James Robert Claiborne Jr. (June 22, 1882 – February 16, 1944) was an American politician and lawyer. A Democrat, he was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Missouri.
Biography
Claiborne was born on June 22, 1882, in St. Louis. He was a son of James R. Claiborne Sr. and Frances (née Moore) Claiborne; his father had served in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He was the grandson of politician Nathaniel Claiborne, and thereby a member of the Claiborne-Dallas-Boggs family.
Educated at public schools, Claiborne studied at the University of Missouri School of Law, graduating in 1907. Also in 1907, he was admitted to the bar, after which he commenced practice in St. Louis. For over ten years, he lectured at the Saint Louis University School of Law.
Claiborne was a Democrat. In 1924, he unsuccessfully ran in the election for Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. He served two terms in the United States House of Representatives, from March 4, 1933, to January 3, 1937. He represented Missouri's at-large district in his first term, and its 12th district in his second term. He lost the following Democratic primaries.
Claiborne opposed the New Deal. In 1936, he voted against the Adjusted Compensation Payment Act, the only Missouri congressman to do so. Beginning in 1934, he pushed for increased defense spending and an end to non-interventionalism. He also supported repealing of the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and high tariffs.
After serving in Congress, Claiborne continued practicing law in St. Louis.