
. He attended Wake Forest University
, from which he earned a degree in law from the Wake Forest School of Law.
Following the outbreak of World War II
, Thompson put his legal career on hold to serve in the United States Navy
. From 1941 to 1948, Thompson was an active duty member of the Navy. He received three combat decorations for distinguished at Iwo Jima
and Okinawa. After a few years of practicing law, Thompson returned to the military. From August 1950 to January 1952, he commanded the United States Navy Reserve
Battalion 4-68 and completed a seventeen-month tour of active duty, on the staff of the commander, Eastern Sea Frontier
.
Between 1950 and 1954, Thompson served as a member of the New Jersey General Assembly
, serving as minority leader during his second term.
In 1955, he successfully ran as a Democrat for a seat in Congress. Thompson was a powerful liberal voice in the House. He was a ranking member of is party, serving as the chairman of the Committee on House Administration
during his final three terms. From 1969 to 1971 he chaired the House Subcommittee on Libraries and Memorials and during his tenure conducted the first ever comprehensive hearings into the operations of the Smithsonian Institution
. From 1975 to 1978, he also chaired the Joint Committee on Printing
.
In 1980, Thompson was one of six Congressmen who was implicated in the Abscam
sting. His image was subsequently tarnished, and he lost a reelection bid. Thompson resigned from his seat, on December 29, 1980, several days after the defeat. In 1981, he was convicted on bribery and conspiracy charges, and sentenced to three years in prison. After his release, he quietly lived out his days in Alexandria, Virginia
, and he died in Bethesda, Maryland
.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. Thompson represented in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from 1955 to 1980.
Thompson was born in Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
. He attended Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is...
, from which he earned a degree in law from the Wake Forest School of Law.
Following the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Thompson put his legal career on hold to serve in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. From 1941 to 1948, Thompson was an active duty member of the Navy. He received three combat decorations for distinguished at Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima, officially , is an island of the Japanese Volcano Islands chain, which lie south of the Ogasawara Islands and together with them form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The island is located south of mainland Tokyo and administered as part of Ogasawara, one of eight villages of Tokyo...
and Okinawa. After a few years of practicing law, Thompson returned to the military. From August 1950 to January 1952, he commanded the United States Navy Reserve
United States Navy Reserve
The United States Navy Reserve, until 2005 known as the United States Naval Reserve, is the Reserve Component of the United States Navy...
Battalion 4-68 and completed a seventeen-month tour of active duty, on the staff of the commander, Eastern Sea Frontier
Eastern Sea Frontier
The Eastern Sea Frontier was a United States Navy operational command during World War II, that was responsible for the coastal waters from Canada to Jacksonville, Florida, extending out for a nominal distance of two hundred miles....
.
Between 1950 and 1954, Thompson served as a member of the New Jersey General Assembly
New Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
, serving as minority leader during his second term.
In 1955, he successfully ran as a Democrat for a seat in Congress. Thompson was a powerful liberal voice in the House. He was a ranking member of is party, serving as the chairman of the Committee on House Administration
United States House Committee on House Administration
The United States House Committee on House Administration deals with the general administration matters of the United States House of Representatives.-Jurisdiction:...
during his final three terms. From 1969 to 1971 he chaired the House Subcommittee on Libraries and Memorials and during his tenure conducted the first ever comprehensive hearings into the operations of the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
. From 1975 to 1978, he also chaired the Joint Committee on Printing
United States Congress Joint Committee on Printing
The Joint Committee on Printing is a joint committee of the United States Congress devoted to overseeing the functions of the Government Printing Office and general printing procedures of the federal government of the United States...
.
In 1980, Thompson was one of six Congressmen who was implicated in the Abscam
Abscam
Abscam was a United States Federal Bureau of Investigation sting operation run from the FBI's Hauppauge, Long Island, office in the late 1970s and early 1980s...
sting. His image was subsequently tarnished, and he lost a reelection bid. Thompson resigned from his seat, on December 29, 1980, several days after the defeat. In 1981, he was convicted on bribery and conspiracy charges, and sentenced to three years in prison. After his release, he quietly lived out his days in Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
, and he died in Bethesda, Maryland
Bethesda, Maryland
Bethesda is a census designated place in southern Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, just northwest of Washington, D.C. It takes its name from a local church, the Bethesda Meeting House , which in turn took its name from Jerusalem's Pool of Bethesda...
.
External links
- Frank Thompson Papers at the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library, Princeton UniversityPrinceton UniversityPrinceton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
- Frank Thompson, Jr. at The Political GraveyardThe Political GraveyardThe Political Graveyard is a website and database that catalogues information on more than 224,000 American political figures and political families, along with other information.-History:...