http://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt358035d1 Online items available Inventory of the Edwin Meese papers, 1941-1991 Finding aid prepared by Aparna Mukherjee, revised by Hoover Institution Library and Archives Staff and Beth Goder Hoover Institution Library and Archives © 1991, 2013 434 Galvez Mall Stanford University Stanford, CA 94305-6003 [email protected] URL: http://www.hoover.org/library-and-archives Inventory of the Edwin Meese 91005 1 papers, 1941-1991 Title: Edwin Meese papers Date (inclusive): 1941-1991 Collection Number: 91005 Contributing Institution: Hoover Institution Library and Archives Language of Material: English Physical Description: 772 manuscript boxes, 2 oversize boxes, 1 envelope, 5 sound cassettes, 2 motion picture film reels(325.0 Linear Feet) Abstract: Speeches, correspondence, memoranda, reports, schedules, press releases, legal documents, printed matter, photographs, and sound recordings related to California politics and administration of the California state government during the governorship of Ronald Reagan; and to American domestic policy, Republican Party politics, and federal administration of justice during the presidency of Ronald Reagan. Digital copies of select records also available at https://digitalcollections.hoover.org. Creator: Meese, Edwin Hoover Institution Library & Archives Access The collection is open for research; materials must be requested at least two business days in advance of intended use. Publication Rights For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives. Acquisition Information Materials were acquired by the Hoover Institution Library & Archives in 1991, with increments received in subsequent years. Preferred Citation [Identification of item], Edwin Meese papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives. Alternate Forms Available Digital copies of select records also available at https://digitalcollections.hoover.org. 1931 Born, Oakland, California December 2 1954-1955 Served in the United States Army 1953 A.B. in public administration, Yale University 1958 Married Ursula Herrick J.D., University of California, Berkeley 1959-1967 Deputy district attorney, Alameda County, California 1967-1968 Legal affairs secretary (previously called secretary on clemency and extradition) to Governor Reagan 1969-1974 Executive assistant, chief of staff to Governor Reagan, Sacramento, California 1975-1976 Vice president, administration, Rohr Industries, Chula Vista, California 1976-1980 Attorney at law 1977-1978 Director, Center for Criminal Justice Policy and Management, University of California, San Diego 1977-1981 Professor of law, University of California, San Diego 1980 Chief of staff and senior issues advisor, Ronald Reagan Presidential Campaign 1981-1985 Member of the National Security Council Member of President Reagan's Cabinet Counselor to President Reagan, Washington, D.C. 1983 Recipient, Distinguished Public Service Award 1985 February-1988U.S. attorney general, Washington, D.C. August 1988- Ronald Reagan Chair in Public Policy, The Heritage Foundation Distinguished visiting fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University, California 1992 Author, With Reagan: The Inside Story 1996 President, Council for National Policy 1996-2004 Member, Board of Visitors, George Mason University 1997 Author, Making America Safer 2001-2013 Chairman, Center for Legal and Judicial Studies, Heritage Foundation Inventory of the Edwin Meese 91005 2 papers, 1941-1991 2004 Author, Leadership, Ethics and Policing 2006 Member, Iraq Study Group 2008 Named honorary Reagan fellow of Eureka College, Illinois 2012 Recipient, Bradley Prize Scope and Content of Collection The Edwin Meese papers document Meese's role in the gubernatorial and presidential administrations of Ronald Reagan. The collection contains speeches, correspondence, memoranda, reports, schedules, press releases, legal documents, printed matter, photographs, and sound recordings related to California politics and administration of the California state government during the governorship of Ronald Reagan; and to American domestic policy, Republican Party politics, and federal administration of justice during the presidency of Ronald Reagan. Meese began his work for Ronald Reagan during Reagan's two terms as governor of California. In his book With Reagan, Meese notes that he was recommended to the governor based on his experience with law enforcement. From 1967 to 1968, Meese served as legal affairs secretary, tasked with resolving issues of extraditions, prisons, and capital punishment, as well as acting as a liaison to legal, judicial, and law enforcement departments. From 1969 to 1974, Meese was executive assistant and chief of staff, directing the governor's executive office and serving on the cabinet. In this role, Meese also had responsibilities concerning the National Guard, the Office of Emergency Services, and the Office of Criminal Justice Planning. The Gubernatorial Administration of Ronald Reagan File documents Meese's work during this period through correspondence, clippings, memoranda, reports, schedules, speeches, and court documents. During Reagan's campaign for the presidency in 1980, Meese served as chief of staff and senior issues advisor. In order to devote more time to the campaign, Meese spent less time teaching as a professor of law at UC San Diego and gave up his duties managing the Center for Criminal Justice Policy and Management. After Reagan was elected, Meese served as a counselor to the president and as a member of his cabinet. Boxes 566 to 582 document the Iran-Contra Affair, a scandal involving the sale of arms to Iran in exchange for Iran's help in releasing American hostages. In November 1986, after news of the scandal became public, Meese announced that some of the money gained from selling arms to Iran had been used to fund the Contras in Nicaragua. The collection includes clippings, correspondence, memoranda, testimony of Meese and others, phone logs, and chronologies related to the Iran-Contra Affair. From February 1985 to August 1988, Edwin Meese held the position of attorney general of the United States. In this role, Meese influenced policy initiatives concerning drug abuse, civil rights, and criminal procedure, in addition to creating a national marijuana eradication program. His accomplishments included prevention and control of crime, improvement of the criminal justice system, protection of civil rights, promotion of economic growth, improvement of the legal system, government financial integrity, and the preservation of constitutional values. The Presidential Administration of Ronald Reagan File documents Meese's work during Ronald Reagan's presidency from 1981 to 1988, including his efforts as the 75th attorney general of the United States. As required by law, security-classified materials have been removed from the collection until they can be declassified by government officials. Gubernatorial Administration of Ronald Reagan File, 1941-1976. Contains correspondence, clippings, memoranda, reports, schedules, and court documents related to Meese's role during Ronald Reagan's terms as governor of California. Boxes 128-554, 772-773, film shelf. Agriculture and Services Agency Boxes 349-353, 364-367 Appointments to government positions Boxes 481-487 Budget Boxes 312-335 Business and Transportation Agency Boxes 370-378 California Council on Criminal Justice (CCCJ) Boxes 160-170 Clippings Boxes 456-480 Community and minority relations Inventory of the Edwin Meese 91005 3 papers, 1941-1991 Boxes 191-193 Conference file Boxes 288-300 Correspondence and memoranda Boxes 144-149, 154-155, 501-505, 529 Department of Corrections Boxes 390-395 Education Boxes 193-201, 487-494 Emergencies and disaster planning Boxes 176-190 Energy Boxes 440-446 Environment Boxes 424-439 Health and Welfare Agency Boxes 378-387, 552 Intelligence Boxes 494-497 Intergovernmental management Boxes 206-217, 247-251, 300-311 Legal affairs, legislation, and crime Boxes 217-240, 264-271 Military Boxes 240-247, 259 Office of Economic Opportunity Boxes 395-408 Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act Boxes 170-174 Photographs Box 771 Schedules of Reagan and Meese Boxes 255-261, 509-511 Sound recordings Box 773 Speeches and speaking engagements of Meese Boxes 511-515 Speeches of Ronald Reagan Boxes 280-286 State employees Boxes 357-364 Student radicalism, activism, and unrest Boxes 230-236, 488-490 Tax reform Boxes 338-348 Water Boxes 447-449 Welfare Inventory of the Edwin Meese 91005 4 papers, 1941-1991 Boxes 409-418 Presidential Administration of Ronald Reagan File, 1975-1991. Contains correspondence, clippings, memoranda, reports, schedules, and court documents related to Meese's role during Ronald Reagan's presidency, including Meese's service as attorney general from 1985 to 1988. Boxes 554-771, 774. Alphabetical file Boxes 563-566, 608-627, 644-658, 693-701, 736-769 Chronological file Boxes 627-629 Clippings on Iran Boxes 710-716 Correspondence Boxes 602, 690-692, 708 Drug prevention Boxes 585-596 Iran-Contra Affair Boxes 566-581 Republican National Committee Boxes 686-689 Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation Boxes 729-736 Schedules of Reagan and Meese Boxes 554-556, 559-561, 582-584, 599-600, 603-608 Speeches and travel file Boxes 706-708, 653-658 Related Materials Ronald Reagan subject collection, Hoover Institution Library & Archives Citizens for Reagan records, Hoover Institution Library & Archives Governor and the Students videotape