Background
GORRELL, FRANK was born on June 20, 1927 in Russellville, Kentucky, United States.
politician member of the Tennessee State Senate
GORRELL, FRANK was born on June 20, 1927 in Russellville, Kentucky, United States.
Vanderbilt University (Bachelor of Arts, 1950. Bachelor of Laws, 1952). Phi Alpha Delta; Omicron Delta Kappa.
State Senator, 1963-1971.
Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the State Senate, 1967-1971. Member, 1976-1983 and Chairman, 1982-1983, Tennessee Appellate Court Nominating Committee.
In 1964, Governor Frank G. Clement decided that he desired Gorrell to be lieutenant governor to replace the outgoing James L. Bomar. The Tennessee General Assembly had begun to show a measure of independence from the executive branch of government in this era, but was generally still largely subject to lieutenant However, a faction of the Democratic Caucus in the Tennessee State Senate, which in Tennessee elects the lieutenant governor from its own members, had decided to resist the selection of Gorrell.
They were joined by the relatively small Republican Caucus, which proposed the election of former lieutenant governor Jared Maddux, who had previously served as lieutenant governor during Clement"s first administration.
A "nose count" revealed a total of sixteen Senators supporting Clement"s selection of Gorrell, and sixteen supporting Maddux. The remaining member, Senator Charles O"Brien of Crossville, was in seclusion and could not be reached by either side.
Exactly what occurred is unknown, but while O"Brien voted for Maddux, who was returned to office, Anna Belle Clement later married Senator O"Brien, later serving in the Senate herself as Anna Belle Clement O"Brien, while Senator O"Brien later went on to serve as Chief Justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court. Gorrell"s turn was to come two years later.
Gorrell was regarded as being both pro-business and somewhat progressive.
After leaving state government he became a lobbyist, and was regarded as the most influential lobbyist in the state at the time of his death. Gorrell died in March 1994 as a result of a choking incident at a restaurant in Brentwood, Tennessee.
United States. District Court Judicial Selection Committee, Middle District of Tennessee, 1978. Board of Directors, Metropolitan Airport Authority, since 1983. Tennessee State Board of Education, 1984- 1986.
Member: Nashville, Tennessee and American (Member, Sections on: Litigation.
Insurance, Negligence and Compensation Law) Bar Associations. American Judicature Society (Member, Board of Directors, 1979- 1983).