Ed Meese | |
---|---|
75th United States Attorney General | |
In office February 25, 1985 – July 5, 1988 |
|
President | Ronald Reagan |
Preceded by | William Smith |
Succeeded by | Dick Thornburgh |
Counselor to the President | |
In office January 20, 1981 – February 25, 1985 |
|
President | Ronald Reagan |
Preceded by |
Robert Hartmann John Marsh (1977) |
Succeeded by | Clayton Yeutter (1992) |
Personal details | |
Born |
Edwin Meese III December 2, 1931 Oakland, California, U.S. |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse(s) | Ursula Herrick (1959–present) |
Children | 3 |
Education |
Yale University (BA) University of California, Berkeley (LLB) |
Military service | |
Allegiance | United States |
Service/branch | United States Army |
Years of service | 1953–1984 |
Rank | Colonel |
Edwin "Ed" Meese III (born December 2, 1931) is an American attorney, law professor, author and member of the Republican Party who served in official capacities within the Ronald Reagan Gubernatorial Administration (1967–1974), the Reagan Presidential Transition Team (1980) and the Reagan White House (1981–1985), eventually rising to hold the position of the 75th Attorney General of the United States (1985–1988).
He currently holds fellowships and chairmanships with several public policy councils and think-tanks, including the Constitution Project and the Heritage Foundation. He is also a Distinguished Visiting Fellow with the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. He currently sits on the National Advisory Board of Center for Urban Renewal and Education. He is on the board of directors of The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies. He has served on the board of Cornerstone closed end funds.
Meese was born in Oakland, California, the eldest of four sons born to Leone (née Feldman) and Edwin Meese, Jr. He was raised in a practicing Lutheran family, of German descent. His father was an Oakland city government official, president of the Zion Lutheran Church, and served 24 years in the non-partisan office of Treasurer of Alameda County.
At age 10, Meese published along with his brothers a mimeographed neighborhood newspaper, the Weekly Herald, and used the proceeds to buy a War Bond. The young Meese also rode a bicycle on a paper route and worked in a drugstore. At Oakland High School, Meese was involved in the Junior State of America and led his high school debate team to statewide championships. He was recognized as valedictorian, class of 1949.