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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, James Polk Simpson, a renowned Galveston attorney |
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who dramatically altered the ambiance of that city in the 1950s, |
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passed away in Austin on November 27, 2010, at the age of 87; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Corpus Christi on September 27, 1923, Jim |
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Simpson served in World War II as a navigator and bombardier with |
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the 451st Bombardment Squadron, 322nd Bombardment Group, 9th Air |
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Force, and flew 59 missions over France, Germany, and Belgium; and |
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WHEREAS, After leaving the service, he earned a law degree |
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from The University of Texas in 1950 and then joined the FBI; his |
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assignments with the bureau took him to Chicago and to Minneapolis, |
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where he met his future wife, Constance Ann Griffith, who was then |
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working as an FBI stenographer; the couple married in 1952 and moved |
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to Galveston, where Mr. Simpson began to practice law; and |
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WHEREAS, At the time, Galveston and the surrounding county |
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were home to a number of illegal establishments that operated with |
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no fear of interference from local officials; in 1954, Mr. Simpson |
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ran for the office of county district attorney, vowing to rid the |
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city of these types of businesses; he lost by a mere eight votes in |
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the primary runoff, but three years later he got another |
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opportunity when he was named special assistant attorney general; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Using the authority of his new office, Mr. Simpson |
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hired two refinery workers as undercover agents and set about |
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filing civil injunctions; because those being targeted had |
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connections in the county courthouse, Mrs. Simpson prepared the |
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search warrants and other legal paperwork in secret at the couple's |
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home; ultimately, nearly 200 injunctions were served against both |
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individuals and properties; and |
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WHEREAS, In his work as an attorney, Mr. Simpson demonstrated |
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an enduring empathy for the underdog, a sympathy born of his |
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experience growing up poor during the Depression; among the clients |
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he represented in his legal practice were many individuals who had |
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suffered work-related injuries in Texas refineries and chemical |
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plants; and |
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WHEREAS, Deeply engaged in civic affairs, Jim Simpson served |
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as a trustee of the College of the Mainland for 23 years and |
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presided for two terms as president of the board; he was also a key |
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figure in local Democratic Party politics; this esteemed Texan |
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recounted his colorful career in a 2007 memoir titled Flak Bait: |
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Eight Decades Dodging Flak as a Bombardier, FBI Agent, Trial |
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Lawyer, and Texas Maverick; and |
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WHEREAS, In the Galveston Daily News article that marked his |
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passing, Mr. Simpson was remembered "for his courtly manner, |
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passion for justice, gift for language and public speaking, and |
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gregarious nature"; he was a Texas original, and he will be missed; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of James Polk Simpson and |
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extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his wife, |
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Connie Simpson; to his daughter and her husband, Simone and Geoff |
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Leavenworth; to his sons, Scott, James, and Gregory Simpson; to his |
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grandchildren, Robert and Jennifer Simpson and Mark and James |
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Leavenworth; to his great-grandchildren, Leslie and Eva Simpson; to |
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his sister, Pat Simpson Hollenbeck; and to his many other relatives |
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and friends; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of James Polk |
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Simpson. |