Ashcroft Gone, Justice Statues Disrobe

AP ^ | 6/24/05 | Mark Sherman

[Crackingham]

With barely a word about it, workers at the Justice Department Friday removed the blue drapes that have famously covered two scantily clad statues for the past 3 1/2 years. Spirit of Justice, with her one breast exposed and her arms raised, and the bare-chested male Majesty of Law basked in the late afternoon light of Justice's ceremonial Great Hall.

The drapes, installed in 2002 at a cost of $8,000, allowed then-Attorney General John Ashcroft to speak in the Great Hall without fear of a breast showing up behind him in television or newspaper pictures. They also provoked jokes about and criticism of the deeply religious Ashcroft. The 12-foot, 6-inch aluminum statues were installed shortly after the building opened in the 1930s.

With a change in leadership at Justice, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales faced the question: Would they stay or would they go? He regularly deflected the question, saying he had weightier issues before him.

[Non-Sequitur]

The drapes, installed in 2002 at a cost of $8,000, allowed then-Attorney General John Ashcroft to speak in the Great Hall without fear of a breast showing up behind him in television or newspaper pictures.

Only one boob allowed on the screen at a time I guess.

[Figment]

" Ashcroft embarrassed you, too"


Not at all. If he didn't like the pics that were being published, he had every right in the world to change the background. It is rather childish for you libs to judge Ashcrofts stint as head of the Justice Department on this bullshit and rehash it at this late date.

[Figment]

"Yeah, but the statues were uncovered today, not some time ago"


Why are the statues even there? Sell the damned things. They serve no purpose whatsoever. Ashcroft considered them offensive for whatever reason and it had nothing to do with the mans' job performance

[Figment]

"Because the MSM never misses a chance to ridicule people of faith. Mr Ashcroft is a great American"

Exactly. I've yet to hear anyone challenge the man on the substance of his term over the judial branch. No one with any credibility that is

[Timmy]

The reporters weren't the only ones who gave Ashcroft a hard time. I recently read the following story: When Ashcroft first started working in the justice department, long before he became attorney general, he had a boss who relentlessly ridiculed his uptight attitude. The boss was Clarence Thomas.

That post is so stupid as to defy belief. Don't you do even the slightest investigation before you make potentially embarrassing comments? Ashcroft was Missouri AG, Governor, and Senator before becoming AG in 2001, after he lost a controversial election to "Dead Man" Carnahan. Clarence Thomas was confirmed to the SCOTUS back in the first Bush administration (1989-1992). Dumb, dumb, dumb.

[Hank Rearden]

The drapes, installed in 2002 at a cost of $8,000, allowed then-Attorney General John Ashcroft to speak in the Great Hall without fear of a breast showing up behind him in television or newspaper pictures.

Send the bill to that Ashcroft idiot.

[kittymyrib]

ALUMINUM statues? How cheesy! Sell them at a garage sale. They certainly lend no value to a government office.

[Hank Rearden]

You're not talking about Ashcroft are you?

If he wasn't, I am. Thank God that parasitic doofus is gone; now he needs to cough up the 8 grand.

[middie]

Ashcroft was, and remains, a "Moron First Class." Without a doubt the absolute worst Atty. Gen. since the Nixon Saturday Night Massacre.

[Haru Hara Haruko]

ALUMINUM statues? How cheesy!

Aluminum used to be quite the high-tech marvel. Kind of like titanium used to be before it was no longer a Cold War "strategic material."

[mountn man]

Wow, a man aspires to a high level of morality, and all you can do is ridicule him. Me thinks thou art a half wit. No, more like an unsophisticated Democrat.

Sorry unsophisticated Democrat is redundant. But its still fitting.

Grow up

[mountn man]

Wow, a man aspires to a high level of morality, and all you can do is ridicule him. Me thinks thou art a half wit. No, more like an unsophisticated Democrat.

Sorry unsophisticated Democrat is redundant. But its still fitting.

Grow up

[unsycophant]

I'm sure that when this story about the drapes over the statues was first reported, it was later exposed as being untrue.

[richmwill]

Couldn't agree more.

[wideminded]

That post is so stupid as to defy belief. Don't you do even the slightest investigation before you make potentially embarrassing comments? Ashcroft was Missouri AG, Governor, and Senator before becoming AG in 2001, ... Clarence Thomas was confirmed to the SCOTUS back in the first Bush administration (1989-1992).

Ashcroft and Thomas both worked in the Missouri Attorney General's office in the mid-1970's. The Missouri AG at the time was John Danforth.

I did get the location and perhaps the relative status of the two individuals wrong. The events I mentioned are detailed in the book Strange Justice: The Selling of Clarence Thomas. You may find fault with this book, but the story is not implausible.

[Colorado Doug]

The Spirit of Justice might as well be uncovered. The Supreme Court just mooned us all.

[WestVirginiaRebel]

"Ladies and gentlemen, I am here today to tell you that Mom was right-you really will grow hair on your palms."

[freepatriot32]

Libertarian ping.To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here

he just hated the fact that everytime anyone saw the statues they were reminded of what an absolute boob he was

[jess35]

The statues have been there for over 70 years. They may not serve a purpose but neither does any artwork or embellishment in any goverment building. Perhaps we should just tear them all down and build cinderblock boxes.

[torchthemummy]

You are right - it was a perpetual gotcha shot. This is made even more obvious by the poster and the Libertarian Party pile-on. Pure Libertarianism as a political movement has and is the same it has been for the last 35 years - a 1% vote getter.