Edwin Meese facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Edwin Meese
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| 75th United States Attorney General | |
| In office February 25, 1985 – August 12, 1988 |
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| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | William French Smith |
| Succeeded by | Dick Thornburgh |
| Counselor to the President | |
| In office January 20, 1981 – February 25, 1985 |
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| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Robert T. Hartmann John Otho Marsh Jr. (1977) |
| Succeeded by | Clayton Yeutter (1992) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Edwin Meese III
December 2, 1931 Oakland, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Ursula Herrick
(m. 1959) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Yale University (BA) University of California, Berkeley (LLB) |
| Awards | Presidential Medal of Freedom (2019) |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1953–1984 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Unit | Field Artillery |
Edwin Meese III, born on December 2, 1931, is an American lawyer, professor, and author. He is a member of the Republican Party. Meese worked closely with Ronald Reagan for many years. He served in Reagan's government when Reagan was the governor of California (1967–1974). Later, he was part of Reagan's team when he became president.
Meese was the 75th United States Attorney General from 1985 to 1988. This is the top legal officer in the U.S. government. Before that, he was a key advisor called the Counselor to the President from 1981 to 1985. He resigned from his Attorney General role in 1988 amidst some questions about his actions. Today, Meese is a trustee for The Heritage Foundation, a group that studies public policy. He also works with the Hoover Institution at Stanford University.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Edwin Meese III was born in Oakland, California, on December 2, 1931. He was the oldest of four sons. His family was Lutheran and had German roots. His father worked for the city of Oakland and was the treasurer for Alameda County for 24 years.
When he was 10, Meese and his brothers started a small newspaper called the Weekly Herald. They used the money they earned to buy a war bond. He also delivered newspapers and worked at a drugstore. At Oakland High School, Meese was very active. He was part of the Junior State of America and helped his debate team win state championships. He was the top student, or valedictorian, of his class in 1949.
Meese was accepted to Yale University with a scholarship. At Yale, he was very involved in student politics and debate. He was president of the Yale Political Union and chairman of the Yale Debate Association. He did well in his studies and graduated in 1953 with a degree in political science.
Military Service
While at Yale, Meese was part of the ROTC. After graduating in 1953, he became a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He spent two years at Fort Sill in Oklahoma. He worked in logistics, dealing with large military equipment. Meese finished his active duty in 1956. He then continued to serve in the U.S. Army Reserve, focusing on military intelligence. He retired from the Army Reserve as a colonel in 1984.
Career
After his military service, Meese returned to California. He earned his law degree from UC Berkeley School of Law in 1958. He was also a champion in a student law competition called Moot Court.
He started working as a law clerk for the district attorney's office in Alameda County, California. A district attorney is a lawyer who works for the government to prosecute crimes. While there, he worked on serious criminal cases. He also had his own private law practice at night and on weekends, focusing on civil law. In 1959, he married his high school sweetheart, Ursula Herrick.
California Governor's Office
In 1967, Meese joined Ronald Reagan's team when Reagan was the governor. He first served as the legal affairs secretary for a year. In 1969, he became Governor Reagan's executive assistant and chief of staff. He held this important role until 1974. Even though he later became a strong supporter of Reagan, Meese was at first unsure about taking the job.
Meese was known for being able to explain complicated ideas to Reagan in a clear way. He helped Reagan understand many different topics. A writer named Lou Cannon called him "Reagan's geographer" because of this skill. Meese also convinced Mike Deaver, who worked for the previous chief of staff, to stay on. This started a long partnership between them. Even a Democratic leader, Bob Moretti, praised Meese, saying he would want someone like him on his side if he were governor.
Industry and Academia
From 1975 to 1976, Meese worked as a vice president for Rohr Industries in California. This company made railcars for the San Francisco Bay Area's train system. After that, he worked in private law practice.
Later, Meese helped create a center for criminal justice policy and management at the University of San Diego. From 1977 to 1981, he was a law professor at the university. He also directed the new center. During this time, he was also involved with California's Organized Crime Control Commission.
Reagan Presidency
Presidential Campaign and Transition
In 1980, Meese joined Ronald Reagan's presidential campaign full-time. He became the chief of staff for the campaign, managing daily operations and advising on important issues. After Reagan won the 1980 election, Meese led Reagan's team that prepared for the new presidency. This team helped plan how the new government would start.
Meese suggested that Reagan's team set up an office early to prepare for the transition. This helped avoid problems that other presidents had faced when taking office. Meese's transition team involved over 1,000 people, including many volunteers.
Counselor to the President
On November 17, 1980, Meese and James Baker met to decide their roles in the White House. They wanted to avoid conflicts because their jobs were similar. Meese became the Counselor to the President. This meant he advised the president on many important issues. He was also a member of Reagan's Cabinet and the National Security Council from 1981 to 1985. In 1981, Meese led the first White House discussion about what would become Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), a missile defense program.
Meese also helped connect the president with conservative evangelical leaders. He was praised for a speech in 1982 where he talked about the importance of the Bible. He said that even with many laws, people haven't improved on the Ten Commandments.
Near the end of Reagan's presidency, Meese's role in the Iran–Contra affair was looked into by an independent group. This group examined his knowledge of a specific transaction. Meese was seen as a very powerful and important person in the White House. A former advisor, David Gergen, said Meese was a "tremendously influential and highly valued adviser" to President Reagan.
Comments on Hunger in America
In December 1983, Meese made some comments about hunger in America that caused discussion. When asked about helping hungry children, he said he had not seen "authoritative" proof that children in America were going hungry. He also suggested that some people might go to soup kitchens because the food is free, not because they are truly hungry.
Attorney General
On January 23, 1984, President Reagan chose Meese to be the next U.S. Attorney General. This is the head of the U.S. Department of Justice. For over a year, some politicians questioned Meese's past actions. They wanted to stop him from being confirmed for the job.
Despite these challenges, Meese was finally approved by the Senate with a vote of 63 to 31. He faced more opposition than most other Attorney General nominees since the 1920s. He started serving as Attorney General in February 1985. In 1985, Meese received an award for his excellent management in this role.
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