November 11, 2004

Bare Breast at Justice Unlikely to Plague Gonzales

Democrats Offer Bush an Olive Branch

In a conciliatory gesture to the Bush Administration, Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee signaled yesterday that they won't make removing a curtain that hides the bare breast of a Justice Department statue a litmus test for confirming Alberto Gonzales as the new attorney general.

During his first year in office, outgoing attorney general John Ashcroft, who is a minister in the Assembly of God church, ordered the bare breast hidden behind a curtain. The art-deco statue, Spirit of Justice, has graced the Department of Justice's Great Hall since the 1930s.

"While they object to the idea of hiding the bare breast of a famous work of art that has been on public display for generations, the senators want to take the president at his word about finding compromises," said a staff member for the Democratic members of the committee, which will hold hearings on Gonzales' appointment. "Dropping their objections to hiding the breast is a significant move on their part."

Earlier this week when it became apparent that Ashcroft would not be the attorney general in the second Bush Administration, Democratic members of the Judiciary Committee were described as adamant that Bush's new attorney general would have to agree to remove the curtain hiding the breast or face tough questioning during confirmation hearings.

The committee aide declined to discuss why the Democratic senators dropped their concerns about the statue once it was clear that Gonzales would be Bush's nominee.

But an analyst at the Justice Watch Foundation think tank speculated that the Democrats on the Judiciary Committee may be saving up their ammunition for what is expected to be a major battle over what color robe a new chief justice of the Supreme Court would wear if William Renquist leaves the court.

When he was appointed chief justice by President Nixon, Renquist took it upon himself to bypass years of tradition in which the chief justice wore a black robe. He had gold stripes added to his robe.

The gold stripes have rankled Democrats ever since. They believe the chief justice should not put on airs by wearing gold stripes. They prefer a more egalitarian approach to attire by the nation's top judge.

"The Democrats are picking and choosing their battles," the Justice Watch analyst said. "They'll give in on hiding a naked breast but fight to the death over a flamboyant robe for a new chief justice."

Earlier Satirium reports on the Spirit of Justice breast:

Christmas Sign Hung from Lady Justice's Bared Breast

Does Return of the Naked Breast Mean Ashcroft Is Out?

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