Mustang on the Supreme Court (Maybe)

[Terry Webster]

One of our own, Harriet Meirs, is set to be nominated to the Supreme Court today. Don't know much about her views, but hopefully she will make the Ponies look good on national tv.

[MrMustang1965]

Harriet Miers was born in Dallas, Texas on August 10, 1945.

Ms. Miers received her bachelor's degree in Mathematics in 1967 and J.D. in 1970 from Southern Methodist University. Upon graduation, she clerked for U.S. District Judge Joe E. Estes from 1970 to 1972. In 1972, Ms. Miers became the first woman hired at Dallas's Locke Purnell Rain Harrell.

In March 1996, her colleagues elected her the first female President of Locke, Purnell, Rain & Harrell, at that time a firm of about 200 lawyers. She became the first female to lead a Texas firm of that size.

Locke, Purnell eventually merged with a Houston firm and became Locke Liddell & Sapp, LLP, where Ms. Miers became Co-Managing Partner and helped manage an over-400-lawyer firm.

* In 1989, she was elected to a two-year term as an at-large candidate on the Dallas City Council. She chose not to run for re-election when her term expired.

* Ms. Miers also served as general counsel for the transition team of Governor-elect George W. Bush in 1994.

* From 1995 until 2000, Ms. Miers served as Chairwoman of the Texas Lottery Commission, a voluntary public service position she undertook while maintaining her legal practice and other responsibilities. When then-Governor Bush appointed Ms. Miers to a six-year term on the Texas Lottery Commission, it was mired in scandal, and she served as a driving force behind its cleanup.

Ms. Miers came to Washington D.C. in 2001 and began a period of distinguished and dedicated service that continues today.

* She was appointed to be Assistant to the President and Staff Secretary on January 20, 2001.

* In 2003, Ms. Miers was promoted to be Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff.

* Ms. Miers has served as Counsel to the President since February, 2005.

She is single and very close to her family: two brothers and her mother live in Dallas and a third brother lives in Houston.

Ms. Miers had a very distinguished career as a trial litigator, representing such clients as Microsoft, Walt Disney Co. and SunGard Data Systems Inc.

Throughout her career, she has been very active in the legal community and has blazed a trail for other women to follow.

* In 1985, Ms. Miers was selected as the first woman to become President of the Dallas Bar Association.

* In 1992, she became the first woman elected President of the State Bar of Texas. Ms. Miers served as the President of the State Bar of Texas from 1992 to 1993.

* She played an active role in the American Bar Association. She was one of two candidates for the Number 2 position at the ABA, chair of the House of Delegates, before withdrawing her candidacy to move to Washington to serve in the White House. Ms. Miers also served as the chair of the ABA's Commission on Multijurisdictional Practice.

On numerous occasions, the National Law Journal named her one of the Nation's 100 most powerful attorneys, and as one of the Nation's top 50 women lawyers.

Ms. Miers also has been involved in local and statewide politics in Texas.

[jtstang]

A conservative who's never been a judge. It'll be next to impossible to get her confirmed as what will amount to the swing vote on a number of divisive issues such as abortion, et al. I personally think this is a bizzare choice.

[Terry Webster]

According to what I've read, the conservatives are the ones screaming the most. I was listening to Laura Ingraham this morning and she was not at all happy-especially since Harriet donated $250 to the Clinton campaign in the early 90's. Should be fun.

[Dooby]

Wow. So I get to add Supreme Court Justice to the list of people I have met.

I used to work for Locke Liddell. Miers is smart and tough as nails. But if you are conservative, be warned. She has Justice Kennedy written all over her.

[EastStang]

There are a lot of conservatives who fear she might be another O'Conner who was supposed to be a conservative justice. Or even worse another Souter who daddy Bush appointed. If she's not as conservative as desired, I suspect when the left comes at her with knives, Oren Hatch and others won't put up too hard of a fight to save her in hopes that the next person will be more to their liking. Washington theatre. You'll find out what the right thinks by Hatch's questioning. If he defends her like he did Thomas, then she's conservative. If he is passive, he fears another Souter and doesn't want to go there again.

[KnuckleStang]

Yeah, but does she give money to the MUSTANG CLUB????

[mrydel]

Yeah, but does she give money to the MUSTANG CLUB????

More importantly....Can she coach Special Teams?

[EastStang]

From the pictures I've seen, I wouldn't want to come back to the bench and explain to her why I missed a tackle.

[ponyboy]

A conservative who's never been a judge. It'll be next to impossible to get her confirmed as what will amount to the swing vote on a number of divisive issues such as abortion, et al. I personally think this is a bizzare choice.

No more bizarre than Rehnquist who had also never been a judge before being nominated to the highest court in the land. The strategy is that the less you know about the candidate, the less there is to Bork the candidate.

[mrydel]

JTstang I bow to your assessment. She has withdrawn.

[jtstang]

Actually, that surprises me as much as the nomination in the first place.

[mrydel]

Well, I am not an attorney nor do I play one on TV but if you can not even get your own team to back you there is going to be trouble. Is Bork still alive? Let's bring him back and see what kind of stir that causes!!!!

[jtstang]

Well, I am not an attorney nor do I play one on TV but if you can not even get your own team to back you there is going to be trouble.

That's kinda what I mean. Dubya will be viewed as bowing to the opposition on this deal...and the opposition was primarily from conservatives! Does not seem like a good move for a president whose public perception is waning. Strange nomination and withdrawal.

[mrydel]

Well, I am not an attorney nor do I play one on TV but if you can not even get your own team to back you there is going to be trouble.

That's kinda what I mean. Dubya will be viewed as bowing to the opposition on this deal...and the opposition was primarily from conservatives! Does not seem like a good move for a president whose public perception is waning. Strange nomination and withdrawal.

My impression is that you lean left and I definitely lean right but this is an item on which we agree fully. I have no idea why he did this unless he knew she was going to withdraw and is setting it up for a hard core conservative and a battle that will bring out the "nuclear option". And personally I have lost faith that W has the gumption to do this.