Frank Thompson

Frank Thompson

Frank Thompson Jr. (born July 26, 1918 in Trenton , New Jersey , †  July 22, 1989 in Bethesda , Maryland ) was an American politician . Between 1955 and 1980 he represented the state of New Jersey in the US House of Representatives .

Career

Frank Thompson attended the public schools of his home country and then until 1941 Wake Forest College in North Carolina . During the Second World War he served in the United States Navy in the Pacific region. He was awarded several medals for his military achievements. He remained active in the military until 1948, after which he was a member of the naval reserve. In the years 1950 to 1952 he was called up again to active military service in the Navy. After studying law and being admitted to the bar in 1948, he began working in this profession in Trenton. At the same time he embarked on a political career as a member of the Democratic Party . Between 1950 and 1954, Thompson was a member of the New Jersey General Assembly . There he led the democratic group in 1954.

In the 1954 congressional elections , Thompson was elected to the US House of Representatives in Washington, DC , in the fourth constituency of New Jersey , where he succeeded Charles R. Howell on January 3, 1955 . After twelve re-elections, he was able to complete almost 13 legislative terms in Congress until his resignation on December 29, 1980 . During this time, the civil rights movement , the Vietnam War and the Watergate affair took place . In addition, the 23rd , 24th , 25th and 26th amendments were ratified. From 1975 to 1981, Thompson was twice chairman of the Joint Committee on Printing . During this period he also headed the Committee on House Administration . In 1980, Thompson was one of six Congressmen convicted of corruption in the FBI's Abscam investigation . This affair cost him his re-election. In December 1980, a few days before the end of the regular legislative period, he resigned from his mandate.

In connection with this corruption affair, Thompson was sentenced to three years in prison in 1981. After the end of his sentence, he lived in seclusion in Alexandria ( Virginia ) until his death . He died in Bethesda on July 22, 1989.

Web links

• Frank Thompson in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)

• Frank Thompson in the database of Find a Grave (English)