Public interest law firm protest Greenspan's knighthood

ATLANTA - An Atlanta-based public interest law firm is protesting Alan Greenspan&#39;s acceptance of an honorary knighthood, saying the Federal Reserve Chairman should seek Congress&#39; approval first. <br> <br> The Southeastern Legal Foundation Thursday cited a provision of the U.S. Constitution forbidding a person holding an office of profit to accept a title from ``any King, Prince, or foreign state&#39;&#39; without the consent of Congress. <br> <br> Queen Elizabeth the second had approved the honorary knighthood earlier this month. Greenspan was expected to receive the award when he next visits Britain -- sometime this fall. <br> <br> Phil Kent, president of the Southeastern Legal Foundation, said ``I just think that Congress needs to approve this thing. If they&#39;re going to follow the letter and intent of the Constitution, they&#39;ll have to agree to have him accept this honorary knighthood.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> A spokeswoman for Greenspan said federal employees can receive honors, including knighthood, without congressional approval under a Justice Department ruling on a 1966 law. She said other U.S. citizens have been knighted while in public office, including General Wesley Clark and General Norman Schwarzkopf. <br> <br> Greenspan, who has steered the world&#39;s largest economy for 15 years, was selected as Fed chairman by Ronald Reagan in 1987. <br> <br> Other Americans who have received honorary knighthoods include former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and former Presidents Bush and Reagan. All three were out of office when they were honored.