Thomas R. Jolly spent nearly sixty years in Washington, but his career did not follow a carefully planned road. He arrived in the nation’s capital, attended Georgetown Law School, worked on Capitol Hill, and eventually became a Washington lawyer and lobbyist. In Jolly Times in Washington, Tom remembers those years through the opportunities, friendships, and experiences that helped determine where his life would go.
Finding His Place in Washington
Tom arrived in Washington in December 1968. Finding a job on Capitol Hill became one of his first challenges. He received conflicting advice about when to apply and whether he should approach members of Congress from Michigan or look elsewhere.
Fortunately, Congressman John Dingell helped him secure a political appointment with the Congressional Research Service at the Library of Congress. Tom answered research requests from the offices of senators and representatives. The position gave him what he describes as a remarkable introduction to Capitol Hill and the inner workings of Congress.
It also began one of the most meaningful friendships of his life. John Dingell became a dear friend, as did his wife, Debbie.
Georgetown Law and a Career Decision
Tom was accepted at Georgetown Law School and began another important part of his Washington life. After earning his law degree, however, he faced a decision about what should come next.
Congressman Bill Ford gave him an opportunity to clerk for Judge Wade H. McCree. It was the kind of position that could have shaped an entire legal career, but Tom chose another direction.
His ambition was never to spend his life practising law. He wanted to remain in Washington, where politics moved at a relentless pace and every day seemed connected to something larger. Capitol Hill had become home.
An interview with a large Detroit law firm only strengthened that feeling. Tom left convinced that a career in a large downtown Detroit law office was not what he wanted.
An Opportunity With Bill Ford
Then came what Tom calls the opportunity of a lifetime.
Bill Ford became chairman of the newly created House Subcommittee on Agricultural Labor. The subcommittee had been established primarily to oversee issues involving Cesar Chavez’s United Farm Workers and its struggle with the Teamsters Union over representation of farm workers.
By then, Tom had become one of Ford’s trusted staff members. With his newly earned law degree, he persuaded Ford to appoint him Counsel and Staff Director of the subcommittee.
Ford thought Tom might be a little young and inexperienced, so Pat Rissler joined them as Subcommittee Clerk. Tom and Pat soon developed an effective working partnership that grew into a lasting friendship.
An Education Beyond the Classroom
Although Tom officially worked for the Subcommittee on Agricultural Labor, the work soon became much broader. Their small staff also handled education, postal policy, labor legislation, and constituent matters.
Lobbyists learned that the quickest path to Bill Ford often began with Tom and Pat. Those years gave Tom an education that, in his words, no classroom ever could. Capitol Hill taught him about politics, legislation, loyalty, friendship, and human nature. Those lessons stayed with him for the rest of his career.
That experience would prove especially important when Tom himself later became a lobbyist. A Long Career in the Nation’s Capital
Tom eventually became a lawyer and lobbyist with a major Washington, D.C., law firm. His work placed him in the world of federal public policy that had fascinated him since his early years in the capital.
The demands of the work could be considerable. In one memory involving his friend Jim Blanchard, Tom recalls initially turning down a weekday round of golf because weekdays were his busiest time as a lobbyist. Friendship won in the end, and the two played that Wednesday.
Looking back, Tom’s journey from congressional staff member to lawyer and lobbyist was shaped by choices as much as opportunities. He chose Washington over a different legal career, remained close to Capitol Hill, and carried the lessons learned there into nearly sixty years in the nation’s capital.
To continue exploring the world of Jolly Times in Washington, visit the Official Author Website for more insights into Thomas R. Jolly’s remarkable journey, his life in the nation’s capital, the friendships that shaped his years in politics, and the unforgettable people and events he encountered along the way. For the complete story, order your copy by Thomas R. Jolly, with Rick Jerue.