Jim Novy Operation Texas, which Jim Novy helped fund. Jim Novy was one of Lyndon B. Johnson's (LBJ) great benefactors. Novy first met LBJ when LBJ was serving as assistant to Congressman Richard Kleberg. They became close when LBJ served as head of the National Youth Administration at the time Novy needed help placing European refugees; this collaboration between LBJ and Novy is referred to as Operation Texas. Novy and LBJ worked closely on many Jewish issues, particularly when LBJ was a senator in the early days of the state of Israel. In 1962, when LBJ was vice-president under John F. Kennedy,
Secretary to the President of the United States had one messenger and one secretary (referred to as an amanuensis in the common parlance of the time) at his disposal, both of whose salaries were paid by the President personally. In fact, all Presidents up to James Buchanan paid the salaries of their private secretaries out of their own pockets; these roles were usually fulfilled by their relatives, most often their sons or nephews. James K. Polk notably had his wife take the role. It was during Buchanan's term at the White House in 1857 that the United States Congress created a definite office named the "Private Secretary at