Supreme Court Nominee: Harriet Ellan Miers
Supreme Court Nominee: Harriet Ellan Miers
Monday, October 3, 2005
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and former Texas Supreme Court justice, made the following statement regarding the nomination of Harriet Ellan Miers, 60, to the Supreme Court of the United States:
"The President has announced his nominee to replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor on the Supreme Court of the United States: Harriet Miers, currently serving as White House Counsel. As he did with Judge John G. Roberts, Jr., the President has chosen an outstanding nominee for our nation's highest court. The Senate should consider this nomination in both a thorough and expedient manner.
"Harriet Miers is a brilliant legal mind. She is a woman of outstanding character who clearly understands what it means to follow the law. She is deeply committed to public service, and has a distinguished history of professional achievement. It is clear that her past experiences have well prepared her for the honor of serving our country as a Supreme Court Justice. I strongly support her nomination.
"It is important that we put aside partisanship, and that the Senate fulfill its constitutional responsibility of advice and consent. This fine nominee must be treated with civility and respect, not as a political pawn. I hope that we in the Senate can move forward in a manner worthy of the American people."
Harriet Miers, a native Texan, received both her undergraduate and law degrees from Southern Methodist University. Prior to her service as White House Counsel to President Bush, she held the positions of Deputy Chief of Staff and Staff Secretary. Ms. Miers was Co-Managing Partner at Locke Liddell & Sapp, LLP, and was also previously President of Locke, Purnell, Rain & Harrell, where she worked from 1972 until 1999. From 1995 until 2000, she was chair of the Texas Lottery Commission. In 1985 she became the first woman to head the Dallas Bar Association, and in 1992 was then the first woman to lead the Texas State Bar.
Sen. Cornyn chairs the Judiciary Committee's subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security and Citizenship, and is the only former judge on the committee. He served previously as Texas Supreme Court Justice, Texas Attorney General, and Bexar County District Judge.
http://cornyn.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=246763