Thomas F. Johnson
State Senator; attorney · active 1945
Maryland state senator who appears three times in Ocean City's 1945 minutes, twice as a legislator and once as private counsel. In February the council agreed to write to 'Senator Johnson' endorsing a bill to legalize dog racing, on condition that the nearest town got one per cent of the take. On 28 May he came before the council in person with an ordinance he had prepared for it governing Sunday amusements, and it was passed that night: Sunday movies after 8 PM, dancing to 12:30 on Saturdays with lights out and doors locked by one. By 26 June he was acting as 'Tommy Johnson', attorney for the promoters of an Ocean City air field, and the council agreed that he and the city attorney should draw the franchise papers.
In the record (5)
1945 · 1945-01-23
Ocean City spent 1945 being asked for an airfield and never decided: first a letter in January, then a franchise sought in June, and by October it was Robert Cropper's project and he wanted a house moved off the town dump for it.
A letter from Clark Gardner referring to an air field was read on 23 January 1945 and the secretary instructed to write for information - the first mention of an airfield in the town's record. On 19 June three gentlemen came before the council asking their aid in securing an air port, and the council decided it wanted time to consider the project. On 26 June Edward Lynch and a second man whose name the clerk left blank asked the council to agree to give a franchise for an air field; after lengthy discussion it was agreed to have their attorney, Tommy Johnson, and the city attorney present the proper papers, and if they were in order the council would grant a permit. On 30 October Bob Cropper, before the council with a Chamber of Commerce delegation, wanted a house moved on the City dump to help in his proposed air field. Nothing in the 1945 minute book records a franchise granted.
Ocean City Chamber of CommerceClark Gardner
Source · checked 2026-08-12
1945 · 1945-02-14
Ocean City agreed to back a bill legalising dog racing in Maryland, on condition that the town nearest the track got one per cent of the take.
After the bus terminal hearing the council returned to the Council room and listened to a request from Elizabeth Henry Hull, who wanted them to endorse a project to legalize dog racing by a letter to Senator Johnson. The council agreed to do so provided the city nearest the races were to get 1% of the take as a revenue to the City. The Senator Johnson written to in February is the State Senator Thomas F. Johnson who appeared before the same council in person on 28 May with a Sunday-amusements ordinance he had drafted for them, and who was acting as attorney for the airfield promoters by June.
Source · checked 2026-08-12
1945 · 1945-05-28
A state senator brought Ocean City a Sunday amusements ordinance he had written for it: movies after eight on Sunday nights, dancing to 12:30 on Saturdays, doors locked by one.
State Senator Thomas F. Johnson was present with an ordinance he had prepared for the council with reference to the government of Sunday amusements. The council agreed to allow Sunday movies after 8 o'clock PM, and to allow dancing until 12:30 AM on Saturday nights with lights out and doors locked by one o'clock AM. On motion by John B. Lynch, seconded by C. O. Savage, the ordinance was passed as of that date, and the clerk numbered it Ordinance #21 - a fortnight after numbering the rewritten licence ordinance #100. The closing hour was contested at once: on 5 June the Jacksons asked for 12:45 and were refused, though the council said it would accept music stopping at 12:40 with the room clear by one; and on 31 July it made exactly that the rule for every night club in town.
John B. LynchCranford O. Savage
Source · checked 2026-08-12
1960 · 1960-09-15
Thomas F. Johnson challenged Edward T. Miller for the county's congressional seat, and Ocean City gave Johnson a reception in August
Miller had taken the seat from the Democrats in 1948 and held it in 1954. Census takers worked the county in April; Kennedy reached the front page in October; a brochure inviting visits to Worcester appeared on 15 September — the county marketing itself in the same weeks it was choosing a congressman.
Source · checked 2026-09-02
1965 · 1965-01-28
The Supreme Court took up the case of Thomas F. Johnson, the Eastern Shore congressman convicted of conspiracy to defraud the United States — the appeal that became the Speech or Debate Clause case
"The Supreme Court has decided to review the appeals court decision overturning the conviction of Thomas F. Johnson, the former congressman from the Eastern Shore, on a conflict-of-interest charge … On June 13, 1963 Mr. Johnson was found guilty by a federal court and sentenced to six months in jail and to pay a $5,000 fine … Mr. Johnson and three others were charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, when he was accused of attempting to [influence] the Justice Department to dismiss an indictment against defendants in a Maryland savings and loan case … the [Fourth] Circuit Court of Appeals held that only the House of Representatives could punish Mr. Johnson for his conduct." This is the Thomas F. Johnson for whom Ocean City held a reception in August 1960, and who unseated Edward T. Miller. The appeal was decided as United States v. Johnson in 1966.
Source · checked 2026-09-02