James G. Smyth

James G. Smyth

Infobox Officeholder
name = James G. Smyth


order = 32nd Chief Clerk of California Assembly
term_start = January 4, 1937
term_end = January 2, 1939
predecessor = Arthur Ohnimus
successor = Jack Carl Greenburg
party = Nonpartisan office, but registered as Democrat
spouse = unknown
profession = USF lecturer; insurance broker; Tax Collector
religion =


footnotes =

James George Smyth was a California political figure in the early 20th century. He was active in Democratic politics, served a term in the 1930s as the Chief Clerk of the California Assembly, and later served as an IRS official in the administrations of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman. In 1951, he was indicted on federal tax fraud charges and later acquitted.

James G. Smyth received his Bachelor's degree from the University of San Francisco (USF) in 1927. He served as a faculty member in the USF English Department from 1927 to 1929. From 1929-1933, he was USF's graduate manager. Smyth was also employed in the advertising and public relations industries, and as an official of the Home Owners Loan Corporation. [ "California Blue Book", 1938, p. 43. ]

Active in Democratic politics in San Francisco, James G. Smyth was the general manager of the Democratic State Central Committee offices and activities in northern California in the 1930s. [ California Blue Book (1938), Office of State Printing, p. 43. ] Smyth was also an official on the Roosevelt-Garner presidential campaign in 1936. ["Warm Battle On For Jobs in Assembly," "SF Chronicle", January 3, 1937, p. 1.] In 1937, Smyth was chosen to replace fellow San Franciscan Arthur Ohnimus as Chief Clerk of the California Assembly, when the Republican Ohnimus chose not to seek reelection. The Chief Clerk is a nonpartisan officer of the legislature. (Four years later, in 1941, Democrats would bring Ohnimus back, under the leadership of Democratic Assembly Speaker Gordon Garland).

Thus, Smyth ended up serving as Chief Clerk for two years (1937 and 1938), under Democratic Speakers William Moseley Jones and Paul Peek. Smyth was succeeded on January 2, 1939 by Jack Carl Greenburg, who served two years as Chief Clerk before Ohnimus returned to his role as clerk of the house on January 6, 1941. [ California's Legislature (2006 edition), California State Assembly, p. 265. ]

Smyth was also director of exhibits and special events of the California Commission for the Golden Gate International Exposition (also known as the 1939 World's Fair at Treasure Island).

After leaving the legislature, Smyth served as Alternate for the Democratic National Convention from California in 1940 and 1944. Smyth was appointed by President Roosevelt as IRS Collector of Revenue for Northern California in 1945.

Acquitted in 1951 IRS Scandal

On September 27, 1951, President Truman suspended nine IRS officials, including Smyth, in California as part of a federal investigation into embezzlement and tax fraud within the IRS. [ "Truman Suspends Nine Tax Aides in California", "LA Times", September 28, 1951, p.1. ] U.S. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, John B. Dunlap, was investigating irregularities in IRS offices in San Francisco, Boston, New York, and St. Louis. ["Scandal in San Francisco," "Time Magazine", October 8, 1951. ] The investigations ultimately led to 57 firings within the IRS. ["Fifty Seven Firings", "Time Magazine", December 10, 1951. ] On December 11, 1951, a federal grand jury indicted Smyth and his aides for tax fraud. ["Indicted S.F. Tax Collector Surrenders,"LA Times", December 12, 1951, page 1.] Smyth was acquitted in 1952. [ "Date to Be Set Today in S.F", "LA Times", June 11, 1952, page 27. ]

In June 1959, Smyth was appointed State Inheritance Tax Appraiser by State Controller Alan Cranston. [ "Brown's Brother Appointed as Tax Appraiser", LA Times, June 11, 1959, p. 26.]

Sources

*"California Blue Book", 1938, California Office of State Printing.
*"LA Times", May 4, 1951 (p. 10); Sept. 28, 1951 (p. 1); June 11, 1952 (p. 27), June 11, 1959 (p. 26)
*"Time Magazine", October 13, 1952; July 12, 1954.
*"California's Legislature" (2006 edition), California State Assembly, p. 246, p. 265.
* "San Francisco Chronicle", January 3, 1937.
*"San Francisco Call", January 4, 1937.
*"Sacramento Bee", January 6, 1937.

Footnotes

External links

[http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/smyth.html Link to JG Smyth on Political Graveyard]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • James Carmichael Smyth — Sir James Carmichael Smyth, 1st Baronet KCH CB (22 February 1779 ndash;4 March 1838) was a British colonial administrator.External links* [http://www.biographi.ca/009004 119.01 e.php? id nbr=3670 Biography at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography… …   Wikipedia

  • James Carmichael — may refer to: *James Carmichael (businessman) (1788 ndash;1812), Nova Scotia businessman and founder of New Glasgow, Nova Scotia *James William Carmichael (1819 ndash;1903), Member of the Canadian House of Commons *James Carmichael (bishop) (1838 …   Wikipedia

  • Smyth —  Pour l’article homophone, voir Smith. Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Smyth est un nom de famille notamment porté par : Charles Henry Smyth Jr (1866 1937), géologue américain …   Wikipédia en Français

  • James Molyneaux, Baron Molyneaux of Killead — James Henry Molyneaux, Baron Molyneaux of Killead, KBE, PC (born August 27, 1920) is a Northern Irish Unionist politician and was leader of the Ulster Unionist Party from 1979 to 1995. He was a leading member and sometime Vice President of the… …   Wikipedia

  • James Adams Weston — (* 27. August 1827 in Manchester, New Hampshire; † 8. Mai 1895 ebenda) war ein US amerikanischer Politiker und von 1871 bis 1872 sowie zwischen 1874 und 1875 Gouverneur des Bundesstaates New Hampshire. Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Frühe Jahre …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • James Stuart (1802-1842) — James Stuart, after which the Brown Antechinus (Antechinus stuartii) was named in 1841 by the entomologist William Sharp Macleay, was one of the first Quarantine Officers at Sydney s North Head Quarantine Station.Born in Ireland c1802, he arrived …   Wikipedia

  • James City County, Virginia — Seal …   Wikipedia

  • James Wilson (Minister) — James Wilson während seiner Zeit als Minister James Wilson (* 16. August 1835 in Ayrshire, Schottland; † 26. August 1920 in Traer, Iowa) war ein US amerikanischer Politiker der Republikanischen P …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • James Murphy (guitarist) — James Murphy Background information Birth name James Franklin Murphy Born …   Wikipedia

  • James B. Weaver — James Baird Weaver (* 12. Juni 1833 in Dayton, Ohio; † 6. Februar 1912 in Des Moines, Iowa) war ein US amerikanischer Politiker. Zwischen 1879 und 1889 vertrat er zweimal den Bundes …   Deutsch Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”