Former congressman Nick Lampson remembers Jack Brooks as a man who helped people.
A man who really wanted to get to the bottom of an issue and fix that issue, that’s impressive. Lampson said.
Lampson says Brooks was very accomplished.
Everybody knows that picture, with Lyndon Johnson, standing with Judge Hughes taking the oath of office after the death of John Kennedy, a very famous picture. I think he may be the last one to have been alive. Lampson said.
Lampson says they met March of 1969 and later became his intern.
Saw him on the sidewalk, blocked that sidewalk, stuck my hand out and said, ‘Mr. Brooks, I’m Nick Lampson.’ I didn’t get anything else out of my mouth, he turned his face into a scowl and said, ‘Send me one more blankity blank letter of recommendation into your file and I’ll throw your whole effing file into the garbage can.’ Pushed me off the sidewalk and went on, later I found out he knew my name and gave me the position I had wanted. Lampson said.
Lampson says one of his greatest accomplishments was authoring landmark Civil Rights legislation.
In my estimation, not any different than the decision that Abraham Lincoln was making as was as the huge effort to free the slaves, major thing for mankind but willing to step up and do it. Lampson says.
Brooks served more than 40 years in Congress. Lampson credits Brook’s success to learning how to be a man of the people.
Brook’s funeral is set for Sunday December 9 at 2p.m. at the Montagne Center at Lamar University.
*Originally published with ABC 6 KFDM- Beaumont on February 9, 2013 by Leslie Rangel.