Sam Rayburn

Samuel Taliaferro (pronounced "Tolliver") Rayburn (1882-1961) was a Democratic politician from Bonham, Texas. He served as leader of the Democratic House caucus from 1940 to 1961, serving as Speaker whenever the Democrats were in the majority, and at the time of his death was the longest-serving Congressman in House history.

He was widely known as "Mr Sam".

Sam Rayburn in The Man With the Iron Heart
Sam Rayburn held the office of Speaker of the House of Representatives in the immediate aftermath of World War II and the rising of the German Freedom Front. A staunch Democrat, he followed the Truman Administration's lead on maintaining an American presence in Germany. This stance brought himself into conflict with Republican Congressman Jerry Duncan throughout 1945 and 1946.

In the wake of the Republican takeover of Congress in 1946, Rayburn was relegated to House Minority leader in 1947, and he was succeeded by Joseph W. Martin. Rayburn still supported the Truman Administration as loudly as he could on the House floor, and still clashed with Duncan.

Sam Rayburn in "News From the Front"
On June 16 1942, the Washington Post reported that House Speaker Sam Rayburn had met with House Judiciary Chairman Hatton Sumners to begin impeachment proceedings against President Franklin D. Roosevelt in response to the numerous set-backs that the U.S. had faced immediately after its entry into World War II.

Sam Rayburn in "Joe Steele"
As a congressman, Sam Rayburn (1882-1937) was an early opponent of President Joe Steele's draconian steps against his opponents, particularly as those actions accelerated early in Steele's second term. Rayburn died in a car accident shortly after publicly speaking out against Steele. In truth, Steele's minion the Hammer engineered that accident.