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“Unlike Chuck... Fred was an accomplished attorney, Federal prosecutor and US Senator before he was a celebrity. “

He has been a busy boy.

“Thompson later wrote a Watergate memoir entitled “At that point in time: the inside story of the Senate Watergate Committee.”

“Thompson was appointed minority counsel for the hearings surrounding the Watergate scandal.[17] He was responsible for Howard Baker’s asking “What did the President know, and when did he know it?” This question is said to have led to the downfall of President Richard Nixon.[18]

“Throughout the 1980s Thompson worked primarily as an attorney, with law offices in Nashville and Washington, DC. He also accepted appointments as Special Counsel to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (1980–1981), Special Counsel to the Senate Intelligence Committee (1982), and Member of the Appellate Court Nominating Commission for the State of Tennessee (1985–1987).”

“In 1977, Thompson represented Marie Ragghianti, a former Tennessee Parole Board chair, who had been fired for refusing to release felons after they had bribed aides to Democratic Governor Ray Blanton in order to obtain clemency. During the trial, Thompson helped to expose the cash-for-clemency scheme that eventually led to Blanton’s removal from the Governor’s office.”

“Thompson lobbied Congress on behalf of the Tennessee Savings and Loan League to pass the St Germain Depository Institutions Act of 1982, which deregulated the Savings and Loan industry.[15] A large congressional majority and President Ronald Reagan supported the act “

“Marie Ragghianti’s case became the subject of a book, Marie, written by Peter Maas and published in 1983. The film rights were purchased by director Roger Donaldson, who asked Thompson if he wanted to play himself in the movie. The resulting film, Marie, was Thompson’s first acting role and was released in 1985.”

” Two campaigns for U.S. Senate
In 1994, Thompson was elected to finish the remaining two years of Al Gore’s unexpired U.S. Senate term. Gore had been elected Vice President of the United States in 1992, and resigned his Senate seat leaving Harlan Mathews as “caretaker” of the seat. During the 1994 campaign, Thompson’s opponent was longtime Nashville Congressman Jim Cooper. Thompson campaigned in a red pickup truck, and Cooper charged that Thompson “is a lobbyist and actor who talks about lower taxes, talks about change, while he drives a rented stage prop.”[31] In a good year for Republican candidates,[32] Thompson defeated Cooper in a landslide upset victory, overcoming Cooper’s early 20 percent margin in the polls to defeat Cooper by an even greater margin.[33] On the same night Thompson was elected to fill Gore’s unexpired term, political newcomer Bill Frist, a Nashville heart surgeon, defeated three-term incumbent Democrat Jim Sasser, the chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, for Tennessee’s other U.S. Senate seat, which was up for a full six-year term. The twin victories by Thompson and Frist gave Republicans control of both of Tennessee’s Senate seats for the first time since Sasser ousted incumbent Bill Brock in 1976.

In 1996, Thompson was re-elected (for the term ending January 3, 2003) with 61 percent of the vote, defeating Democratic attorney Houston Gordon of Covington, Tennessee, even as Bill Clinton narrowly carried the state by less than three percentage points on his way to re-election.[34] The GOP continues to hold the seat, as it was won by former Tennessee Governor and Secretary of Education Lamar Alexander in 2002.

Senate career

Senator Thompson meeting with U.S. soldiers in South Korea.In 1996, Thompson was a member of the Committee on Governmental Affairs when the committee investigated the alleged Chinese attempts to influence American politics. Thompson says he was “largely stymied” during these investigations by witnesses declining to testify; claiming the right not to incriminate themselves or by simply leaving the country.[35] Thompson explained, “Our work was affected tremendously by the fact that Congress is a much more partisan institution than it used to be.”[36]

Thompson became committee chairman in 1997 but was reduced to ranking minority member when the Democrats took control of the Senate in 2001. [37] Thompson served on the Finance Committee (dealing with health care, trade, Social Security, and taxation) the Intelligence Committee, and the National Security Working Group.[38]

Thompson’s work included investigation of the “Umm Hajul controversy” which involved the death of Tennessean Lance Fielder during the Gulf War. During his term he supported campaign finance reform, opposed proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and promoted government efficiency and accountability.[10] During the 1996 presidential debates, he also served as a Clinton stand-in to help prepare Bob Dole.[10]

On February 12, 1999, the Senate voted on the Clinton impeachment. The perjury charge was defeated with 45 votes for conviction, and 55 including Thompson against. The obstruction of justice charge was defeated with 50 including Thompson for conviction, and 50 against. Conviction on impeachment charges requires the affirmative votes of 67 senators.

Campaign Co-chairman for John McCain
In the 2000 Republican presidential primaries, Thompson initially backed former Tennessee Gov. Lamar Alexander, who eventually succeeded Thompson in the Senate two years later. When Alexander dropped out of the presidential race, Thompson endorsed Senator John McCain’s bid and became his national co-chairman.[39] Both McCain and Thompson were contenders to be George W. Bush’s running mate in 2000.[40][41]

Resignation
Thompson was not a candidate for re-election in 2002. He had publicly stated his unwillingness to have the Senate become a long-term career. Although he announced in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks his intention to seek re-election (”Now is not the time for me to leave,” said Thompson at the time), upon further reflection he decided against it.[28] The decision seems to have been prompted in large part by the death of his daughter.”

“Political work

Fred Thompson on July 25, 2007 in Dallas.In March 2003, Thompson was featured in a commercial by the conservative non-profit group Citizens United that advocated the invasion of Iraq, stating: “When people ask what has Saddam done to us, I ask, what had the 9/11 hijackers done to us — before 9/11.”[49]

Thompson did voice-over work at the 2004 Republican National Convention.[50] While narrating a video for that convention, Thompson observed: “History throws you what it throws you, and you never know what’s coming.”[51]

After the retirement of Supreme Court Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor in 2005, Bush appointed him to an informal position to help guide the nomination of John Roberts through the United States Senate confirmation process.[52] Roberts was subsequently confirmed as Chief Justice.

Until July 2007, Thompson was Chair of the International Security Advisory Board, a bipartisan advisory panel that reports to the Secretary of State and focuses on emerging strategic threats.[53] In that capacity, he advised the State Department about all aspects of arms control, disarmament, international security, and related aspects of public diplomacy.[54]

Legal defense for Lewis Libby
Main article: Lewis Libby
In 2006, he served on the advisory board of the legal defense fund for I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, Jr, who was indicted and later convicted of lying to federal investigators during their investigation of the Plame affair.[55][56] Thompson, who had never met Libby before volunteering for the advisory board, said he was convinced Libby was innocent.[28] The Scooter Libby Legal Defense Fund Trust set out to raise more than $5 million to help finance the legal defense of Vice President Dick Cheney’s former chief of staff.[57] Thompson hosted a fundraiser for the Libby defense fund at his home in McLean, Virginia.[58] After Bush commuted Libby’s sentence,[59] Thompson released a statement: “I am very happy for Scooter Libby. I know that this is a great relief to him, his wife and children. This will allow a good American, who has done a lot for his country, to resume his life.”[60]

Radio analyst
In 2006, he signed on with ABC News Radio to serve as senior analyst and vacation replacement for Paul Harvey.[61] He used that platform to spell out his positions on a number of political issues. A July 3, 2007 update to Thompson’s ABC News Radio home page referred to him as a “former ABC News Radio contributor,” indicating that Thompson has been released from his contract with the broadcaster.”