Topic: U.S. Attorneys General

Mar 5,

1919

A. Mitchell Palmer Becomes Attorney General, Leads Notorious Palmer Raids

Apr 7,

1924

Harlan Fiske Stone Becomes Attorney General; Ends Justice Department Abuses

Feb 2,

1939

Attorney General Frank Murphy Creates DOJ Civil Liberties Unit

May 21,

1940

FDR Okays Continued FBI Wiretapping

Feb 6,

1942

Attorney General Biddle Urges Lawyers to Defend Civil Liberties in Wartime

Jul 17,

1946

President Truman Authorizes FBI Wiretapping

Jan 21,

1953

And When He was Good . . . . : Herbert Brownell, Jr., Becomes Attorney General

May 20,

1954

Attorney General Brownell Advises FBI to Evade Supreme Court Decision on Eavesdropping

May 30,

1961

“We’ve Been ‘Cooling Off’ for 350 Years!” Civil Rights Leader Rebukes AG Kennedy’s Call for Halting the 1961 Freedom Ride

Oct 10,

1963

AG Robert Kennedy Approves FBI Wiretaps on Martin Luther King

Jan 27,

1972

Notorious GEMSTONE Meeting in Attorney General’s Office: Illegal Activities Planned

Jun 4,

1974

“The List” is Ended: President Nixon Abolishes the Attorney General’s List of Subversive Organizations

Jan 14,

1975

Edward Levi Named Attorney General – Will Chart Independent Course

Jan 27,

1975

Edward Levi Promises to be Independent U.S. Attorney General

Jun 8,

1975

Attorney General Levi: Presidents Have No Authority to Order Assassinations

Feb 25,

1985

Ed Meese Becomes Attorney General; Leads Assault on Civil Liberties

Jul 8,

1986

Attorney General Meese Releases Porn Commission Report

Sep 22,

1988

Attorney General Richard Thornburgh Attacks ACLU for “Political Agenda”

Mar 11,

1993

Janet Reno Confirmed as First Female Attorney General

Feb 2,

2001

John Ashcroft, Hostile to Civil Liberties, Becomes Attorney General

Feb 3,

2009

Eric Holder Becomes First African-American Attorney General

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