The Meese Revolution: The Making of a Constitutional Moment

Ed Meese was known in 1985 for his devotion to President Ronald Reagan, his boundless energy, and his rock-ribbed conservatism. Some delegates were no doubt curious to see whether this former state prosecutor, San Diego School of Law professor, and best friend of a movie star turned politician was really up to the job of serving as Attorney General of the United States. Everyone probably expected a welcoming speech full of pablum about the importance of the lawyers' guild, pay increases for judges, and respect for the rule of law (with no definition of what that might mean). Little did they know that they were about to hear one of the most important legal speeches in 234 years of American history - a speech that has reverberated throughout American constitutional law for the last four decades and has radically changed the course of our republic in ways that few today appreciate.