Mark B. Thompson, 1926-1932

was born in Norton, Kansas, May 8, 1881. He was educated at Wesleyan University and in Washington. He moved to New Mexico in 1905 and practiced law in Santa Fe and Las Cruces. He served as district attorney for the Third District of New Mexico from 1907 to 1909 and afterwards was special counsel for the state tax commission and other industries. While District Attorney he prosecuted for the murder of . Brazel's defense attorneys, who won the case for their client, were and .

Las Cruces, New Mexico attorney Mark B. Thompson served as defense counsel for during two important trials in 1926 and 1927, what has come to be known as the Teapot Dome Scandal. During his tenure as Secretary of the Interior, Fall was alleged to have secretly leased United States Navy oil reserves to private companies in exchange for gifts or loans amounting to nearly $400,000. Fall had leased the Teapot Dome reserve, near Casper, Wyoming, to 's Mammoth Oil Company and the rich Elk Hills reserve in California to 's Pan American Petroleum and Transport Company. Fall was convicted on bribery charges in 1929 for his role in the scandal, fined $100,000 and sentenced to one year in prison. The oil reserves were returned to the control of the United States government. Doheny and Sinclair escaped conviction on conspiracy charges.