Edwin Meese, III | Biography

Edwin Meese III served as U.S. attorney general from 1985 to 1988 under President Ronald Reagan. Meese, who worked for Reagan when he was the governor of California, was his personal lawyer in the White House before becoming attorney general. Political controversy and scandal finally led him to resign the office.

Meese was born on December 2, 1931 in Oakland, California. After graduating from Yale University in 1953, he attended the University of California Law School. After graduating and passing the California bar exam, Meese went to work in the From 1958 to 1967, Meese worked in the Alameda County, California district attorneys office. In this position Meese honed his prosecutorial and administrative skills. He campaigned for Ronald Reagan in the 1966 gubernatorial race and went to work on Reagan's core administrative team the following year. As secretary of legal affairs he served as a legal counselor to Reagan, offering advice on how the governor should handle high-level issues. By 1969 Reagan highly valued Meese's legal and managerial skills and began to raise his profile. He first served as an executive assistant beforebeing named chief of staff in 1970. In this post Meese controlled access to Reagan and was his closest advisor. When Reagan left office in early 1971, Meese worked in private practice and business before making a career move. Again he combined his legal talents with administrative savvy, working as the director of the Center for Criminal Justice and teaching law at the University of California at San Diego.

However, Meese abandoned his new career when Reagan ran for president in 1980. Meese continued in his role as a Reagan confidante and helped Reagan win the White House. Reagan replicated his California experience by naming Meese counselor to the president. In this post he again advised Reagan on high-profile legal issues within the administration. Reagan also gave him a larger portfolio by asking Meese to spearhead many of his most controversial domestic policy goals. In lobbying within the administration and with Congress for tougher criminal laws and more restrictive abortion laws Meese developed a stellar reputation among political conservatives. He also advised the president on judicial appointees, which led to the appointment of judges who agreed with the Reagan vision of government.

When attorney general William French Smith announced in early 1994 that he would resign, Reagan nominated Meese. It took over a year for Meese's nomination to clear the Senate, due in part to political opposition by Senate Democrats. However, Meese also disclosed he had received an interest free loan from a man he helped secure a government post. In addition, questions were raised about his personal financial dealings. Nevertheless, Meese was confirmed in 1985.

Meese drew national attention when he appointed a commission to study the effect of pornography. The committee reported a causal link between violent pornography and aggressive behavior toward women but many scholars remained unconvinced. Meese's future as attorney general was put in jeopardy by his handling of the initial steps of the Iran-Contra Scandal. A congressional committee later concluded he had made series mistakes in investigating the charges and had given Reagan bad advice. However, Meese damaged more heavily the Wedtech Scandal, which involved Meese's intercession for a defense contractor who, though not originally qualified, received a $32 million contract. An independent counsel probed Meese's conduct and concluded that Meese had not broken any criminal laws but his actions gave the appearance of impropriety. Meese resigned shortly after this report was released.