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)
Theoretical Expertise Ranking:
    Experts
Individuals with MDs, PhDs, JDs, or equivalent advanced degrees in fields relevant to medical marijuana. Also top-level government officials (such as foreign leaders, US presidents, Founding Fathers, Supreme Court Justices, members of legislative bodies, cabinet members, military leaders, etc.) with positions relevant to medical marijuana issues.
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