Three years after undergoing a heart transplant here in Houston, former U.S. Congressman Charlie Wilson, a hard-charging Democrat from Lufkin, has died. Here’s more from KUHF’s Jack Williams.
Wilson served the second congressional district of Texas, which includes parts of the Houston-area, from the early 1970’s through 1996. Known as “Goodtime Charlie”, Wilson was a popular lawmaker. He single-handedly managed to help fund Afghanistan’s resistance of the Soviet Union in the early 1980’s through a covert CIA operation. He was played by Tom Hanks in the movie “Charlie Wilson’s War”.
Hanks: “This thing is going to get done by the CIA and it’s going to get done quietly.”
Other Man: “You have authority to do this?”
Hanks: “No, none-whatsoever.”
Wilson underwent a heart transplant here in Houston in 2007. He died Wednesday of cardiopulmonary arrest in Lufkin. Charlie Wilson was 76 years old.
Jack Williams
Executive Producer for Daily News
Jack is back in Houston after some time away working in public radio and television in Lincoln, Nebraska. Before leaving for the Midwest, he worked in various roles at Houston Public Media from 2000-2016, including reporting, hosting and anchoring. Jack has also worked in commercial news radio in Houston, Austin...
