Justice Dangles in Limbo

The Meese investigation leaves a vacuum at the department

Can the Justice Department function effectively without a full-fledged Attorney General? Americans may soon find out. William French Smith insists that he plans to leave the post to return to his California law practice this month, and President Reagan has not pressed him to reconsider. Edwin Meese, Reagan's nominee as Smith's replacement, cannot be confirmed until a special prosecutor finishes investigating Meese's sloppy financial dealings, a process likely to take at least six months. Nor is there officially a Deputy Attorney General to fill...

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