Jess Smith is a political aide. Smith is played by Daniel Cox in the first season and Ed Jewett in the second season. Smith is based on a real-life person of the same name who caused scandal for the Harding administration through his involvement in bootlegging. Smith is a friend of politician Harry Daugherty. He served as a gofer for Daugherty during the 1920 presidential campaign and then becomes an aide in the Department of Justice after Harding wins the presidency and appoints Daugherty as Attorney General. Smith becomes involved in bootlegging when Daugherty's political ally Nucky Thompson introduces him to George Remus.

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Background 1.2 Season 1 1.3 Season 2 1.4 Season 3 2 Relationships 3 Appearances

BiographyEdit

BackgroundEdit

Smith is an Ohio politician and member of the group known as the Ohio Gang along with Harry Daugherty and Warren Harding. He served as a gofer for Daugherty during the 1920 presidential campaign.

Season 1Edit

Smith attends the reception Harry Daugherty throws at the beginning of the 1920 Republican Convention in Chicago, Illinois. He prevents Warren Harding's mistress from entering the room when she tries to see Harding because his wife Florence Harding is present. ("Hold Me in Paradise")

Season 2Edit

Smith remains an aide to Daugherty following Daugherty's appointment as Attorney General. Smith has no job title but receives a salary from the Department of Justice. Smith accompanies Daugherty on a visit to Atlantic City for memorial day 1921. Daugherty is purported to be there to represent President Harding's administration but has actually come to discuss saving his political ally Atlantic County Treasurer Nucky Thompson from charges of election fraud. Smith attends the ceremony for the beginning of construction on the Atlantic City war memorial. Later in the day he plays a round of golf with Daugherty and Thompson. Before their game Smith asks Thompson to provide a reference for him with Cincinnati bootlegger George Remus. Smith is planning to become involved in bootlegging with Remus. Smith assists Daugherty in selecting a prosecutor to help Thompson avoid conviction on charges of election fraud. Smith chooses Charles Kenneth Thorogood for this role. That night Daugherty, Smith and Thorogood enjoy a bawdy party with four prostitutes in Thompson's suite at the Ritz Carlton hotel. ("Gimcrack & Bunkum")

Smith meets with Remus and arranges to sell Remus licenses for the production of liquor for medicinal use. Daugherty passes on a thank you to Nucky from Smith regarding the introduction. Later, Smith announces that Senator Walter Edge has come to visit Daugherty. Edge leverages Daugherty into replacing Thorogood as Nucky's prosecutor using the threat of an investigation into the proposed Bureau of Veteran's Affairs. ("The Age of Reason")

Season 3Edit

Smith accompanies Harry Daugherty to a meeting with Nucky Thompson at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Atlantic City. Nucky dismissively sends Smith to look at cigars with his assistant Eddie Kessler when the talk turns to real business. Nucky is concerned at the growing press interest in corruption within the Harding administration. Daugherty has employed a bag man to make his protection collections for him. ("Resolution")

RelationshipsEdit

• Harry Daugherty - Friend and employer, Attorney General from March 1921 onwards
• Nucky Thompson - Political associate, former Atlantic County Treasurer
• George Remus - Bootlegging associate
• Charles Kenneth Thorogood - Colleague, Assistant US Attorney
• Walter Edge - Political associate, State Senator for New Jersey
• Warren Harding - Political associate, President of the USA from December 1920 onwards
• Florence Harding - First Lady of the USA
• Nan Britton - Harding's mistress

AppearancesEdit

Season 1: played by Daniel Cox

Season one appearances
Boardwalk Empire	The Ivory Tower	Broadway Limited	Anastasia
Nights in Ballygran	Family Limitation	Home	Hold Me in Paradise
Belle Femme	The Emerald City	Paris Green	A Return to Normalcy

Season 2 & 3: played by Ed Jewett

Season two appearances
21	Ourselves Alone	A Dangerous Maid	What Does the Bee Do?
Gimcrack & Bunkum	The Age of Reason	Peg of Old	Two Boats and a Lifeguard
Battle of the Century	Georgia Peaches	Under God's Power She Flourishes	To the Lost

Season three appearances
"Resolution"	"Spaghetti and Coffee"	"Bone for Tuna"	"Blue Bell Boy"
"You'd Be Surprised"	"Ging Gang Goolie"	"Sunday Best"	"The Pony"
"The Milkmaid's Lot"	"A Man, A Plan..."	"Two Imposters"	"Margate Sands"