Bennie G. Thompson

DemocratU.S. Representative, MS-2

Age	78 (b. 1948-01-28)
Gender	Male
In office since	1993-04-13 (~33 yrs)
Race / ethnicity	African American / Black
Religion	Christian; United Methodist (lifelong member of Asbury United Methodist Church, Bolton, MS)
Education	B.A. in Political Science, Tougaloo College (1968); M.S. in Educational Administration, Jackson State University (1972)
Prior occupation	Schoolteacher; local elected official (alderman, mayor, county supervisor); civil rights organizer (SNCC)
Military service	No
Birthplace	Bolton, Mississippi
Marital status	Married — London Johnson Thompson
Children	1
Residence	Bolton, Mississippi

Wikipedia · Ballotpedia · OpenSecrets · Official site

Pending research: languages · notable relatives · openly lgbtq.

Career & politics

First elected	1993
Previous offices	Alderman, Town of Bolton, Mississippi (1969-1973) · Mayor, Town of Bolton, Mississippi (1973-1980) · Hinds County Board of Supervisors (1980-1993)
Committees	House Committee on Homeland Security (Ranking Member)
Caucuses	Congressional Black Caucus · Congressional Disaster Equity and Building Resilience Caucus (co-founder, 119th Congress) · Congressional Rural Caucus · Congressional Gaming Caucus
Leadership	Ranking Member, House Committee on Homeland Security (since 2023) · Chair, House Committee on Homeland Security (2007-2011; 2019-2023) · Chair, House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol (2021-2023) · Permanent Chair, 2020 Democratic National Convention
Ideology	Reliable Democratic voter; sole Democrat in Mississippi's U.S. congressional delegation; longest-serving African American elected official in Mississippi.
Signature legislation	Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (H.R. 1), signed into law August 3, 2007

Financial

Net worth: disclosed $469,023–$1,310,000 (2018) · estimate

No holdings recorded yet (from official Financial Disclosure filings).

Top donors: AFLAC Inc ($12,401 (2023-2024 cycle))

Top industries: Lawyers/Law Firms ($82,357, 2023-2024 cycle)

Scandals & crimes ledger

resolved — House Ethics Committee finding: impermissible travel gifts (St. Maarten conference)

ethics-violation · 2008-11-06 · The Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) referred a matter to the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct on June 8, 2009, regarding Rep. Thompson's participation in the 13th Annual Caribbean Multi-National Business Conference in St. Maarten, N.A. (November 6-9, 2008), his acceptance of reimbursement for travel expenses to attend that conference, and the Member Post Travel Disclosure Form he filed. The referral alleged these actions may have violated provisions of House Rule XXV, Section 5(b), governing privately funded travel. On June 24, 2009, the Committee empaneled an Investigative Subcommittee. On February 26, 2010, the Committee released the Subcommittee's report. · The Investigative Subcommittee found that Thompson did not knowingly violate House travel rules, but had inadvertently accepted impermissible gifts of travel that required repayment.

The House Ethics Committee's Investigative Subcommittee found in February 2010 that Rep. Thompson inadvertently accepted impermissible privately-funded travel gifts related to a 2008 business conference in St. Maarten, requiring repayment, though the panel concluded he did not knowingly violate House rules.

Sources: House Office of Congressional Conduct (conduct.house.gov)

resolved — FEC Administrative Fine: Friends of Bennie Thompson (2016 Pre-Primary Report)

campaign-finance · 2016-04-26 · Federal Election Commission (FEC) · Administrative fine of $3,300 assessed for deficient/late 2016 Pre-Primary campaign finance report. Upheld on September 15, 2016. Paid in full by October 15, 2016.

The FEC assessed a $3,300 administrative fine (AF #3053) against Friends of Bennie Thompson (Committee ID: C00279851) for a violation related to the 2016 Pre-Primary campaign finance report. The initial finding and penalty were issued April 26, 2016, upheld September 15, 2016, and paid in full by the October 15, 2016 due date.

Sources: Federal Election Commission · Federal Election Commission