CONGRESSMAN TUCKER REFUSES TO ACCEPT SALARY INCREASE
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On March 10, 1925, The Evening Star reports that Representative Henry Tucker* (D-Virginia) "has refused to accept" his $2500 increase in congressional salary.
The congressman is following in the footsteps of this grandfather, Judge Henry St. George Tucker, who had also refused such a salary increase for the same reason.
That reason being that members of the last Congress who are re-elected "were chosen to a position" stipulating a set salary before the increase was applied.
Like grandfather, like grandson!
JFK+50 NOTE
Despite Rep. Tucker's willingness to forego his salary increase on a matter of principle, he missed 834 of 2150 roll call votes in his tenure in the U.S. Congress, that's a very high rate of 38.8%, more than twice that of the average congressman.
*Henry St. George Tucker (1853-1932) was born in Winchester, Virginia & graduated from Washington & Lee University in 1876. HSGT was dean of W&L Law School & George Washington University. He was a member of Congress 1889-1897 &1922-1932.
SOURCES
"Tucker Declines To Take Raise in Congressional Pay," The Evening Star, Washington, D.C., March 10, 1925, Chronicling America, Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/
"Tucker, Henry St. George," Biographical Directory of U.S. Congress, www.bioguide.congress.gov/
