Edwin Meese


Meese, Edwin, III

(1931– ) lawyer, cabinet member; born in Oakland, Calif. A conservative deputy district attorney (1958–67) and California legal affairs secretary (1967–74), he prosecuted antiwar students for Governor Ronald Reagan. Director of the San Diego Center for Criminal Justice (1977–80), he became Reagan's presidential counsel (1981–85). As attorney general (1985–88), he was accused of impeding the Iran-Contra investigation by allowing conspirators to destroy evidence. He returned to California and took up the private practice of law.