Frank M. Clark

Frank Monroe Clark (December 24, 1915 – June 17, 2003) was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.

Franklin Monroe Clark
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Pennsylvania's 25th district
In office
January 3, 1955 – December 31, 1974
Preceded byLouis E. Graham
Succeeded byGary A. Myers
Personal details
Born(1915-12-24)December 24, 1915
Bessemer, Pennsylvania
DiedJune 17, 2003(2003-06-17) (aged 87)
Political partyDemocratic

Early life & military service

Frank Clark was born in Bessemer, Pennsylvania. He attended the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics, and enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps in 1942, serving in Europe as a flight officer until discharged in 1945. Clark later became a major in the Air Force Reserve.

Public service

While still in the service, Clark was appointed as the chief of police of Bessemer, serving in that capacity until November 1954.

He was an unsuccessful candidate for election to Congress in 1952. He was elected as a Democrat in 1954 to the 84th United States Congress, defeating incumbent Republican Congressman Louis E. Graham, and was re-elected to the nine succeeding Congresses, serving until his resignation on December 31, 1974 following his defeat in the 1974 election to Republican Gary A. Myers.

After his loss to Myers, Clark continued to send massive amounts of mail to his former constituents stating they were from 'your Congressman Frank M. Clark' when he had been out of office for five months.[1] Clark was held in so low regard by Congressional colleagues that he won only 34 of 244 votes for the post of Clerk of the House.[2]

He pleaded guilty to mail fraud and tax evasion on February 13, 1979.[3] He was unsuccessful seeking re-election in 1976, 1978, 1986, and 1990.

He was a delegate to a number of conferences, including:

  • the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Conference 1956–1974
  • the Inter-Parliamentary Union Conference in Germany in 1957
  • the Christian Leadership for Peace Conference at The Hague in 1958
  • the International Roads Conference in 1959 and 1962–1968.

He died in New Castle, Pennsylvania on June 17, 2003.[4]

See also

References
  1. Congressman Who Lost But Hasn't Quit Stirs District
  2. Barone, Michael; and Ujifusa, Grant. The Almanac of American Politics 1988', p. 1018. National Journal, 1987.
  3. Former legislator makes surprise guilty plea
  4. Frank Clark, 87 10-term congressman had a heart for helping
  • United States Congress. "Frank M. Clark (id: C000431)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved on 2008-01-24
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Louis E. Graham		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Pennsylvania's 25th congressional district
1955–1974		 Succeeded by
Gary A. Myers
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