Jim Guy Tucker
Encyclopedia
James "Jim" Guy Tucker, Jr. (born June 13, 1943) is an Arkansas
political figure. He served as the 43rd Governor of Arkansas, the 11th Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas
, Arkansas Attorney General
, and U.S. Representative
. Tucker has been married to the former Betty Allen since 1975.
Tucker resigned the governorship and was replaced by Mike Huckabee
on July 16, 1996, after his conviction
for fraud during the Whitewater affair
, although the conviction was not directly related to the investigation of Bill
and Hillary Clinton's real estate and related business dealings.
and moved to Arkansas before school age. He attended public schools in Little Rock
, graduating from Hall High School
in 1961. He had his first taste of politics when he ran for and was elected Vice-President of Key Club International (the largest and oldest high school service organization in the United States). He served in that organization from 1960–61. He received a bachelor of arts degree from Harvard University
in 1963.
in 1964, but was discharged for medical reasons (chronic ulcers
) after finishing at the top of the first phase of his officer candidate training class at Camp Upshur at Marine Corps Base Quantico
in Quantico, Virginia
. In early 1965, Tucker found passage to southeast Asia by tramp steamer from San Francisco and entered South Vietnam
as an accredited freelance war correspondent
.
With one brief sojourn home, he remained in the war zone through 1967, personally participating in a number of engagements. Late that year, he published Arkansas Men at War, a compendium of interviews with troops from the state he had followed into combat. The book received generally favorable reviews.
Following a brief stint as an assistant professor
of American history
at the American University of Beirut
in Lebanon, Tucker returned to the University of Arkansas Law School in 1968 as a second-year student, graduated, and was admitted to the bar
that same year.
, from which he ran for prosecuting attorney in 1970. He served as prosecutor
for the Sixth Judicial District of Arkansas 1971–1972. In that office, he oversaw the prosecution of more than 1,000 backlogged felony
cases inherited from previous administrations. He won convictions in a several cases considered by local wags as "impossible" successfully to prosecute, including one kidnapping
.
Twelve "guest" judges were temporarily reassigned from other circuits by the state supreme court
at Tucker's request to clear the arrearages. He was appointed by the Governor to the Arkansas Criminal Code Revision Commission and served 1973–1975, during which time he was credited with spearheading the group's broad revision of the state's criminal laws.
An investigation into police corruption
he began was stymied by a county grand jury
appointed by a circuit judge who was a political ally of the chief of police
. However, the following year a federal grand jury, building on Tucker's work, issued a scathing report which led to a shake-up of the department and the resignation of the chief, senior detectives and complicitous city officials.
in November 1972. He easily defeated the Republican
nominee Edwin Bethune, then of Searcy
in White County
, and later Tucker's successor as U.S. Representative
from the Little Rock-based Arkansas's 2nd congressional district
.
Tucker served two two-year terms as attorney general, 1973–1977. He was a delegate to the 1972 Democratic National Convention
. Running from his post as attorney general, Tucker was elected as a Democrat to the Ninety-fifth Congress and served one term, January 3, 1977 – January 3, 1979.
He relinquished the seat to wage an unsuccessful campaign for the United States Senate
in 1978. He was defeated by the sitting governor, David Pryor
. In the same election, Bill Clinton
, who had replaced Tucker in 1977 as attorney general, was elected governor.
Tucker resumed his law practice. A consistent intra-party rival of Clinton, he was defeated by Clinton when both sought the Democratic nomination for governor in 1982 following Clinton's defeat by Republican Frank White
in 1980. Eight years later, Tucker announced his intention to run for the governor's office again against Clinton, who was seeking a fifth term. However, he withdrew from the gubernatorial primary and ran instead for the post of lieutenant governor.
He recognized that Clinton had his eyes on the presidency and might not serve a full term. He succeeded to the governorship upon Clinton's resignation on December 12, 1992. Tucker won election in 1994 against the Republican Sheffield Nelson
to a four year term as governor.
's investigation of the Whitewater scandal. Tucker was tried with fellow defendants James B. McDougal and his wife Susan McDougal
, the prosecution conducted primarily by OIC prosecutor Ray Jahn. Tucker chose not to testify in his own defense upon the advice of his attorney.
, a Republican, was preparing to be sworn in, Tucker rescinded his resignation on several grounds, including his appeal because a juror on his trial was married to a man whose cocaine possession conviction Tucker had twice refused to commute. Furthermore, this juror was the niece of local activist Robert "Say" McIntosh, who had demonstrated against Tucker during the trial. He also contended, and an appellate court later agreed, that one of the statutes he allegedly violated was no longer operable. Arguing that his conviction was thus tainted, and that the Arkansas constitution was vague about his status as a convicted felon until his appeals had been exhausted. However, at the last minute he did resign, under the threat of impeachment
by the legislature which had convened to witness Huckabee's swearing in.
, established a company called AcrossAsia Multimedia Ltd. With AcrossAsia Multimedia they wanted to build the largest cable TV infrastructure in Indonesia
using a company called Kabelvision. The venture was unsuccessful.
problems were seriously debilitating him and threatened his life (he had nearly died from gastro-intestinal bleeding in 1994, and had steadily worsened since), received a lenient sentence of four years' probation and house detention in part because of his poor health. In 1997, Tucker received a liver transplant
at the Mayo Clinic
in Rochester, Minnesota
.
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
political figure. He served as the 43rd Governor of Arkansas, the 11th Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas
Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas
The Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas presides over the Arkansas Senate with a tie-breaking vote, serves as governor when the governor is out of state, and serves as governor if the governor is impeached, removed from office, dies or is otherwise unable to discharge the office's duties.The position...
, Arkansas Attorney General
Arkansas Attorney General
The Arkansas Attorney General is an executive position and constitutional officer within the Arkansas government. The Attorney General is the chief law enforcement/legal officer and lawyer for Arkansas. The position is elected every four years, e.g...
, and U.S. Representative
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...
. Tucker has been married to the former Betty Allen since 1975.
Tucker resigned the governorship and was replaced by Mike Huckabee
Mike Huckabee
Michael "Mike" Dale Huckabee is an American politician who served as the 44th Governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007. He was a candidate in the 2008 United States Republican presidential primaries, finishing second in delegate count and third in both popular vote and number of states won . He won...
on July 16, 1996, after his conviction
Conviction
In law, a conviction is the verdict that results when a court of law finds a defendant guilty of a crime.The opposite of a conviction is an acquittal . In Scotland and in the Netherlands, there can also be a verdict of "not proven", which counts as an acquittal...
for fraud during the Whitewater affair
Whitewater controversy
The Whitewater controversy was an American politics controversy that began with the real estate investments of Bill and Hillary Clinton and their associates, Jim and Susan McDougal in the Whitewater Development Corporation, a failed business venture in the 1970s and 1980s.A New York...
, although the conviction was not directly related to the investigation of Bill
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
and Hillary Clinton's real estate and related business dealings.
Early life
Tucker was born in Oklahoma CityOklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
and moved to Arkansas before school age. He attended public schools in Little Rock
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
, graduating from Hall High School
Hall High School (Arkansas)
Hall High School, located in Little Rock, Arkansas, is a comprehensive four-year public high school in the Little Rock School District currently enrolling 1,389 students in grades nine through twelve.-History:...
in 1961. He had his first taste of politics when he ran for and was elected Vice-President of Key Club International (the largest and oldest high school service organization in the United States). He served in that organization from 1960–61. He received a bachelor of arts degree from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1963.
Early career
Tucker served in the United States Marine Corps ReserveUnited States Marine Corps Reserve
The Marine Forces Reserve is the reserve force of the United States Marine Corps. It is the largest command in the U.S...
in 1964, but was discharged for medical reasons (chronic ulcers
Peptic ulcer
A peptic ulcer, also known as PUD or peptic ulcer disease, is the most common ulcer of an area of the gastrointestinal tract that is usually acidic and thus extremely painful. It is defined as mucosal erosions equal to or greater than 0.5 cm...
) after finishing at the top of the first phase of his officer candidate training class at Camp Upshur at Marine Corps Base Quantico
Marine Corps Base Quantico
Marine Corps Base Quantico, sometimes abbreviated MCB Quantico, is a major United States Marine Corps training base located near Triangle, Virginia, covering nearly in southern Prince William County, northern Stafford County, and southeastern Fauquier County...
in Quantico, Virginia
Quantico, Virginia
- Demographics :As of the census of 2000, there are 561 people, 295 households, and 107 families living in the town. The population density is . There are 359 housing units at an average density of .-Racial composition:...
. In early 1965, Tucker found passage to southeast Asia by tramp steamer from San Francisco and entered South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
as an accredited freelance war correspondent
War correspondent
A war correspondent is a journalist who covers stories firsthand from a war zone. In the 19th century they were also called Special Correspondents.-Methods:...
.
With one brief sojourn home, he remained in the war zone through 1967, personally participating in a number of engagements. Late that year, he published Arkansas Men at War, a compendium of interviews with troops from the state he had followed into combat. The book received generally favorable reviews.
Following a brief stint as an assistant professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of American history
History of the United States
The history of the United States traditionally starts with the Declaration of Independence in the year 1776, although its territory was inhabited by Native Americans since prehistoric times and then by European colonists who followed the voyages of Christopher Columbus starting in 1492. The...
at the American University of Beirut
American University of Beirut
The American University of Beirut is a private, independent university in Beirut, Lebanon. It was founded as the Syrian Protestant College by American missionaries in 1866...
in Lebanon, Tucker returned to the University of Arkansas Law School in 1968 as a second-year student, graduated, and was admitted to the bar
Admission to the bar in the United States
In the United States, admission to the bar is the granting of permission by a particular court system to a lawyer to practice law in that system. Each U.S. state and similar jurisdiction has its own court system and sets its own rules for bar admission , which can lead to different admission...
that same year.
Law career
Tucker practiced as a junior associate with the Rose Law FirmRose Law Firm
Rose Law Firm is headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas. It is the oldest law firm in the United States west of the Mississippi River and the third oldest in the United States....
, from which he ran for prosecuting attorney in 1970. He served as prosecutor
Prosecutor
The prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
for the Sixth Judicial District of Arkansas 1971–1972. In that office, he oversaw the prosecution of more than 1,000 backlogged felony
Felony
A felony is a serious crime in the common law countries. The term originates from English common law where felonies were originally crimes which involved the confiscation of a convicted person's land and goods; other crimes were called misdemeanors...
cases inherited from previous administrations. He won convictions in a several cases considered by local wags as "impossible" successfully to prosecute, including one kidnapping
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
.
Twelve "guest" judges were temporarily reassigned from other circuits by the state supreme court
Arkansas Supreme Court
The Arkansas Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Arkansas. Since 1925, it has consisted of a Chief Justice and six Associate Justices, and at times Special Justices are called upon in the absence of a regular justice...
at Tucker's request to clear the arrearages. He was appointed by the Governor to the Arkansas Criminal Code Revision Commission and served 1973–1975, during which time he was credited with spearheading the group's broad revision of the state's criminal laws.
An investigation into police corruption
Police corruption
Police corruption is a specific form of police misconduct designed to obtain financial benefits, other personal gain, or career advancement for a police officer or officers in exchange for not pursuing, or selectively pursuing, an investigation or arrest....
he began was stymied by a county grand jury
Grand jury
A grand jury is a type of jury that determines whether a criminal indictment will issue. Currently, only the United States retains grand juries, although some other common law jurisdictions formerly employed them, and most other jurisdictions employ some other type of preliminary hearing...
appointed by a circuit judge who was a political ally of the chief of police
Chief of police
A Chief of Police is the title typically given to the top official in the chain of command of a police department, particularly in North America. Alternate titles for this position include Commissioner, Superintendent, and Chief constable...
. However, the following year a federal grand jury, building on Tucker's work, issued a scathing report which led to a shake-up of the department and the resignation of the chief, senior detectives and complicitous city officials.
Political career
Tucker was elected Arkansas Attorney GeneralArkansas Attorney General
The Arkansas Attorney General is an executive position and constitutional officer within the Arkansas government. The Attorney General is the chief law enforcement/legal officer and lawyer for Arkansas. The position is elected every four years, e.g...
in November 1972. He easily defeated the Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
nominee Edwin Bethune, then of Searcy
Searcy, Arkansas
Searcy is the largest city and county seat of White County, Arkansas, United States. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 20,663. It is the principal city of the Searcy, AR Micropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of White County...
in White County
White County, Arkansas
White County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of 2010, the population was 77,076. The county seat is Searcy. White County is Arkansas's 31st county, formed on October 23, 1835, from portions of Independence, Jackson, and Pulaski counties and named for Hugh Lawson White, a...
, and later Tucker's successor as U.S. Representative
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 the Little Rock-based Arkansas's 2nd congressional district
Arkansas's 2nd congressional district
Arkansas's 2nd congressional district is a congressional district located in the central part of the U.S. state of Arkansas and includes the state capital of Little Rock as well as its suburbs and surrounding areas....
.
Tucker served two two-year terms as attorney general, 1973–1977. He was a delegate to the 1972 Democratic National Convention
1972 Democratic National Convention
The 1972 Democratic National Convention was the presidential nominating convention of the Democratic Party for the 1972 presidential election. It was held at Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, Florida on July 10–13, 1972....
. Running from his post as attorney general, Tucker was elected as a Democrat to the Ninety-fifth Congress and served one term, January 3, 1977 – January 3, 1979.
He relinquished the seat to wage an unsuccessful campaign for the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in 1978. He was defeated by the sitting governor, David Pryor
David Pryor
David Hampton Pryor is a former Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives and United States Senator from the State of Arkansas. Pryor also served as 39th Governor of Arkansas from 1975 to 1979 and was a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1960 to 1966...
. In the same election, Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, who had replaced Tucker in 1977 as attorney general, was elected governor.
Tucker resumed his law practice. A consistent intra-party rival of Clinton, he was defeated by Clinton when both sought the Democratic nomination for governor in 1982 following Clinton's defeat by Republican Frank White
Frank White
Frank White, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball player, and coach for the Kansas City Royals and their AA affiliate, the Wichita Wranglers. He currently is a color commentator for Royals telecasts....
in 1980. Eight years later, Tucker announced his intention to run for the governor's office again against Clinton, who was seeking a fifth term. However, he withdrew from the gubernatorial primary and ran instead for the post of lieutenant governor.
He recognized that Clinton had his eyes on the presidency and might not serve a full term. He succeeded to the governorship upon Clinton's resignation on December 12, 1992. Tucker won election in 1994 against the Republican Sheffield Nelson
Sheffield Nelson
Sheffield E. Nelson is a lawyer, businessman, and politician from Little Rock, Arkansas. Originally a Democrat, Nelson in 1990 ran for governor of Arkansas as a Republican against then governor and future U.S. President Bill Clinton and in 1994 against the Democratic Governor Jim Guy Tucker.Nelson...
to a four year term as governor.
Conviction
Tucker was convicted of one count of conspiracy and one count of mail fraud in 1996 as part of Kenneth StarrKenneth Starr
Kenneth Winston "Ken" Starr is an American lawyer and educational administrator who has also been a federal judge. He is best known for his investigation of figures during the Clinton administration....
's investigation of the Whitewater scandal. Tucker was tried with fellow defendants James B. McDougal and his wife Susan McDougal
Susan McDougal
Susan McDougal is one of the few people who served prison time as a result of the Whitewater controversy although fifteen individuals were convicted of various federal charges...
, the prosecution conducted primarily by OIC prosecutor Ray Jahn. Tucker chose not to testify in his own defense upon the advice of his attorney.
Resignation
Arkansas law prohibits convicted felons from serving as governor and, as a consequence, Tucker announced his pending resignation. As Lieutenant Governor, Mike HuckabeeMike Huckabee
Michael "Mike" Dale Huckabee is an American politician who served as the 44th Governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007. He was a candidate in the 2008 United States Republican presidential primaries, finishing second in delegate count and third in both popular vote and number of states won . He won...
, a Republican, was preparing to be sworn in, Tucker rescinded his resignation on several grounds, including his appeal because a juror on his trial was married to a man whose cocaine possession conviction Tucker had twice refused to commute. Furthermore, this juror was the niece of local activist Robert "Say" McIntosh, who had demonstrated against Tucker during the trial. He also contended, and an appellate court later agreed, that one of the statutes he allegedly violated was no longer operable. Arguing that his conviction was thus tainted, and that the Arkansas constitution was vague about his status as a convicted felon until his appeals had been exhausted. However, at the last minute he did resign, under the threat of impeachment
Impeachment
Impeachment is a formal process in which an official is accused of unlawful activity, the outcome of which, depending on the country, may include the removal of that official from office as well as other punishment....
by the legislature which had convened to witness Huckabee's swearing in.
Business
Tucker along with James RiadyJames Riady
James Riady is the deputy chairman of the Lippo Group, a major Indonesian conglomerate. He is a Chinese Indonesian, and also the son of Mochtar Riady, founder of the group. The group has recently signed an agreement with Khazanah of Malaysia to relinquish its majority stake in Lippo Bank...
, established a company called AcrossAsia Multimedia Ltd. With AcrossAsia Multimedia they wanted to build the largest cable TV infrastructure in Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
using a company called Kabelvision. The venture was unsuccessful.
Health problems
Tucker, whose liverLiver
The liver is a vital organ present in vertebrates and some other animals. It has a wide range of functions, including detoxification, protein synthesis, and production of biochemicals necessary for digestion...
problems were seriously debilitating him and threatened his life (he had nearly died from gastro-intestinal bleeding in 1994, and had steadily worsened since), received a lenient sentence of four years' probation and house detention in part because of his poor health. In 1997, Tucker received a liver transplant
Liver transplantation
Liver transplantation or hepatic transplantation is the replacement of a diseased liver with a healthy liver allograft. The most commonly used technique is orthotopic transplantation, in which the native liver is removed and replaced by the donor organ in the same anatomic location as the original...
at the Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit medical practice and medical research group specializing in treating difficult patients . Patients are referred to Mayo Clinic from across the U.S. and the world, and it is known for innovative and effective treatments. Mayo Clinic is known for being at the top of...
in Rochester, Minnesota
Rochester, Minnesota
Rochester is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Olmsted County. Located on both banks of the Zumbro River, The city has a population of 106,769 according to the 2010 United States Census, making it Minnesota's third-largest city and the largest outside of the...
.