▁He ▁participated ▁in ▁politics ▁during ▁that ▁time , ▁serving ▁as ▁tre as urer ▁for ▁Democratic ▁candidate ▁Joseph ▁V . ▁B ensch ▁in ▁his ▁un success ful ▁sen ate ▁campaign ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 4 . ▁ ▁He ▁also ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁O ma ha ▁Youth ▁Commission ▁ ▁and ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁North ▁O ma ha ▁K iw an is ▁club , ▁and ▁served ▁as ▁President ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 7 . ▁His ▁work ▁on ▁the ▁ben ch ▁exposed ▁him ▁to ▁many ▁cases ▁involving ▁alco hol ▁ab use , ▁and ▁he ▁joined ▁the ▁O ma ha ▁Area ▁Council ▁on ▁Al co hol ism , ▁being ▁elected ▁vice - ch air man ▁of ▁the ▁group ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁and ▁for ▁some ▁years ▁after . ▁ ▁Municipal ▁court ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁two ▁municipal ▁jud ges ▁retired ▁and ▁Mur phy ▁was ▁end ors ed ▁by ▁the ▁Cit iz ens ▁Committee ▁for ▁Law ▁En for cement ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁by ▁the ▁O ma ha ▁World ▁Her ald , ▁and ▁he ▁ran ▁fifth ▁in ▁the ▁election ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁top ▁five ▁were ▁placed ▁on ▁the ▁ben ch . ▁As ▁municipal ▁court ▁judge , ▁Mur phy ' s ▁most ▁high - profile ▁case ▁was ▁one ▁against ▁Hor ace ▁C . ▁Buck ingham ▁who ▁ple aded ▁no ▁contest ▁for ▁accus ations ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁obtained ▁money ▁under ▁false ▁pret enses , ▁having ▁been ▁paid ▁for ▁as ph alt ic ▁oil ▁that ▁was ▁never ▁delivered . ▁ ▁District ▁ben ch