August 17, 2005
OF MEESE AND MEN IN BLACK:
Meese's Influence Looms in Today's Judicial Wars (LYNETTE CLEMETSON, 8/17/05, NY Times)
It was July 1985 and the newly confirmed attorney general, Edwin Meese III, was preparing to address the American Bar Association. Trouble was, he was conflicted about what to say.A 17-day hostage crisis involving a hijacked American airliner had just ended, and Mr. Meese felt obliged to discuss terrorism. But the Supreme Court had just delivered a series of decisions that infuriated conservatives and reinforced President Ronald Reagan's resolve to steer the judiciary rightward.
In the end, Mr. Meese gave what many say was the speech of his career. Helping lay the foundation for the judicial wars that continue today, he advocated a "jurisprudence of original intention." The philosophy he promoted, one of strict adherence to what proponents say were the intentions of the writers of the Constitution, inspired a generation of conservatives - including, some say, a young lawyer named John G. Roberts Jr., now a Supreme Court nominee.
"He certainly fits the kind of excellent judges that we were looking for and that President Bush is looking for," Mr. Meese said of Judge Roberts in an interview.
Vilified by liberals as an ideologue and embroiled in frequent disputes with more moderate figures within the Reagan administration, Mr. Meese is now lionized by conservatives for his role in reshaping the judiciary. At 73, he is still at it.
Want to know why the Democrats are a minority party? The former Attorney General who's done most to reshape their positions is Ramsey Clark. Posted by Orrin Judd at August 17, 2005 8:06 AM
Meese trivia:
During the Berkeley Free Speech movement the communist front lawyer Robert Treuhaft was busted for occupying a univerity building. Ed Meese personally arrested Treuhaft. A few years later, Hillary Clinton became Treuhaft's intern. Watergate reporter Carl Bernstein's father, Albert, was a card carrying member of the Communist Party USA and Treuhaft's best friend. Hillary went on to be one of the only two women to work on the Watergate impeachment hearings of President Richard Nixon.
Posted by: David at August 17, 2005 11:26 AMRamsey Clark - ouch. But don't forget the South Florida shooter, Janet Reno.
Posted by: jim hamlen at August 17, 2005 12:46 PMWas it J. Edgar Hoover who referred to Ramsey Clark as "a jellyfish"? Must be something about his spine.
What a compliment!
Posted by: John J. Coupal at August 17, 2005 2:12 PM