Published June 14, 2010

Unfortunately for conspiracy theorists and Chappaquiddick obsessors, newly released FBI files don’t shed much light on that famous car crash of 1969. The documents serve as a fascinating time capsule, though.

The FBI says upfront that it had no investigative role in the death of Mary Jo Kopechne:

Limited public source information was collected by the FBI regarding Senator Kennedy’s vehicular accident at Chappaquiddick Island that resulted in the death of Mary Joe Kopechne. The FBI had no investigative role in this case, since there were no violations of federal criminal law involved. Although there was a mistaken contemporary report about FBI involvement in the case, the Bureau was not asked to provide support to the local police investigation.

But there are a few nuggets, such as this confidential teletype and memorandum delivered to the Bureau after the crash. You’ll see that Kennedy’s involvement was meant to be kept secret but that WBZ broke the story shortly thereafter:

The 77-page file on Chappaquiddick (view on Scribd) is mostly a collection of newspaper clippings. Consider this sample of headlines, in chronological order:

• Is Kennedy Set To Quit The Senate?
• Judge Kirk Bows Out Of Ted Inquest (as in Paul G. Kirk, who would one day succeed Kennedy in the Senate)
• Dinis Under Guard After Death Threat (Dinis was the DA)
• No Crime — No Autopsy, Argue Kopechne Aides
• Ted Ruled at ‘Fault,’ Registry Ends Probe
• Vast Majority of Letters Say Ted Should Resign Senate Seat

The calls for Kennedy’s resignation seemed overwhelming, if you believed the opinion pages of the time. But a poll published in the evening edition of the Globe, dated July 29, 1969, showed a staggering 78 percent of respondents wanted Kennedy to remain in office; six percent thought he should resign. Moreover, Kennedy’s approval ratings remained in the 80s (and in the 70s among Republicans).  You don’t find support like that anywhere else in politics.