- Harriet Miers Supreme Court nomination
On October 3, 2005,
Harriet Miers was nominated for Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court by PresidentGeorge W. Bush to replace retiring Associate JusticeSandra Day O'Connor . Miers was, at the time,White House Counsel , and had previously served in several roles both during Bush's tenure asGovernor of Texas and President. The nomination almost immediately drew criticism, virtually all of it from within the President's own party:David Frum castigated an "unforced error", [ [http://frum.nationalreview.com/post/?q=ZjM1NDExNTgwNmFkYjc5ODJkNWFjNTdmYzg0MDIyMGQ= David Frum's Diary on National Review Online ] ] andRobert Bork denounced it a "disaster" and "a slap in the face to the conservatives who’ve been building up a conservative legal movement for the last 20 years." [ [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9623345/ Bork calls Miers nomination a 'disaster' - Tucker - MSNBC.com ] ] Hearings before theUnited States Senate Judiciary Committee had been scheduled to begin on November 7, and members of the Republican leadership had stated before the nomination that they aimed to have the nominee confirmed beforeThanksgiving (November 24). It was announced that Miers had withdrawn her nomination on October 27, 2005.Overview of the selection process
On July 1, 2005, Sandra Day O'Connor announced her plan to retire as an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, effective as of the date that her replacement was confirmed by the
United States Senate . Bush appointed Miers as head of the search committee for candidates to replace O'Connor. On July 19, Bush announced that he had chosenJohn G. Roberts, Jr. as O'Connor's replacement. AfterWilliam Rehnquist died of complications fromthyroid cancer on September 3, Bush withdrew this nomination and renominated Roberts for Chief Justice, to which he was confirmed.Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader
Harry Reid (D-Nevada ) recommended Miers as O'Connor's successor. ["I had recommended that the President consider nominating Ms. Miers because I was impressed with her record of achievement as the managing partner of a major Texas law firm and the first woman president of the Texas Bar Association. In those roles she was a strong supporter of law firm diversity policies and a leader in promoting legal services for the poor. "cite web |url=http://reid.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=247842&&year=2005& |title= Reid on Miers Withdrawal (Press Release of Senator Reid)|author=Harry Reid|date=Thursday, October 27, 2005 |accessdate=2007-01-04 ] ["I like Harriet Miers. As White House Counsel, she has worked with me in a courteous and professional manner. I am also impressed with the fact that she was a trailblazer for women as managing partner of a major Dallas law firm and as the first woman president of the Texas Bar Association. In my view, the Supreme Court would benefit from the addition of a justice who has real experience as a practicing lawyer. The current justices have all been chosen from the lower federal courts. A nominee with relevant non-judicial experience would bring a different and useful perspective to the Court. "cite web |url=http://reid.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=246777&&year=2005&|title= STATEMENT OF SENATOR HARRY REID ON THE NOMINATION OF HARRIET MIERS TO THE U.S. SUPREME COURT (Press Release of Senator Reid)|author=Harry Reid|date=Monday, October 3, 2005 |accessdate=2007-01-04 ] ["I continue to believe that Harriet Miers received a raw deal. She is an accomplished lawyer, a trailblazer for women and a strong advocate of legal services for the poor. Not only was she denied the up-down vote that my Republican colleagues say every nominee deserves, but she was never even afforded the chance to make her case to the Judiciary Committee."cite web |url=http://reid.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=250959&&year=2006&|title= REID STATEMENT ON THE CONFIRMATION OF SAMUEL ALITO (Press Release of Senator Reid)|author=Harry Reid|date=Tuesday, January 31, 2006 |accessdate=2007-01-04 ] Bush agreed with Reid's suggestion, factoring comments bySenate Judiciary Committee ChairmanArlen Specter (R-Pennsylvania ) and ranking Senator Pat Leahy (D-Vermont ) that Bush's nominees should be outside of the appellate court system. [cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/10/03/scotus.miers/index.html|title=Bush picks White House counsel for Supreme Court|publisher=CNN |date=October 4, 2005|accessdate=2007-01-04] First LadyLaura Bush and Senator Hillary Clinton had also both publicly expressed hope that he would nominate a woman. [http://www.dailytoreador.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2005/10/03/4341a9b92e04b]On October 3, Bush nominated Miers to succeed O'Connor.
Miers' background in brief
Education
Miers attended
Southern Methodist University , where she received abachelor's degree inmathematics (1967) and aJuris Doctor degree (1970). However, Miers' education would later prove troublesome during her nomination process. Her academic background chided against an empirical, if not philosophical, tradition that had gained momentum since the late 1970’s of appointing justices who had received their collegiate, legal, and other graduate education at elite institutions. At the time of her nomination, all sitting justices hailed from leading law schools (specifically: Harvard, Columbia, Yale, Northwestern and Stanford), and all but Justice Thomas had attended prominent colleges.Consequently, as the nomination process developed, individuals across the partisan spectrum came to both denigrate Miers on account of her degrees as well as to paint them as a non-issue. For instance, conservative columnist
Charles Krauthammer addressing her education contended that the, "the Supreme Court is an elite institution. It is not one of the 'popular' branches of government," while conversely thenSenate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) stated he did not feel anIvy League pedigree was a necessary criterion for placement on the court. However, in the long run, discussion over Miers’ academic credentials was overshadowed by the focus placed on her career history and ties to the Bush administration, with fears of “snobbery” calls quieting discussion. [http://www.oxfordpress.com/business/content/shared/news/nation/stories/10/13_COXBUSH_MIERS_PEDIGREE.html]Professional experience
Miers had clerked for the
Chief Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, but had never served as a judge. She had neither taught nor written to any substantial extent on law. In private practice, as a corporate litigator, Miers had courtroom experience, but a scant and undistinguished track record of litigating in federal court (almost none litigating constitutional issues), and had never argued a case before the Supreme Court.Worth noting, however, is that 41 of the 110 Supreme Court Justices appointed had never served as a judge prior to their nomination, [http://supreme.lp.findlaw.com/supreme_court/justices/nopriorexp.html] a defense of Miers' lack of credentials the White House quickly advanced. Some examples during the 20th century include
Louis Brandeis (appointed 1916),Felix Frankfurter (1939),William O. Douglas (1939), Robert Jackson (1941),Earl Warren (1953),Abe Fortas (1965), Lewis Powell (1972), andWilliam Rehnquist (1972). The White House's attempt to use this to placate opposition at best had no valence, and at worst, backfired: offering the comparison to Fortas or particularly Warren further inflamed opposition among conservatives, who do not look upon either as a great exemplar of the kind of Supreme Court justice desired. The White House also argued that 10 of the 34 Justices appointed since 1933 were appointed from positions within the President's administration (as was the case with Miers.) These Justices include the aforementioned Powell, Warren, Frankfurter, and Douglas, as well asArthur Goldberg andTom C. Clark .Fact|date=March 2007Senate minority leader
Harry Reid (D-Nevada ), who had previously floated Miers as an example of an acceptable nominee (further inflaming conservative hostility), [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/03/AR2005100301468.html http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2005/10/3/112632.shtml http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-10-03-Bush-Miers_x.htm?POE=NEWISVA http://www.prospect.org/weblog/archives/2005/10/] issued a statement::In my view, the Supreme Court would benefit from the addition of a justice who has real experience as a practicing lawyer. The current justices have all been chosen from the lower federal courts. A nominee with relevant non-judicial experience would bring a different and useful perspective to the Court. [http://reid.senate.gov/record2.cfm?id=246777]
Nomination issues
Because little was known about Miers' position on divisive issues, and because she had no prior experience as a judge, her nomination was subject to debate on both sides. Many critics were concerned that her inner-circle relationship with the president and his staff could lead to conflicts of interests in court cases. Republican Senator
Sam Brownback stated on "Good Morning America " that " [t] here's precious little to go on and a deep concern that this would be a Souter-type candidate." [cite web|url=http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=1184984|title=GOP Senator Concerned About Miers' Abortion Views|date=Oct. 5, 2005|publisher=ABC News ]Positions on issues that might have come before the court
Abortion
The subject of "
Roe v. Wade ", among otherabortion -related Supreme Court precedents, is highly topical in this most recent nomination. This is in part because O'Connor had voted to overturn a number of state restrictions on abortion, often in narrowly divided 5-4 decisions.As the confirmation process proceeded, more became known about Miers' personal/judicial views on abortion. In 1989, when Miers was running for the Dallas City Council, she allegedly filled out a survey for the anti-abortion group Texas United for Life. [Note that the document referenced does not contain her signature. cite web|url=http://wid.ap.org/documents/scotus/miers/miers_tulpac.pdf|title= 1989 Texans United for Life survey|accessdate=2007-01-04] The questionnaire sought to gauge candidates' feelings on the use of
constitutional amendment s or state laws to ban abortions in the event the Supreme Court overturned a 1973 ruling that established abortion rights. The questionnaire asked "If Congress passes a Human Life Amendment to the Constitution that would prohibit abortion except when it was necessary to prevent the death of the mother, would you actively support its ratification by the Texas Legislature." Miers answered "yes" to this question and all others listed.Miers said in 1992 that she felt Supreme Court nominees should not be asked about how they would rule on abortion issues. [http://www.timothypcarney.com/?p=156] In 1993, when the
American Bar Association (ABA) opted to take a stance in favor of legal access to abortion, Miers fought to have the full membership of the ABA vote on the topic: "If we were going to take a position on this divisive issue, the members should have been able to vote."It is not clear what impact, if any, her personal views would have had on her judicial rulings. The religious beliefs of nominees on abortion and other controversial social issues have been a significant part of confirmation hearings for nominees thought to have traditional religious beliefs. Some
civil rights activists (notably theCatholic League for Civil and Religious Rights , Notre Dame law professorCharles Rice in the "National Review ", the civil rights group theCenter for Jewish Values and the convervative Catholic groupFidelis ) [cite web|url=http://catholicleague.org/05press_releases/quarter%204/051005_miers.htm|title=MIERS’ RELIGION ALREADY UNDER FIRE |publisher=Catholic League for Civil and Religious Rights |date=October 5, 2005|accessdate=2007-01-04] consider such interrogation by senators to be a violation of the constitutional prohibition of any religious tests for federal office.Brownback, a member of the Judiciary Committee, said there was a "good chance" he would vote against Miers if she testified that "Roe v. Wade" was "settled law" ." [cite web|url=http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=1184984|title=GOP Senator Concerned About Miers' Abortion Views|date=Oct. 5, 2005|publisher=
ABC News ]Affirmative action
As President of the Texas State Bar, Miers supported
affirmative action , going so far as to continue a quota system for women and ethnic minorities practicing law in the state. [cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/21/AR2005102102139_pf.html|title=Miers Backed Race, Sex Set-Asides|author=Jo Becker and Sylvia Moreno|date=October 22, 2005|accessdate=2007-01-04] Bob Dunn, the outgoing president of the organization, described Miers as "certainly one of the leaders" in supporting the quota system.The right to keep and bear arms
Miers included the "right to keep and bear arms" in a list of "precious liberties" contained in a commentary she authored in 1992. [cite journal|journal=Texas Lawyer|date=July 27, 1992|pages=10|title=Title unknown]
Gay rights
Although Miers did not make her position clear on
gay rights , she hinted at her views in answering a questionnaire submitted to her by a Texas gay rights group during her 1989 campaign for a Dallas City Council position. Miers indicated on the questionnaire that she supported civil rights for homosexuals, but opposed the repeal of thesodomy laws that were ultimately overturned by a 6-3 decision (with Justice O'Connor in the majority) in "Lawrence v. Texas ".Balance of powers
As President of the Texas State Bar, Miers fought legislation that would curtail the power of the Texas Supreme Court to limit
attorneys fees in tort lawsuits. Some commentators have asked whether this portends a lack of respect for the proper role of the courts. For example, conservative activistMark Levin responded to this information by saying, " [i] f there is a bias toward judicial supremacy, it's best that we know this now, in advance of a confirmation vote." [cite web|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9623557/|title=Miers' stand on attorney fee caps questioned|date=October 7, 2005|accessdate=2007-01-04|publisher=MSNBC ] Miers' rationale for withdrawing her nomination—that she feared the Senate's demand for information about her White House work would force a breach ofExecutive Branch secrecy—may indicate that she supported expansive presidential powers. [http://www.blogdenovo.org/archives/001113.html]Other potential controversies: the Texas Lottery Commission
From 1995 to 2000, Miers chaired the
Texas Lottery Commission (having been appointed by Bush when he was Governor of Texas).In 1997, the Commission hired Lawrence Littwin as the lottery's executive director; five months later, he was fired. Littwin brought suit over his firing, alleging that the lottery contractor, GTech Corporation, had influenced the Commission to fire him for improper reasons. GTech settled the case by paying him $300,000, with Littwin agreeing not to discuss the case or the settlement. [http://www.gregpalast.com/detail.cfm?artid=19&row=3] Upon Miers' nomination to the Court, GTech, at the request of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released Littwin from the confidentiality provision. Conservative columnist
Jerome Corsi has called Littwin's testimony "potentially explosive" because it could have implicated Miers in an attempt to cover up theGeorge W. Bush military service controversy . [http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=46963]Reactions to her nomination
Miers' nomination drew criticism from both political parties. Principal complaints included:
* That her credentials under objective standards were not sufficient to qualify her for the position.
* That her nomination was the result of politicalcronyism . [ [http://www.billoreilly.com/show?action=viewTVShow&showID=1490#1 BillOReilly.com: The O'Reilly Factor Flash ] ] Since her legal experience did not compare to that of other possible candidates, like federal appellate judgesEdith Jones ,Priscilla Owen , andJanice Rogers Brown , it was deemed likely that President Bush nominated Miers for her personal loyalty to him rather than for her qualifications.Fact|date=February 2007 She was frequently compared to Michael BrownFact|date=February 2007, a Bush appointee alleged to have gotten his position based on loyalty rather than experience.Fact|date=February 2007 Brown had resigned as chief of FEMA exactly three weeks prior to Miers' nomination, amidst nearly universal condemnation of how he and his agency handledHurricane Katrina .
* That there was no written record to demonstrate that she was either a strict constructionist or originalist in her approach to constitutional interpretation. There were qualms that she could be amoderate or liberal "sleeper" who would support abortion rights, affirmative action and gay rights if confirmed to a seat on the Supreme Court.Notable conservative commentators expressing these or other concerns included newspaper columnists
Pat Buchanan ,Ann Coulter , [cite web|url=http://www.anncoulter.org/cgi-local/printer_friendly.cgi?article=79|title=THIS IS WHAT 'ADVICE AND CONSENT' MEANS|author=Ann Coulter |date=October 5, 2005]Charles Krauthammer , [cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/06/AR2005100601468.html|title=Withdraw This Nominee|date=Charles Krauthammer|author=Charles Krauthammer ]William Kristol , [cite web|url=http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/006/166quhvd.asp|title=Disappointed, Depressed and Demoralized|date=10/03/2005|author=William Kristol ]Rush Limbaugh ,Ramesh Ponnuru , andGeorge Will ; [cite web|url= http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/04/AR2005100400954.html|title=Can This Nomination Be Justified?|author=George Will |date=October 5, 2005] former Bush speechwriterDavid Frum ; and constitutional scholarRandy Barnett . [http://www.opinionjournal.com/extra/?id=110007354] Finally,Robert Bork , one of the premier advocates oforiginalism and a Supreme Court nominee under President Reagan who was eventually rejected by the Senate, proclaimed that the nomination was "a disaster on every level," and a "slap in the face" to conservatives. [cite web|url=http://msnbc.msn.com/id/9623345|title=Bork calls Miers nomination a 'disaster' |date=Oct 14, 2005]In addition to the initial positive comments from Democrat Senator Harry Reid, other prominent Republican conservatives were supportive of Miers, including former U.S. House Speaker
Newt Gingrich , [http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.gingrich07oct07,1,6533234.story?coll=bal-oped-headlines&ctrack=1&cset=true]Focus on the Family founderJames Dobson (who later suggested he would have recanted his endorsement if she had not withdrawn), SenatorJohn Cornyn of Texas, [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB112847511176560241.html] columnistMark Steyn , [http://www.suntimes.com/output/steyn/cst-edt-steyn09.html] and former Indiana SenatorDan Coats , [http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/editorials/hc-miersfaith.artoct14,0,5137580.story?coll=hc-headlines-editorials] who became the Bush administration's appointed guide for Miers through the confirmation process.A comprehensive list from the Republican side on the pros and cons of the Miers nomination is available at "RightSideRedux.com". [http://www.rightsideredux.com/projects/miers/procon.htm]
Robert Schenck had access to
Harriet Miers during her brief Supreme Court nomination and took exception that she was attendingSt. John's Episcopal Church, Washington, D.C. rather than a local chapter of the more fundamentalistChurch of Christ as she had done back in Texas.Withdrawal
The conventional wisdom has it that Miers requested to withdraw her nomination on October 27, 2005, and President Bush acceded to her wishes. [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9837502/] That Miers jumped rather than being pushed was initially accepted, subsequently that view has been challenged; specifically, it has been reported that Miers' abysmal performance in pre-hearings
murder board s had made clear toWhite House Chief of Staff Andy Card and DeputyWhite House Counsel William K. Kelley that the game was up, at which point, they demanded Miers withdraw. After initial resistance, she acquiesced. [SeeJan Crawford Greenburg , SUPREME CONFLICT (2007) pp.282-4]Bush and Miers attributed her withdrawal to requests from the Judiciary Committee for the release of internal White House documents that the administration has insisted were protected by
executive privilege . Both Republican and Democratic senators denied that they were attempting to obtain privileged documents. [http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/10/27/miers.nominations/index.html] Most observers instead believed this rationale was a way for the Bush administration to pull her nomination and still "save face," by avoiding a direct acknowledgment of the lack of support for her nomination. The claim of executive privilege was in fact previously recommended as an "exit strategy" by numerous commentators, such asCharles Krauthammer , [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/20/AR2005102001635.html] and reports indicated that White House advisors had considered that as a tactic. [http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/politics/3413494]Samuel Alito , a federal judge on theU.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit , was nominated four days after her withdrawal and subsequently confirmed.References
Additional documents
Additional disclosure forms are available via the
* [http://wid.ap.org/documents/scotus/miers/miers_findisc.pdf A financial disclosure form dated October 17, 2005.]
* [http://wid.ap.org/documents/scotus/miers/miers_financial.pdf A financial statement outlining Miers' net worth.]
* [http://wid.ap.org/documents/scotus/miers/miers_questionnaire.pdf The full, 57-page questionnaire submitted by Miers to the Senate as part of the vetting process.]External links
* [http://pview.findlaw.com/view/2172806_1 FindLaw profile]
* [http://www.whitehouse.gov/government/hmiers-bio.html Official White House biography]
* [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/20/AR2005062001161.html Washington Post profile]
* [http://www.dallasnews.com/s/dws/news/nation/stories/030305dnnatmiers.19086.html Dallas Morning News profile]
* [http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/09/27/D8CSSDT8B.html News story on possible SCOTUS nomination]
* [http://www.newsmeat.com/washington_political_donations/Harriet_Miers.php Campaign contributions made by Harriet Miers]
* [http://www.whitehouse.gov/ask/20041029.html Ask The White House interview]
* [http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/10/03/scotus.preview/index.html CNN: "Supreme Court enters Roberts era; Bush picks Harriet Miers to replace O'Connor"]
* [http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/10/03/miers.profile.ap/index.html CNN: "Bush: Miers a 'pit bull in size 6 shoes'"]
* [http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2005/10/04/bush_taps_counsel_for_high_court/ Bush taps counsel for high court] - "The Boston Globe "
* [http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2005/10/04/presidents_pick_has_leaned_left_and_right/ President's pick has leaned left and right] - "The Boston Globe "
* [http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2005/10/04/for_bush_this_pick_may_avert_a_battle/ For Bush, this pick may avert a battle] - "The Boston Globe "
* [http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2005/10/04/both_sides_of_the_aisle_vow_to_check_mierss_record/ Both sides of the aisle vow to check Miers's record] - "The Boston Globe "
* [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/03/AR2005100300252.html White House Counsel Miers Chosen for Court] - "The Washington Post "
* [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4933926 Harriet Miers Nominated for Supreme Court] - "NPR "
* [http://www.movingideas.org/content/en/supreme_court_action.htm Progressives' Guide to the Harriet Miers Nomination]
* [http://www.legalreforminthenews.com/leaders/Miers/Miers_bio.html Harriet Miers Bio]
* [http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/SupremeCourt/story?id=1170572 Who Is Harriet Miers? 'Pit Bull in Size 6 Shoes' Has Distinguished Career] - "ABC News "
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/05/politics/politicsspecial1/05miers.html?ex=1286164800&en=c6a9807bbec2b5f4&ei=5090 In Midcareer, a Turn to Faith to Fill a Void] - "The New York Times "
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/05/politics/politicsspecial1/05documents.html President, Citing Executive Privilege, Indicates He'll Reject Requests for Counsel's Documents] - "The New York Times "
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/05/politics/politicsspecial/05nominate.html?ex=1286164800&en=8ccf0a1704302d5a&ei=5090 Bush Fends Off Sharp Criticism of Court Choice] - "The New York Times "
* [http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/law/supreme_court/miers/ The Harriet Miers Confirmation] - "PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer "
* [http://www.law.umich.edu/library/news/topics/miers/miersindex.htm Harriet Miers writings]
* [http://www.sctnomination.com/blog/ Supreme Court Nomination Blog]
* [http://www.scotusblog.com/movabletype/ SCOTUSblog]
* [http://movies.crooksandliars.com/TDS-Conservative-reaction-to-Miers.mov Conservative Reaction to Miers]
* [http://www.rightsideredux.com/projects/miers/procon.htm Pro-Miers and Con-Miers Arguments with Sources]
* [http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/forumy/2005/10/in-praise-of-treachery-relevance-of.php In Praise of Treachery: The Relevance of Prior Judicial Experience] ,JURIST
* [http://www.opinionjournal.com/diary/?id=110007415 Miers to overturn Roe]
* [http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/forumy/2005/10/two-cheers-for-harriet-miers.php Two Cheers for Harriet Miers] ,JURIST
* [http://www.lawmoose.com/index.cfm?Action=Library.&Topic=MN194470 U.S. Supreme Court Nominee Harriet Miers] ,LawMoose
* [http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/forumy/2005/10/is-miers-skepticism-sexist.php Is Miers Skepticism Sexist?] ,JURIST
* [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/27/AR2005102700680.html Text of Miers's withdrawal letter to President Bush] , October 27, 2005
* [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/27/AR2005102700554.html Statement by the President accepting withdrawal] , October 27, 2005
* [http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/forumy/2005/10/bush-blinks-and-miers-pays-price.php Bush Blinks and Miers Pays the Price] ,JURIST
* [http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/forumy/2005/10/executive-privilege-and-withdrawal-of.php Executive Privilege and the Withdrawal of Harriet Miers] ,JURIST
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