Politics

FACT CHECK: Was Deputy Attorney General Richard Donoghue’s Father John F. Kennedy’s Personal Attorney?

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An image shared on Facebook claims incoming Deputy Attorney General Richard Donoghue’s father was former President John F. Kennedy’s personal attorney.

Verdict: False

While they have similar last names, there is no indication Donoghue and the pictured man, Richard Donahue, are related. Donoghue confirmed the post’s claim is incorrect.

Fact Check:

President Donald Trump announced on Twitter Monday that Attorney General William Barr has resigned from his position and that Jeff Rosen would be taking over in an acting capacity next week. He also announced that Donoghue would be taking over Rosen’s deputy attorney general position.

Shortly after the announcement, some Facebook users began sharing a screen grab of a Dec. 15 tweet containing a photo of Donahue, the late Massachusetts lawyer who, according to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library archives, served as a special consultant and aide to the president during Kennedy’s administration, posing with his family and Kennedy in the Oval Office. The tweet reads, “The new Deputy Attorney General, Richard Donoghue’s father was JFK’s personal attorney.”

Donahue passed away in September 2015 at the age of 88, according to the Washington Post. Donahue’s obituary, which was published in the Lowell Sun newspaper, lists all 11 of his children by name. While one of Donahue’s son’s first names is Richard, there is no indication that the son and Donoghue are the same person. They have different middle names and last names.

In a LinkedIn message to the Daily Caller News Foundation, Donoghue confirmed that the claim his father worked as Kennedy’s personal lawyer “is incorrect.” The claim appears to have stemmed from confusion about them having similar names. We rate this claim false.