Tom Pendergast

Tom Pendergast's Academic­Influence.com Rankings

Tom Pendergast

Political Science

#4200

Historical Rank

political-science Degrees

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• Political Science

Why Is Tom Pendergast Influential?

According to Wikipedia, Thomas Joseph Pendergast , also known as T. J. Pendergast, was an American political boss who controlled Kansas City and Jackson County, Missouri, from 1925 to 1939. Pendergast only briefly held elected office, as an alderman, but his capacity as chairman of the Jackson County Democratic Party allowed him to use his large network of Irish family and friends to help the election of politicians, in some cases by voter fraud, and to hand out government contracts and patronage jobs. He became wealthy in the process, but his addiction to gambling, especially horse racing, later led to a large accumulation of personal debts.

Other Resources About Tom Pendergast

• en.wikipedia.org