James Brooks (politician)

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James Brooks
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York
In office March 4, 1849 – March 4, 1853
Preceded by	Horace Greeley
Succeeded by	John Wheeler
Constituency	6th district
In office March 4, 1863 – April 7, 1866
Preceded by	Isaac C. Delaplaine
Succeeded by	William E. Dodge
Constituency	8th district
In office March 4, 1867 – April 30, 1873
Preceded by	William E. Dodge
Succeeded by	Samuel S. Cox
Constituency	8th district (1867–1873) 6th district (1873)
Personal details
Born	(1807-11-10)November 10, 1807 Portland, Maine, U.S.
Died	April 30, 1873(1873-04-30) (aged 65) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Resting place	Green-Wood Cemetery
Political party	Whig (before 1856) Constitutional Union (1860) Democratic (1860–1873)
Education	Colby College (BA)

James Brooks (November 10, 1807 – April 30, 1873) was an American educator, lawyer, and politician who represented New York City in the United States House of Representatives for seven nonconsecutive terms between 1849 and his death in 1873. Though initially a member of the Whig Party, he later joined the Democratic Party and, as a critic of the Abraham Lincoln administration, rose to become its leader in the House at the end of the American Civil War. He died in office in 1873 while under scrutiny and formal censure for attempted bribery in connection to the Credit Mobilier scandal.