Jim Mattox

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For the American baseball player, see Jim Mattox (baseball).
Jim Mattox
John W. Bryant
Member of the Texas House of Representatives
from the 33—K district
In office
January 14, 1973 – January 11, 1977
Preceded byDistrict established
Succeeded byDavid Cain
Personal details
Born
James Albon Mattox

(1943-08-29)August 29, 1943
Dallas, Texas, U.S.
DiedNovember 20, 2008(2008-11-20) (aged 65)
Dripping Springs, Texas, U.S.
Resting placeTexas State Cemetery
Austin, Texas, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseMarta Jan Karpan
ChildrenJames Sterling Mattox
Janet Mary Kathryn Mattox
Alma materBaylor University (AB)
Southern Methodist University (JD)

James Albon Mattox (August 29, 1943 – November 20, 2008) was an American

U.S. Senate in 1994, and again as attorney general in 1998. He was a member of the Democratic Party.[1]

Congressional service, 1977–1983

In 1961, Mattox graduated in Dallas from

juris doctor degree from the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law
.

Considered a political

Walter F. Mondale ticket, he defeated former Dallas Mayor Wes Wise, 60.9 to 33.9%.[2]

Attorney General 1983–1991

In 1983, Mattox was indicted for

Mobil Oil Company. Mobil had attempted to depose Janice Mattox concerning the Seafirst transaction, which led Mattox to threaten Mobil's law firm, Fulbright & Jaworski
, with loss of its tax-exempt bond practice, a power held by the attorney general in Texas. Secretly recorded by the recipient of the threats, Mattox did not deny threatening the law firm, nor did he deny the Seafirst transactions, his defense being based on the legal definition of the crime of "commercial bribery". After a long trial, Mattox was acquitted.

His aggressive attacks on alleged wrongdoing by corporations gained him considerable popular support.

In 1989, Mattox was inducted into the Woodrow Wilson High School Hall of Fame.

Challenging Ann Richards, 1990

Failed comeback attempts, 1994 and 1998

Advocate for Ending the Texas Two-Step

Five days before his death, Jim Mattox testified to a Texas Democratic Party Committee on the Party's method of awarding presidential delegates based on a primary vote plus evening caucuses. Mattox said the system, known as the Texas Two-Step, was an embarrassment to the party. "Now let me tell you, folks," Mattox said. "This system we've got is an expensive system. It's an unintelligible system. It is an acrimonious system across the board. It is subject to misconduct, it is subject to fraud, it is subject to manipulation. It's unfair, it's uncertain, it's inaccurate, and it's an embarrassment to our party."

Death

In 2008, Mattox worked in

presidential nomination. He died eight months thereafter at the age of 65 of a heart attack in his sleep at his home in Dripping Springs in Hays County west of Austin.

Jim Mattox monument at Texas State Cemetery in Austin, Texas

Mattox's body lay in repose at the Texas House of Representatives chamber inside the

Texas Capitol rotunda on Monday, November 24, 2008. Services were held on Tuesday, November 25, 2008 at the First Baptist Church, 901 Trinity Street in Austin. He is interred at the Texas State Cemetery
, 909 Navasota Street in Austin.

References

  1. ^ April Castro, "Mattox, a tough foe, dies at 65", Laredo Morning Times, November 21, 2008, p. 1
  2. ^ "Our Campaigns - TX District 5 - D Primary Race - May 01, 1976". www.ourcampaigns.com.

External links

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
United States Representative for the 5th Congressional District of Texas

1977–1983 		Succeeded by
John Wiley Bryant
Legal offices
Preceded by Attorney General of Texas
January 18, 1983 – January 15, 1991 		Succeeded by
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