Legal Commentary

The NYT just ran a piece about the release of Sen. Edward Kennedy's FBI file.  The file contained a host of disturbing death threats, rumors about strange plots involving Marilyn Monroe and Frank Sinatra, as well as assorted mundane items.

The article buried what I viewed as the most novel piece of history, an exchange between Ted Kennedy's famous / infamous father, Joseph P. Kennedy, and J. Edgar Hoover. [For reasons explained in the article, this entered Ted Kennedy's file.]

Hoover wrote in 1955 that [Joseph] Kennedy had written him saying that he understood Mr. Hoover was interested in running for president. ?He urged me to run for this position either on a Republican or Democratic ticket, guaranteeing me the largest campaign contribution I would ever get from anyone, and his personal services as the hardest campaign worker in history.?

Mr. Hoover respectfully declined. ?I explained to him that I have never had any political ambitious and that I have always felt what contribution I can make to my country can best be given in my present position as Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.?

I suspect nothing but smoke was being blown by both sides here, but it's still fascinating.