Frank Thompson

Frank Thompson
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Jersey's 4th district
In office January 3, 1955 – December 29, 1980
Preceded by	Charles R. Howell
Succeeded by	Chris Smith
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly
In office 1950-1954
Personal details
Born	July 28, 1918 Trenton, New Jersey
Died	July 22, 1989 (aged 70) Bethesda, Maryland
Political party	Democratic

Frank Thompson, Jr. (July 28, 1918 – July 22, 1989) was a Democratic Party politician from New Jersey. Thompson represented New Jersey's 4th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1955 to 1980.

Life and career

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 on active duty. He received three combat decorations for distinguished service at Iwo Jima and Okinawa. After a few years of practicing law, Thompson returned to the military and from August 1950 to January 1952, commanded the United States Navy Reserve Battalion 4-68 completing a seventeen-month tour of active duty, on the staff of the commander, Eastern Sea Frontier.

Between 1950 and 1954, Thompson was 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 his 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 his seat on December 29, 1980, several weeks after his 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. He died in Bethesda, Maryland.

External links

• Frank Thompson Papers at the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library, Princeton University
• United States Congress. "Frank Thompson (id: T000200)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Frank Thompson, Jr. at The Political Graveyard