James R. Thompson
Encyclopedia
James Robert Thompson, Jr. (born May 8, 1936), also known as Big Jim Thompson, was the 37th and longest serving Governor of the US state of Illinois
. A Republican, Thompson was elected to four consecutive terms and held the office for 14 years; his first term was only for two years as Illinois moved its gubernatorial election from Presidential election years to midterm Congressional election years. Many years after leaving public office, he served as a member of the 9/11 Commission.
Navy Pier campus, and at Washington University in St. Louis
. He received his J.D.
from Northwestern University
in 1959.
Prior to becoming governor, he worked in the Cook County
state's attorney's office, taught at Northwestern University's law school and was appointed by President Nixon to serve as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. As a federal prosecutor in the early 1970s, he obtained a conviction against former Governor Otto Kerner, Jr.
, for his use of improper influence on behalf of the racetrack industry. He also tried and convicted many of Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley
's top aides, most notably Alderman Tom Keane
and County Clerk Matt Danaher, on various corruption charges. People like Keane and Danaher, the Mayor's point man on patronage were also major figures in the Cook County Democratic Party's political machine. These high-profile cases gave Thompson the celebrity that fueled his run for governor in 1976. To the chagrin of many, Thompson was very bipartisan in his attacks on corruption in Cook County and Chicago. He not only prosecuted ultra high profile Democrats, but also prominent Republicans such as County Commissioner Floyd Fulle and former U.S. Senate candidate, William Rentschler. Organized crime in Chicago was harder for his unit to crack and there were few high profile cases during his era.
, who had defeated incumbent Governor Daniel Walker
in the primary and who had the support of Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley
's political machine
. Thompson was the first candidate for Governor to receive over 3 million votes, and his tally of 3,000,395 remains the highest number of votes ever cast for a candidate in an election for Governor of Illinois. As noted above, this was only for a two-year transitional term. Thompson was re-elected to a full four-year term in 1978 with 60 percent of the vote, defeating State Comptroller Michael Bakalis
. In 1982, Thompson was very narrowly re-elected over former U.S. Senator Adlai E. Stevenson III
; Thompson decisively defeated him in their re-match four years later. Thompson was accused of hiding the sad shape that Illinois' economy and budget were in while campaigning, but once elected, calling for an emergency session of the Illinois Legislature to address the crisis.
On November 12, 1980, Thompson, by his executive order, instituted a hiring freeze for all state agencies, boards, bureaus, and commissions under his control as governor. The order affected approximately 60,000 state positions. These positions could only be filled if the candidates were first approved by an office created by Thompson, the Governor's Office of Personnel. The practice essentially consisted of denying the hiring of persons not affiliated with the Republican Party by conducting inquiries into past Republican Party affiliation and possible future pledges of loyalty. Suit was brought and the Supreme Court held this political patronage practice unconstitutional as a violation of the First Amendment rights of low-level public employees in Rutan v. Republican Party of Illinois, 497 U.S. 62 (1990).
In 1993, the State of Illinois Center in Chicago was renamed the James R. Thompson Center
to honor the former governor.
, a major Chicago-based law firm. Thompson served as Chairman of the Executive Committee from 1991 to 2006, as well as Chairman and CEO of the firm from 1993 to 2006. He is presently Senior Chairman. As CEO of Winston & Strawn, he focused in the areaa of government relations and regulatory affairs. The firm has lobbied for American Airlines
, and he has previously represented United Airlines
.
Winston & Strawn is the same firm that represented former Illinois Governor George Ryan
pro bono
against federal charges relating to the "Licenses-for-Bribes" scandal during Ryan's tenure as Illinois Governor
and Secretary of State. On April 17, 2006, George Ryan
was convicted on all 18 counts, which included racketeering, misusing state resources for political gain, and fraud. He was sentenced to 6½ years in federal prison and began serving his sentence on November 7, 2007.
Thompson is also a director and head of the Audit Committee for Hollinger International, the media company founded by convicted fraudster Conrad Black
(it is also now the subject of a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission investigation).
, where he aggressively questioned Richard Clarke
, the former chief counter terrorism adviser on the United States National Security Council
. The report of the commission was released on July 22, 2004.
During the 2008 Presidential primary campaign, Thompson came out in support of former New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani for the 2008 Republican nomination. He stressed that Giuliani was the only Republican in the field who could win Illinois
.
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. A Republican, Thompson was elected to four consecutive terms and held the office for 14 years; his first term was only for two years as Illinois moved its gubernatorial election from Presidential election years to midterm Congressional election years. Many years after leaving public office, he served as a member of the 9/11 Commission.
Early life and career
Born in Chicago, Illinois, Thompson studied at the University of Illinois at ChicagoUniversity of Illinois at Chicago
The University of Illinois at Chicago, or UIC, is a state-funded public research university located in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its campus is in the Near West Side community area, near the Chicago Loop...
Navy Pier campus, and at Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis is a private research university located in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1853, and named for George Washington, the university has students and faculty from all fifty U.S. states and more than 110 nations...
. He received his J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
in 1959.
Prior to becoming governor, he worked in the Cook County
Cook County, Illinois
Cook County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, with its county seat in Chicago. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. The county has 5,194,675 residents, which is 40.5 percent of all Illinois residents. Cook County's population is larger than...
state's attorney's office, taught at Northwestern University's law school and was appointed by President Nixon to serve as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. As a federal prosecutor in the early 1970s, he obtained a conviction against former Governor Otto Kerner, Jr.
Otto Kerner, Jr.
Otto Kerner, Jr. was the 33rd Governor of Illinois from 1961 to 1968. He is best known for chairing the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders and for accepting bribes....
, for his use of improper influence on behalf of the racetrack industry. He also tried and convicted many of Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley
Richard J. Daley
Richard Joseph Daley served for 21 years as the mayor and undisputed Democratic boss of Chicago and is considered by historians to be the "last of the big city bosses." He played a major role in the history of the Democratic Party, especially with his support of John F...
's top aides, most notably Alderman Tom Keane
Tom Keane
Thomas Lawrence Keane was an American football cornerback.-High school:Keane played football and graduated from Linsly Military Institute in Wheeling, West Virginia in 1944. During his high school career he was an All-OVAC selection in football and basketball in 1943 and 1944...
and County Clerk Matt Danaher, on various corruption charges. People like Keane and Danaher, the Mayor's point man on patronage were also major figures in the Cook County Democratic Party's political machine. These high-profile cases gave Thompson the celebrity that fueled his run for governor in 1976. To the chagrin of many, Thompson was very bipartisan in his attacks on corruption in Cook County and Chicago. He not only prosecuted ultra high profile Democrats, but also prominent Republicans such as County Commissioner Floyd Fulle and former U.S. Senate candidate, William Rentschler. Organized crime in Chicago was harder for his unit to crack and there were few high profile cases during his era.
Governor of Illinois
In the 1976 election, he won 65 percent of the vote over Democratic Secretary of State Michael HowlettMichael Howlett
Michael J. Howlett, Sr. was a Democratic politician from the U.S. state of Illinois, who was elected several times to statewide office.-Early life:...
, who had defeated incumbent Governor Daniel Walker
Daniel Walker
Daniel Walker was the 36th Governor of the U.S. state of Illinois from 1973 to 1977.-Early life and career:He was born in Washington, D.C. and raised near San Diego, California. He was the second Governor of Illinois to graduate from the United States Naval Academy. He served as a naval officer in...
in the primary and who had the support of Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley
Richard J. Daley
Richard Joseph Daley served for 21 years as the mayor and undisputed Democratic boss of Chicago and is considered by historians to be the "last of the big city bosses." He played a major role in the history of the Democratic Party, especially with his support of John F...
's political machine
Cook County Democratic Organization
The Cook County Democratic Organization is one of the most powerful political machines in American history. Historically called the "Chicago Democratic machine", or simply the "Chicago Machine", the organization has dominated Chicago politics since the 1930s...
. Thompson was the first candidate for Governor to receive over 3 million votes, and his tally of 3,000,395 remains the highest number of votes ever cast for a candidate in an election for Governor of Illinois. As noted above, this was only for a two-year transitional term. Thompson was re-elected to a full four-year term in 1978 with 60 percent of the vote, defeating State Comptroller Michael Bakalis
Michael Bakalis
Michael J. Bakalis is an American academic and politician. He was the Democratic nominee for Governor of Illinois in 1978, losing to incumbent Republican governor James R. Thompson....
. In 1982, Thompson was very narrowly re-elected over former U.S. Senator Adlai E. Stevenson III
Adlai Stevenson III
Adlai Ewing Stevenson III is an American politician of the Democratic Party. He represented the state of Illinois in the United States Senate from 1970 until 1981.-Education, military service, and early career:...
; Thompson decisively defeated him in their re-match four years later. Thompson was accused of hiding the sad shape that Illinois' economy and budget were in while campaigning, but once elected, calling for an emergency session of the Illinois Legislature to address the crisis.
In 1993, the State of Illinois Center in Chicago was renamed the James R. Thompson Center
James R. Thompson Center
The James R. Thompson Center is located at 100 W. Randolph Street in the Loop, Chicago, Illinois and houses offices of the State of Illinois. The building opened in May 1985 as the State of Illinois Center. It was renamed in 1993 to honor former Illinois Governor James R. Thompson...
to honor the former governor.
Legal and lobbying career
After leaving public service, Thompson joined Winston & Strawn LLPWinston & Strawn LLP
Winston & Strawn LLP is an international law firm with approximately 900 attorneys among 13 offices in the United States, Europe and Asia.-Locations:...
, a major Chicago-based law firm. Thompson served as Chairman of the Executive Committee from 1991 to 2006, as well as Chairman and CEO of the firm from 1993 to 2006. He is presently Senior Chairman. As CEO of Winston & Strawn, he focused in the areaa of government relations and regulatory affairs. The firm has lobbied for American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
, and he has previously represented United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
.
Winston & Strawn is the same firm that represented former Illinois Governor George Ryan
George Ryan
George Homer Ryan, Sr. was the 39th Governor of the U.S. state of Illinois from 1999 until 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. Ryan became nationally known when in 2000 he imposed a moratorium on executions and "raised the national debate on capital punishment"...
pro bono
Pro bono
Pro bono publico is a Latin phrase generally used to describe professional work undertaken voluntarily and without payment or at a reduced fee as a public service. It is common in the legal profession and is increasingly seen in marketing, technology, and strategy consulting firms...
against federal charges relating to the "Licenses-for-Bribes" scandal during Ryan's tenure as Illinois Governor
Governor of Illinois
The Governor of Illinois is the chief executive of the State of Illinois and the various agencies and departments over which the officer has jurisdiction, as prescribed in the state constitution. It is a directly elected position, votes being cast by popular suffrage of residents of the state....
and Secretary of State. On April 17, 2006, George Ryan
George Ryan
George Homer Ryan, Sr. was the 39th Governor of the U.S. state of Illinois from 1999 until 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. Ryan became nationally known when in 2000 he imposed a moratorium on executions and "raised the national debate on capital punishment"...
was convicted on all 18 counts, which included racketeering, misusing state resources for political gain, and fraud. He was sentenced to 6½ years in federal prison and began serving his sentence on November 7, 2007.
Thompson is also a director and head of the Audit Committee for Hollinger International, the media company founded by convicted fraudster Conrad Black
Conrad Black
Conrad Moffat Black, Baron Black of Crossharbour, OC, KCSG, PC is a Canadian-born member of the British House of Lords, and a historian, columnist and publisher, who was for a time the third largest newspaper magnate in the world. Lord Black controlled Hollinger International, Inc...
(it is also now the subject of a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission investigation).
Post-gubernatorial political activities
In 2002 he was appointed to serve on the 9/11 Commission9/11 Commission
The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, also known as the 9/11 Commission, was set up on November 27, 2002, "to prepare a full and complete account of the circumstances surrounding the September 11, 2001 attacks", including preparedness for and the immediate response to...
, where he aggressively questioned Richard Clarke
Richard A. Clarke
Richard Alan Clarke was a U.S. government employee for 30 years, 1973–2003. He worked for the State Department during the presidency of Ronald Reagan. In 1992, President George H.W. Bush appointed him to chair the Counter-terrorism Security Group and to a seat on the United States National...
, the former chief counter terrorism adviser on the United States National Security Council
United States National Security Council
The White House National Security Council in the United States is the principal forum used by the President of the United States for considering national security and foreign policy matters with his senior national security advisors and Cabinet officials and is part of the Executive Office of the...
. The report of the commission was released on July 22, 2004.
During the 2008 Presidential primary campaign, Thompson came out in support of former New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani for the 2008 Republican nomination. He stressed that Giuliani was the only Republican in the field who could win Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
.
External links
- Thompson's biography from the 9/11 Commission
- Thompson's biography from Northwestern University
- Receipt for Thompson's contribution for Friends of Hillary
- National Governors Association
Scholarly Secondary Source
- Hartley, Robert E. Big Jim Thompson of Illinois (1979).