Edwin Meese

Edwin Meese is an American attorney, law professor, and public official who served as the 75th United States Attorney General under President Ronald Reagan. A longtime confidant of Reagan, his tenure was marked by significant legal policy initiatives but also overshadowed by a lengthy Independent Counsel investigation. Meese played a central role in shaping the Reagan Administration's approach to criminal justice, federal judiciary appointments, and the interpretation of the United States Constitution.

Early life and education

Edwin Meese was born in Oakland, California, and grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. He attended Yale University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1953. Following his graduation, he served as a First Lieutenant in the United States Army. After his military service, Meese returned to California to study law at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, known as Boalt Hall, receiving his Juris Doctor in 1958.

Legal and political career

After law school, Meese began his career as a Deputy District Attorney for Alameda County, California. His political involvement accelerated when he joined the staff of then-Governor Ronald Reagan in 1967, serving as Legal Affairs Secretary and later as Chief of Staff. He played a key role in Reagan's presidential campaigns and, following Reagan's election, served as Counselor to the President with cabinet rank from 1981 to 1985. In this role, he chaired the Cabinet Council on Management and Administration and was deeply involved in domestic policy and the selection of federal judges.

United States Attorney General

Nominated by President Reagan, Meese was confirmed as United States Attorney General in 1985. His tenure focused on a conservative legal agenda, emphasizing a strict constructionist view of the Constitution, vigorous enforcement of drug laws, and support for reforms like the Exclusionary Rule. He was instrumental in the appointments of conservative jurists, including Antonin Scalia and Robert Bork, to the Supreme Court of the United States. His term was marred by controversy, including investigations by an Independent Counsel into his involvement with the Wedtech scandal and other matters. The investigation concluded without an indictment, but a final report was critical of his conduct. He resigned in 1988.

Post-government career and later life

Following his government service, Meese joined the Heritage Foundation as a Distinguished Fellow and later chaired the think tank's Center for Legal and Judicial Studies. He has been a prominent figure at conservative institutions like the Hoover Institution and the Claremont Institute. He served on corporate boards, including for the Armscor company, and authored several books on legal and constitutional theory. He remains an active commentator on legal issues and a defender of the Reagan Administration's legacy.

Personal life and legacy

Edwin Meese married Ursula Herrick in 1959, and they have two children. His legacy is complex, viewed by supporters as a principled advocate for originalism and law and order policies, and by critics as an ethically compromised figure. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2021. His career exemplifies the influence of a loyal presidential advisor in shaping the federal judiciary and the long-term ideological direction of the Department of Justice.

Category:1931 births Category:American lawyers Category:United States Attorneys General Category:Reagan Administration personnel Category:Living people