Supreme Court Justice (nominated by Pres. George W. Bush 2005; withdrew)
Supported racial and gender set-asides as head of Texas Bar
Harriet Miers supported affirmative action goals in the early 1990s when she served as president of the State Bar of Texas, the Washington Post reported on Saturday. Miers wrote that “our legal community must
reflect our population as a whole,” and under her leadership the lawyers’ association supported racial and gender set-asides and numerical targets for jobs, the newspaper reported.
Source: Reuters "Affirmative Action," on 2005 SCOTUS hearing
, Oct 22, 2005
Recommended legalization of gay adoption
In the American Bar Association, Miers was chairwoman of a panel that recommended legalization of gay adoption and establishment of an International Criminal Court. That will not sit well with the Republican base.
Source: Robert Novak, Chicago Sun-Times, on 2005 SCOTUS hearing
, Oct 4, 2005
Pledged to be ‘inclusive of women and minorities’
As incoming president of the Texas Bar Association, she pledged in a 1992 Texas Bar Journal interview to be ‘’inclusive of women and minorities“ in making committee appointments, a position that could indicate support for affirmative action.
Source: Charlie Savage, Boston Globe: 2005 SCOTUS hearing
, Oct 4, 2005
Poor, elderly, and disabled are under-represented
As incoming president of the Texas Bar Association, Miers said, ‘’Our Pledge of Allegiance promises equal justice for all. We know that we have failed in fulfilling this promise to segments of our society.
For example, children, the elderly, the poor, non-English-speaking peoples, the disabled, and other groups traditionally have been underrepresented.“
Source: Charlie Savage, Boston Globe: 2005 SCOTUS hearing
, Oct 4, 2005
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