While still in the service, Clark was appointed as the chief of police of Bessemer, serving in that capacity until November 1954.
He was an unsuccessful candidate for election to Congress in 1952. He was elected as a Democrat in 1954 to the 84th United States Congress, defeating incumbent Republican Congressman Louis E. Graham, and was re-elected to the nine succeeding Congresses, serving until his resignation on December 31, 1974, following his defeat in the 1974 election to Republican Gary A. Myers.
After his loss to Myers, Clark continued to send massive amounts of mail to his former constituents stating they were from 'your Congressman Frank M. Clark' when he had been out of office for five months.[1] Clark won only 34 of 244 votes for the post of Clerk of the House.[2]
He pleaded guilty to mail fraud and tax evasion on February 13, 1979.[3] He was unsuccessful seeking re-election in 1976, 1978, 1986, and 1990.
He was a delegate to a number of conferences, including:
