Tommy F. Robinson
Encyclopedia
Tommy Franklin Robinson (born March 7, 1942) is a politician
from the state
of Arkansas
.
and graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock
. He served in the United States Navy
from 1959 to 1963.
of Pulaski County. He previously served as a North Little Rock city patrolman, Arkansas state trooper, director of campus police at the University of Arkansas, and the police chief in Jacksonville
, Arkansas. In 1979, he was appointed by Governor Bill Clinton
as director of the short-lived Department of Public Safety, which was abolished in 1981 by Clinton's successor, Republican
Frank D. White
. Robinson was elected sheriff of Pulaski County in 1980, having defeated the incumbent Ken Best in the Democratic primary. He was re-elected in 1982.
Robinson's tenure was one of non-stop controversies. In early 1981, in order to relieve jail overcrowding he ordered a group of state prisoners being held at the Pulaski County Jail to be taken to the state prison at Pine Bluff
. Robinson left the prisoners chained to the guard towers when the warden refused to accept them. The 1982 murder of Little Rock socialite Alice McArthur resulted in Robinson conducting a sensational investigation of her husband, attorney William McArthur. Robinson spent time in jail in 1983 on a federal contempt of court
citation for having refused to allow the federally-appointed jail master, Kenneth Basinger, to enter the jail. In response, the federal judge overseeing the case, George Howard, an African-American, was described publicly by Robinson as "a token judge." When his request for more money for his office was denied, he arrested County Judge Bill Beaumont and Comptroller Jo Growcock on charges of obstructing governmental operations. He released Beaumont and Growcock only when threatened with another contempt of court citation. A well-publicized raid on a "toga party" led by Central Arkansas Socials led to multiple lawsuits and the labeling of Robinson and his deputies as the "Keyhole Kops". Governor Frank White referred to him as "Captain Hotdog". Robinson's profanity-laced tirades at press conferences were common. In response to the high armed robbery rate in the county, Robinson initiated a program of placing hidden deputies in random convenience stores armed with shotguns, the result was a 96 percent drop in armed robberies during his tenure.
in 1984 as a Democrat
. He led a five-man field in the Democratic primary that included Secretary of State Paul Riviere, State Senator Stanley Russ of Conway
, investment banker and former Senate aide Thedford Collins, and former U.S. Representative Dale Alford
. He bested Riviere in the runoff, and defeated Judy Petty
, a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives
and a former aide to the late Arkansas Governor Winthrop Rockefeller
, and Independent Jim Taylor, a liberal Democrat horrified by the more conservative Robinson. Petty ran as a Ronald W. Reagan Republican but lost to Robinson even though Reagan won her district. In the three-way race, Robinson polled 46 percent of the vote to Petty's 42 percent, while the underfinanced Taylor took 12 percent. Robinson financed his race on almost $900,000 in unsecured bank loans, making his the most expensive congressional race in state history up to that time.
While in Congress, Robinson was often at odds with the Democratic leadership of Tip O'Neill
and Jim Wright
, and identified closely with the "Boll Weevil" faction. On July 28, 1989, Robinson left the Democratic Party and joined the GOP
, claiming that the Democratic Party had become too liberal. He ran for governor of Arkansas in 1990 but lost in the primary election
to businessman Sheffield Nelson
, who in turn was defeated by Bill Clinton. Robinson's House seat was assumed in 1991 by the Democrat Ray Thornton
, a former congressman and a former Arkansas Attorney General
. Thornton defeated the Republican candidate, Jim Keet
, then a freshman state representative from Little Rock. In 2010, Keet was the unsuccessful Republican gubernatorial nominee against Mike Beebe.
In 1992, during the House banking scandal
, Robinson, then an ex-representative, was found to have bounced 996 checks from the U.S. House bank, some of which were more than 16 months overdue.
Robinson ran again for the U.S. House in 2002 in a district in the northeastern part of the state, but lost to the since retired Democratic incumbent, Marion Berry.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from the state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
.
Early life
Robinson was born in Little RockLittle Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
and graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
University of Arkansas at Little Rock , is a public research university located in Little Rock, Arkansas, United States, and the second largest university by enrollment in the state of Arkansas....
. He served in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
from 1959 to 1963.
Law enforcement career
Robinson had a career in law enforcement, rising to the position of sheriffSheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
of Pulaski County. He previously served as a North Little Rock city patrolman, Arkansas state trooper, director of campus police at the University of Arkansas, and the police chief in Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Arkansas
Jacksonville is a city in Pulaski County, Arkansas, United States, and a suburb of Little Rock. As of the 2010 census, the population of the city was 28,364. It is part of the Little Rock–North Little Rock–Conway Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, Arkansas. In 1979, he was appointed by Governor Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
as director of the short-lived Department of Public Safety, which was abolished in 1981 by Clinton's successor, Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Frank D. White
Frank D. White
Frank Durward White was the 41st Governor of the U.S. state of Arkansas since Reconstruction. He served a single two-year term from 1981 to 1983. He is one of only two people to have defeated President Bill Clinton in an election. Frank Durward White (June 4, 1933 – May 21, 2003) was...
. Robinson was elected sheriff of Pulaski County in 1980, having defeated the incumbent Ken Best in the Democratic primary. He was re-elected in 1982.
Robinson's tenure was one of non-stop controversies. In early 1981, in order to relieve jail overcrowding he ordered a group of state prisoners being held at the Pulaski County Jail to be taken to the state prison at Pine Bluff
Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Pine Bluff is the largest city and county seat of Jefferson County, Arkansas, United States. It is also the principal city of the Pine Bluff Metropolitan Statistical Area and part of the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Pine Bluff, Arkansas Combined Statistical Area...
. Robinson left the prisoners chained to the guard towers when the warden refused to accept them. The 1982 murder of Little Rock socialite Alice McArthur resulted in Robinson conducting a sensational investigation of her husband, attorney William McArthur. Robinson spent time in jail in 1983 on a federal contempt of court
Contempt of court
Contempt of court is a court order which, in the context of a court trial or hearing, declares a person or organization to have disobeyed or been disrespectful of the court's authority...
citation for having refused to allow the federally-appointed jail master, Kenneth Basinger, to enter the jail. In response, the federal judge overseeing the case, George Howard, an African-American, was described publicly by Robinson as "a token judge." When his request for more money for his office was denied, he arrested County Judge Bill Beaumont and Comptroller Jo Growcock on charges of obstructing governmental operations. He released Beaumont and Growcock only when threatened with another contempt of court citation. A well-publicized raid on a "toga party" led by Central Arkansas Socials led to multiple lawsuits and the labeling of Robinson and his deputies as the "Keyhole Kops". Governor Frank White referred to him as "Captain Hotdog". Robinson's profanity-laced tirades at press conferences were common. In response to the high armed robbery rate in the county, Robinson initiated a program of placing hidden deputies in random convenience stores armed with shotguns, the result was a 96 percent drop in armed robberies during his tenure.
Political career
Robinson was elected to the United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
in 1984 as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. He led a five-man field in the Democratic primary that included Secretary of State Paul Riviere, State Senator Stanley Russ of Conway
Conway, Arkansas
Conway is the county seat of Faulkner County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 58,908 at the 2010 census, making Conway the seventh most populous city in Arkansas. It is a principal city of the Little Rock–North Little Rock–Conway Metropolitan Statistical Area which had...
, investment banker and former Senate aide Thedford Collins, and former U.S. Representative Dale Alford
Dale Alford
Thomas Dale Alford, Sr. was an ophthalmologist and politician from the U.S. state of Arkansas who served as a conservative Democrat in the United States House of Representatives from Little Rock from 1959 to 1963....
. He bested Riviere in the runoff, and defeated Judy Petty
Judy Petty Wolf
Judy C. Petty, later Judy Petty Wolf , is a retired officer of the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and a former Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives...
, a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives
Arkansas House of Representatives
The Arkansas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Arkansas General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The House is composed of 100 members elected from an equal amount of constituencies across the state. Each district has an average population of 26,734...
and a former aide to the late Arkansas Governor Winthrop Rockefeller
Winthrop Rockefeller
Winthrop Rockefeller was a politician and philanthropist who served as the first Republican Governor of Arkansas since Reconstruction. He was a third-generation member of the Rockefeller family.-Early life:...
, and Independent Jim Taylor, a liberal Democrat horrified by the more conservative Robinson. Petty ran as a Ronald W. Reagan Republican but lost to Robinson even though Reagan won her district. In the three-way race, Robinson polled 46 percent of the vote to Petty's 42 percent, while the underfinanced Taylor took 12 percent. Robinson financed his race on almost $900,000 in unsecured bank loans, making his the most expensive congressional race in state history up to that time.
While in Congress, Robinson was often at odds with the Democratic leadership of Tip O'Neill
Tip O'Neill
Thomas Phillip "Tip" O'Neill, Jr. was an American politician. O'Neill was an outspoken liberal Democrat and influential member of the U.S. Congress, serving in the House of Representatives for 34 years and representing two congressional districts in Massachusetts...
and Jim Wright
Jim Wright
James Claude Wright, Jr. , usually known as Jim Wright, is a former Democratic U.S. Congressman from Texas who served 34 years in the U.S. House of Representatives and was the Speaker of the House from 1987 to 1989.-Early life:...
, and identified closely with the "Boll Weevil" faction. On July 28, 1989, Robinson left the Democratic Party and joined the GOP
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, claiming that the Democratic Party had become too liberal. He ran for governor of Arkansas in 1990 but lost in the primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
to businessman Sheffield Nelson
Sheffield Nelson
Sheffield E. Nelson is a lawyer, businessman, and politician from Little Rock, Arkansas. Originally a Democrat, Nelson in 1990 ran for governor of Arkansas as a Republican against then governor and future U.S. President Bill Clinton and in 1994 against the Democratic Governor Jim Guy Tucker.Nelson...
, who in turn was defeated by Bill Clinton. Robinson's House seat was assumed in 1991 by the Democrat Ray Thornton
Ray Thornton
Raymond Hoyt "Ray" Thornton, Jr. is a former U.S. Representative from the US state of Arkansas.Thornton earned a degree in political science from Yale University and, later, a law degree from the University of Arkansas...
, a former congressman and a former Arkansas Attorney General
Arkansas Attorney General
The Arkansas Attorney General is an executive position and constitutional officer within the Arkansas government. The Attorney General is the chief law enforcement/legal officer and lawyer for Arkansas. The position is elected every four years, e.g...
. Thornton defeated the Republican candidate, Jim Keet
Jim Keet
James Holland Keet, known as Jim Keet , is a restaurant owner in Little Rock, Arkansas, a former member of the Arkansas House of Representatives and the Arkansas State Senate...
, then a freshman state representative from Little Rock. In 2010, Keet was the unsuccessful Republican gubernatorial nominee against Mike Beebe.
In 1992, during the House banking scandal
House banking scandal
The House banking scandal broke in early 1992, when it was revealed that the United States House of Representatives allowed members to overdraw their House checking accounts without risk of being penalized by the House bank ....
, Robinson, then an ex-representative, was found to have bounced 996 checks from the U.S. House bank, some of which were more than 16 months overdue.
Robinson ran again for the U.S. House in 2002 in a district in the northeastern part of the state, but lost to the since retired Democratic incumbent, Marion Berry.