Political Involvement
In 1946, Brooks was elected to represent Jefferson County in the Texas Legislature. He won re-election in 1948 without opposition.
In 1952, Brooks was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in Texas's 2nd district as a Democrat. During the 1950s and 1960s he was one of the more liberal Southern Congressmen on issues like labor and civil rights (he refused to sign the Southern Manifesto) while remaining conservative on issues like the death penalty and gun control. In 1966, he changed to representing Texas's 9th congressional district. Brooks was the chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Government Operations from 1975 through 1988 and the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary from 1989 until 1995. Brooks was one of the few Texas congressional supporters of liberal Democrat Sen. Ralph Yarborough.
Read more about this topic: Jack Brooks (politician)
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