Orrin Hatch: “for the past several decades, serving one of the United States Senate's most legendary figures--Senator Strom Thurmond…”

“for the past several decades, serving one of the United States Senate's most legendary figures--Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina--has been Robert J. Short. I rise today to pay tribute to the man we in the Senate fondly know as ``Duke Short.'' Duke is to be commended for his fine work and years of dedication to our Country. When I first arrived in Washington, DC., in January of 1977, Senator Thurmond was my senior on the Senate Judiciary Committee. As I settled in to my new role on the Judiciary Committee, I came to know and respect Duke, a bright and eager individual who was working at the time as Chief Investigator on the Committee. Duke had first come to work in the Senate in 1974, and until 1976, he served as a Senior Investigator on the Senate Subcommittee on Internal Security. From 1976-1989, he was the Chief Investigator on the Senate Committee on the Judiciary. He has served as Chief of Staff and Administrative Assistant to President Pro Tempore Emeritus Senator Strom Thurmond since 1989. Throughout the course of Duke's work in the Senate, he has assisted in the confirmations of literally hundreds of district and circuit court nominees, and of every sitting Supreme Court Justice. He played a key role in assisting the Judiciary Committee in its inquiry in the 1960's into motorcycle gang violence, as well as many other important matters.”