[11th Earl of Mar]

BUSH TO NAME JUSTICE DEPT AFTER A KENNEDY
Fri Nov 16 2001 17:11:47 ET

President Bush plans to issue an executive order early next week naming the Justice Department after the late Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, according to sources familiar with the matter.

ROLL CALL Editor Ed Henry is first to break the controversial development.

The timing of the bipartisan gesture, which is expected to occur Tuesday, could be tied to the war on terrorism. In recent weeks, current Attorney General John Ashcroft has said the war being waged by the Justice Department is very similar to the war against organized crime that Kennedy launched as attorney general in the 1960s.

"Kennedy, it is said, would arrest a mobster for spitting on the streets if it would help defeat organized crime," Ashcroft said in a recent speech. "In the war on terror, it is the policy of this Department of Justice to be equally aggressive."

Rep. Tim Roemer (D-Ind.) has introduced legislation in the last three Congresses pushing for the department to be named after Kennedy. While the bill has never picked up enough steam to be signed into law, the retiring Roemer has personally lobbied Bush twice in recent months to act on the matter.

Impacting...

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Bush is naming a building, not the department, after Kennedy. It looks like Drudge has started using DEBKA's sources.

[eddie willers]

Here's a pick.
Now you can go out get some more nits.

[Senator Pardek]

Now let's be fair. Drudge probably thinks the Justice Dept. is a physical place, like the complaint or men's dept.

[Savage Beast]

I still think he should have named it after Janet Reno.

[harrowup]

The timing of the bipartisan gesture, which is expected to occur Tuesday, could be tied to the war on terrorism. In recent weeks, current Attorney General John Ashcroft has said the war being waged by the Justice Department is very similar to the war against organized crime that Kennedy launched as attorney general in the 1960s.

One can only hope we don't have to rely on the FBI to do the job...could we start a petition to rename FBI Hq? Hoover loved the mob.

[spycatcher]

Drudge is actually quoting from Roll Call sources. **Not a Drudge exclusive**

[CatoRenasci]

Same same. This is a travesty. Robert Kennedy was an evil man, JFK's thug and fixer. Bush has lost me over this one. No gesture should ever be made to any of that foul clan of power hungry womanizing misanthropes who masquerade as tribunes of the poor.

[Rebelbase]

DUH!

[Tuco-bad]

The timing of the bipartisan gesture, which is expected to occur Tuesday, could be tied to the war on terrorism.

It's ironic because Robert Kennedy was the first victim in the United States of Muslim terrorism.

Sirhan Sirhan, a Palestinian Arab, assassinated Kennedy because of his support for Israel.

[newzjunkey]

You're waaaaaaaaaay too much of a literalist. I knew exactly what Drudge meant. I'm sure most reasonable people did as well.

[JCG]

Bush is naming a building, not the department, after Kennedy. It looks like Drudge has started using DEBKA's sources.

Eff off.  A distinction without a difference.

 America's Fifth Column ... watch PBS documentary JIHAD! In America -- here

 For better viewing download 8Mb file here

[NC Conservative]

It is a building. I will not lose any sleep over it. Nothing to see here.

[Richard M. Nixon]

Damn Kennedys...

[Piasa Bird]

No. The REAL story is that John Ashcroft's changing HIS name to Robert F. Kennedy. Yeah, That's it!

Piasa Bird

[TUX]

It's ironic because Robert Kennedy was the first victim in the United States of Muslim terrorism. Sirhan Sirhan, a Palestinian Arab, assassinated Kennedy because of his support for Israel.

Indeed, quite ironic. I didnt think of it in that light. Thanks

[jackbill]

As Cap'n Dan Rather would say, here's the real deal. President Bush never liked Marilyn Monroe, so he's honoring the guy who offed her.

[americalost]

Having done my time in DC and hearing the lingo, it's common to say something is "at Justice" or will take place "at SCOTUS" -- in fact, my best friend still lives there and works "at Commerce." It's not that big of a stretch.

As for the conspiracy theories, they're all interesting ...but Reuters does say in the article that "there have been unsuccessful efforts in Congress to name the building after Kennedy." I conclude, therefore, that it shouldn't surprise anybody. It would make even MORE sense if he had been AG at the time of his assassination, but I'm one of those conservatives who questions the renaming of National Airport, too.

But then, what do I know. I'm just a housewife now.

[ppaul]

It looks like Drudge has started using DEBKA's sources.

LOL!

[xm177e2]

I was wondering how they could rename a whole DEPARTMENT.

Hypothetical News Clip: "The RFK department settled its lawsuit against Microsoft yesterday..."... it just doesn't sound right.

[TC Rider]

Drudge makes it sound like an auction for naming rights at a coluseum. I always heard that Reagan never wanted his name on any building.

It seems appropriate though, to name buildings after Kennedys.

After all, they are the ones with the edifice complex.

[oldvike]

I stopped paying attention to that oddball Drudge the day he took the Free Republic link off his website.