John Ford (politician)

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For other prominent persons of this name, see John Ford (disambiguation)

John N. Ford (born May 3, 1942) is a funeral director, insurance agent, and consultant in Memphis, Tennessee. He is a former Democratic member of the Tennessee State Senate, representing District 29, and the brother of former U.S. Representative Harold Ford and hence the uncle of current Tennessee U.S. Representative and former United States Senate candidate Harold Ford, Jr.

Ford resigned from the Tennessee State Senate on May 28, 2005 in a letter to the Lieutenant Governor of Tennessee, John S. Wilder, and is currently under FBI house arrest. He stated in his letter of resignation that "I plan to spend the rest of my time with my family clearing my name".

Ford is from Memphis' most prominent and active African American political family. The Fords' involvement in politics is generally thought to have been linked to the connection between John and Harold, Sr.'s father, N. J. Ford, to the late former Memphis political "boss" E. H. Crump. Crump is widely considered to have been responsible for directing the business of the families of black persons who died unattended in the former City of Memphis Hospital to N. J. Ford's funeral home (still operated under the name "N. J. Ford and Sons Funeral Home", although N. J. Ford himself is now deceased).

Five of N. J. Ford's sons became very active in elective politics. Harold became, in 1974, the first African American elected to Congress from the Southeast since Reconstruction, and served until 1997, when he was succeeded by his son. Another brother, Joe, has long been involved in local politics in and around Memphis, with varying degrees of success; a fourth, James, is currently a Shelby County commissioner. Emmett Ford served several terms as a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives. John Ford was a Tennessee state senator for over 30 years.

[edit] Early life

As a young man, Ford graduated from the former Geeter High School (named in honor of his maternal grandparents) in 1960. He then attended Tennessee State University in Nashville, graduating with a bachelor's degree (1964). He also attended John A. Gupton College in Nashville, receiving a associate's degree in mortuary science, which qualified him to apply for a license as a funeral director. He later attended Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis) and earned a master's degree (1976). During this time, he was active in Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. He joined the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, in which he is now a life member. He became involved in the Scouting movement. He was apparently more interested in his father's funeral home business than his brothers and has long served as its president. While still in his 20s he became one of the youngest persons ever elected to the Memphis City Council.

[edit] Political career

Ford was elected to the Tennessee State Senate in 1974, the first election in his district to occur after his having reached the constitutionally-mandated age of 30, two years before his brother's election to the U.S. House. He became almost immediately identified with a very direct, abrupt style which his critics felt to be arrogant and abrasive. This tended to further endear him to his constituents, however, who lived in one of Tennessee's most impoverished districts, southwestern Shelby County. The constituents in this largely African American population re-elected Ford to his office seven times. He served his constituents in the Senate for over thirty years.

In the Senate, Ford became chairman of the General Welfare, Health, and Human Resources Committee, and the chair of several subcommittees as well. The Welfare position, already powerful when he attained it, became a base for his becoming recognized as one of the most powerful Tennessee senators. He also became an expert in the managed care TennCare program when it was initiated by former governor Ned McWherter. Ford also became prominent in the National Conference of State Legislators and the National Caucus of Black State Legislators, and served for a period as chairman of the Shelby County legislative delegation. He also served one term as Speaker pro tem of the Senate.

[edit] Controversy

Further information: Operation Tennessee Waltz

On May 26, 2005, one day after his nephew announced his candidacy for the United States Senate, Ford was arrested by the FBI, along with two other Tennessee state senators, a Tennessee state representative, a former state senator, a Chattanooga school board member, and an African American political activist, for alleged participation in a bribery scheme utilizing a "sting" operation involving a bogus electronics recycling company lobbying for favorable treatment under state law. Known as Operation Tennnessee Waltz, the sting operation resulted in multiple charges being brought against Ford and other politicians.[1]