ACLU Makes ‘Offer’ to Buy Justice Dept.

The American Civil Liberties Union offered today to purchase the Justice Department, saying it could do a better job of operating the nation’s law enforcement agency than the government.

ACLU Executive Director Ira Glasser, his tongue firmly in cheek, said the group sent a letter to Atty. Gen. Edwin Meese III telling him that it was “prepared to take over the entire Justice Department, including its assets and liabilities, which are many.”

Glasser quoted “Wall Street insiders” as saying the purchase would be the largest in history, dwarfing the recent purchase by General Electric of RCA.

But he said it wouldn’t cost as much as anticipated because “the net worth of the department has plummeted” since Meese took over in March.

“Investors have lost confidence in top management,” Glasser said.