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Harriet Ellan Miers
Former White House Counsel
Bush Administration Official, Attorney Firings Architect
Overview
Harriet Miers served as White House Counsel under George W. Bush from 2005 to 2007. She proposed replacing all 93 U.S. Attorneys with Bush loyalists in January 2005, a plan so extreme it was scaled back to a targeted purge of nine prosecutors. The DOJ Inspector General found Miers was "at the center of the effort" to politicize federal law enforcement. She refused to comply with congressional subpoenas, claiming executive privilege, and was held in contempt of Congress. Bush briefly nominated her to the Supreme Court in 2005, but she withdrew after bipartisan criticism of her lack of judicial experience.
Key Affiliations
Controversies & Concerns
Proposed replacing all 93 U.S. Attorneys with Bush loyalists
Found by DOJ IG to be "at the center" of the attorney firings effort
Held in contempt of Congress for refusing to testify
Failed Supreme Court nomination withdrawn October 2005
Claimed executive privilege to block congressional investigation
Related Investigations (1)
Criminal Charges & Violations
2 documented violations
2 U.S.C. § 192Contempt of Congress - held in contempt for refusing to comply with House Judiciary Committee subpoena(Federal)
18 U.S.C. § 1505Potential obstruction of congressional proceedings by refusing testimony(Potential Federal)
Known Associates & Connections
George W. Bush
President she served as White House Counsel
Alberto Gonzales
Predecessor as White House Counsel, successor as AG who executed the firings
Karl Rove
Fellow architect of attorney firings scheme
Sources & Documentation
2 documented sources from official records, investigations, and reports
Personal Information
- Born
- August 10, 1945
- Birthplace
- Dallas, Texas, USA
Education
- •B.S., Southern Methodist University
- •J.D., Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law
Key Timeline
1945
Born in Dallas, Texas
1970
Receives J.D. from SMU Dedman School of Law
2001
Appointed White House Staff Secretary under George W. Bush
2005-01
Proposes replacing all 93 U.S. Attorneys with Bush loyalists; plan deemed too extreme
2005-02
Becomes White House Counsel, replacing Alberto Gonzales
2005-10
Nominated to Supreme Court by Bush; withdraws after bipartisan criticism
2006-12-07
Seven U.S. Attorneys fired in coordinated political purge she helped architect
2007-06-13
Subpoenaed by House Judiciary Committee; refuses to appear
2007-07-25
House Judiciary Committee votes to hold her in contempt of Congress
2008-09
DOJ IG report finds she was "at the center of the effort" to politicize DOJ