Last updated on: 5/1/2009 | Author: ProCon.org

Fred Thompson, JD Biography

Title:
Former U.S. Senator (R-TN)
Position:
Not Clearly Pro or Con to the question "Should Marijuana Be a Medical Option?"
Reasoning:

“You know, there are federal laws involved and there’s federalism issues also involved. It depends on a lot of different circumstances, and I just can’t give you a definitive answer to that right now.”

“Your Guide to the Candidates’ Views on Medical Marijuana: Sen. Fred Thompson (R-TN),” Granite Staters for Medical Marijana website (accessed Oct. 24, 2007)
Involvement and Affiliations:
  • 2008 Republican Candidate for U.S. President
  • U.S. Senator (R-TN), 1994-2002
  • Practicing Attorney, 1967-1994
  • Appellate Court Nominating Committee, TN, 1985-1987
  • Senate Intelligence Committee, 1982
  • Special Counsel to the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, 1980-1981
  • Special Counsel to Tennessee Governor Lamar Alexander, 1980
  • Chief Republican Counsel (Minority Counsel), U.S. Senate Watergate Committee, 1973-1974
  • Assistant U.S. Attorney, Middle Tennessee, 1969-1972
  • Former Campaign Manager and Staff Attorney for U.S. Senator Howard Baker (R-Tennessee)
  • Actor: Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (2007), Law & Order (115 episodes, 2002-2007), Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World (2005), In the Line of Fire (1993), Die Hard 2 (1990), Days of Thunder (1990), The Hunt for Red October (1990)
Education:
  • JD, Vanderbilt University, 1967
  • BS, Memphis State University, 1964
Other:
  • 20 votes missed (3.2 percent of 633 total votes) during 107th Congress
  • 3 votes missed (0.4 percent of 672 total votes) during the 106th Congress
  • 0 votes missed (0 percent of 612 total votes) during the 105th Congress
  • 10 votes missed (1.1 percent of 919 total votes) during the 104th Congress
  • Former factory worker, shoe salesman, and truck driver