Gov. Jim Guy Tucker

About

JIM GUY TUCKER was born in Oklahoma City and was raised in Arkansas. He received a bachelor’s degree in government from Harvard University in 1964 and a law degree from the University of Arkansas in 1968. He was a member of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and was a civilian correspondent in South Vietnam in 1965 and 1967. He served as a prosecuting attorney for the Sixth Judicial District of Arkansas from 1971-1972; Attorney General of Arkansas from 1973 until 1977; and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1977 until 1979, where he served on the Ways and Means Committee.

He was elected lieutenant governor in 1990; he resigned from his position as a senior partner in his law firm to become acting governor in October 1991, when then-Governor Bill Clinton began his campaign for President. Tucker became Governor of Arkansas on December 12, 1992, after Clinton resigned to become President. He served the balance of the Clinton term and then was elected to a four-year term in November 1994. Instead of raising taxes, Tucker promoted cutting budgets of agencies that could generate their own revenue to offset reduced allocations. Tucker also focused on prison reforms and juvenile crime.

In July 1996, he resigned after being convicted on fraud charges stemming from the Whitewater case investigation surrounding Clinton. He reentered the private sector to focus on his business enterprises. Tucker did not go to prison but did serve probation and repaid the $150,000 loan.

Source

Old State House Museum