John F. Thompson (politician) explained

John F. Thompson
Office:Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
Predecessor:Michael F. Skerry
Successor:John Davoren
Term Start:1958
Term End:1964
Birth Date:May 20, 1920
Birth Place:Ludlow, Massachusetts[1]
Death Place:Norwood, Massachusetts[2]
Alma Mater:Boston University
Boston College Law School
Party:Democratic Party
Profession:Public relations
Residence:Ludlow, Massachusetts

John Forbes Thompson (May 20, 1920 – August 12, 1965) was a U.S. politician who was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1949 - 1964. He served as the House Majority Leader from 1955 to 1957 and Speaker of the House from 1958 to 1964.

Thompson continued to hold the office of speaker in 1964 following a bribery indictment, but did not preside during a debate on a motion to declare the office vacant, which was defeated on May 11, 1964. Nor did he preside from the rostrum for the remainder of the annual session that ended in the early morning of July 4, 1964. He was reelected as State Representative in November, 1964. He was not a candidate for Speaker when the House convened in 1965. He died before the bribery case was resolved.[3]

John F. Thompson Hall, a center for social and behavioral science classrooms and offices at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, is named after him.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Thomas A. Chadwick and William C. Maiers . 1963-1964 Public Officers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts .
  2. News: John Thompson Dies; Led Bay State House . . Aug 14, 1965 . 2010-03-06 . 2011-06-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110604161750/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/courant/access/932866012.html?dids=932866012:932866012&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic . dead .
  3. News: Brian C. Mooney . Concentration of power held by speaker blamed as a key factor . . June 3, 2009 . 2010-03-06 .