Langston, David 1998

David Langston discusses his life and career as a Lubbock, Texas attorney and mayor of the city.

General Interview Information

Interviewee Name: David Langston

Additional Parties Recorded: None

Date: October 19, October 22, November 2, 1998

Location: Lubbock, Texas

Interviewer: Fred Allison

Length: 3 hours, 15 minutes

Abstract

Tape 1: Langston, David, job (18 years old), Education, American University's School of Government and Public Administration in Washington D. C., Job (again), agriculture assistant duties, campaign manager, 19th congressional district, Education, attended law school during the night at Georgetown University, Politics, interest, Washington, D. C., American University (again), Mahon, George, impressions, Manhattan Project, Hirtter Commission, Nixon, Richard, a trip to China, 1947, 1976 re-election, Reagan, Ronald, Democratic Party, becoming the minority party in West Texas, Mahon, George (again), opinions, last term in Congress, Dean of Congress, reorganizing the party organization, Mahon, George (again), contributions to West Texas, air bases, Texans in the federal government, Education (again), Monterrey High School in Lubbock, Texas, ivy league schools, Education (continued), ivy league schools, challenging, law school, Georgetown University, Fullbright and Jarworsky law firm, Washington D. C, law clerk, Lubbock, Texas (1979), McWhorter, Cobb and Johnson law firm, White, Peter, Gott, Carl, Hance, Kent, McWhorter, Cobb and Johnson (again), Law practice, bankruptcy, Texas, personal and corporate, trustees, job duties, debtor protection, causes for bankruptcy laws, Bankruptcy Act of 1898, abuse, Lubbock attorneys, Cobb, Charlie, McWhorter, Owen, Jones, Charlie, cases, Law practice (again), Bankruptcy reform.

Tape 2: Bankruptcy (again), legislation, credit card companies, (Reading an article on the bankruptcy crisis), October 1, 1979, last time bankruptcy laws were passed in congress, Democratic party (again), movement in West Texas towards more conservatism, Mahon, George (again), Reese, Jim (opponent), Thorton, Bates "Tex" (friend), "Whiz Kid", Reagan, Ronald (again), story, Washington D.C. scandals, Kennedy family, Wilson, Charles of Lufkin, Texas, Langston, David (again), Mahon, George (again), mentor, characteristics, political influences, power, Gray Farms, waste water application to irrigate farmlands, Loop 289 construction (Lubbock, Texas), Langston, David (again), law practice (again), high-profile cases, Committee of Churches, Committee of Churches (continued), began fall of 1990, 4th on Broadway (1991): Lubbock, Texas, chairman, Lights on Broadway: Lubbock, Texas, Langston, David (again), ran for mayor of Lubbock, Texas in 1992, campaign issues, won (two year term), Department of Defense Finance Accounting Service Centers, sales tax vote, Reese Air Force base, community organizations, relationship with city council, changes to the city management, citizen support of city government,

Tape 3: Mayor, issues, economic development, closing of Reese Air Force base, arguments against closure, agriculture, redevelopment of Reese Air Force base, economy and growth, Market Lubbock Inc., economic development (again), Marketing, Entertainment, Travel, Tourism and Sports (METTS), merged with Market Lubbock Inc., funding, Community Commitment and Education Task Force, improve understanding between races, building community relations, (Reading an article), Neighborhood associations, school district and city concerns, Effects on economy (Lubbock, Texas), Regional culture, Arts Culture and Entertainment Task Force, South Plains frontier, Lubbock, Texas pioneers, Holmes, Mrs., Development of the South Plains, Politics (again), Texas senate race (1996), special election, district covered, fund raising, conservative democrat, issues, financing education, Texas Assessment of Academic Skills, teaching, abortion, party lines, lost race to Duncan, Robert, Local, no change, National, Langston Law offices, merged in 1997 with Mullin, Hoard and Brown, type of law practiced,

Tape 4: Lubbock Bar Association, opinions, West Texas Bankruptcy Bar association, West Texas attorneys and judges, Mentors, Driskell, Jack, Johnson, Dale, Cobb, Charlie (again), Quantity of Lubbock attorneys, Changes in the legal profession, has become more of a business and less of a profession, legal fees, $90 an hour for associates, $200 an hour or more for partners, mediation and arbitration. (Ends after 15 minutes)

Range Dates: 1971-1998

Bulk Dates: 1971-1998

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