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Subseries 4. Nomination and Confirmation Files
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Scope and Content Notes: While serving as Director of the Institute of Politics, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Thornburgh received a telephone call from A. B. Culvahouse. Jr., counsel to President Reagan, indicating that Reagan was interested in nominating Thornburgh to succeed Edwin Meese as Attorney General of the United States. Thornburgh says in his autobiography that he was "hardly expecting Culvahouse's call" because Thornburgh's recommendation to the President had come from former assistant attorney general William Weld, who was in "disfavor" with the Reagan administration for criticizing Meese (
Evidence, p.199). However, Thornburgh did think himself one of the "logical candidates" for his "law enforcement, political and management record, as well as [his] good relations with the president and vice president" (
Evidence, 199).
But the call did come, and after meeting with President Reagan on July 12, 1988, he received the President's formal request to serve as Attorney General. Over the next month Thornburgh found himself in a whirlwind schedule of meetings, hearings, Washington visits, all of which required the perusal of preparatory research binders provided by the Department of Justice, the completion of forms and questionnaires, and attention to the memoranda and correspondence regarding details of his nomination process.
The largest section of material here concerns the Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on August 5, 1988, during which Thornburgh was interviewed and questioned regarding his positions on issues and his management of problems while Governor of Pennsylvania. This hearing required extensive research, much of it regarding Department of Justice issues, policies and problems Thornburgh handled during his governorship, as well as background on the members of the committee. In addition to research, there is also correspondence, Thornburgh's annotated notes, mock hearing questions and transcripts of the session (available here online).
The Attorney General nomination and confirmation files are organized into the following five sections: 1)Nomination of Thornburgh as United States Attorney General, July, 1988, including news releases from the White House, statements by President Reagan and Thornburgh, and a published declaration of Thornburgh's nomination in the Congressional Record; 2) Nominee questionnaires and forms, 1988, which include the White House personal data statement, a questionnaire from the Senate Judiciary Committee (with Thornburgh's personal notes and draft responses to questions), financial disclosure forms, and other documents; 3) Research binders prepared for Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on August 5, 1988, which include research on committee members and questions and answers given by previous nominees, and a Thornburgh-annotated and "clean" (un-annotated) copy of a research binder on all Department of Justice components and issues within the DOJ; 4) Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing preparation and transcripts, includes information on Pennsylvania issues while Thornburgh was governor, transcripts of the hearing, and follow-up material, including questions and answers, courtesy calls, personal notes, and news clippings; and 5) Confirmation and swearing-in of Thornburgh as United States Attorney General, August-September, 1988, including a published declaration of Thornburgh's confirmation in the Congressional Record, lists and plans for the swearing-in ceremony on September 12, 1988 and remarks made by President Reagan and Attorney General Thornburgh at the ceremony.
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Section: Nomination of Thornburgh as United States Attorney General, July, 1988
Box 754
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1 |
President Reagan's nomination of Thornburgh as Attorney General: White House news releases and statements by President Reagan and Thornburgh July 12, 1988
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2 |
Congressional Record, vol. 134, no. 107, nomination received, Dick Thornburgh of Pennsylvania to be Attorney General July 25, 1988
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Section: Nominee Questionnaires and Forms, 1988
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3 |
FBI Data form and Thornburgh notes July, 1988
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4-5 |
White House Personal Data Statement: Thornburgh notes and drafts and final copy 1988
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6-8 |
Senate Judiciary Committee questionnaire: Thornburgh notes and draft responses 1988
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9 |
"Confirmation Process" memorandum regarding process of nomination, confirmation and appointment 1988
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10 |
Arthur B. Culvahouse, Counsel to the President: memorandum for prospective appointees regarding conflicts of interest for presidential appointees July, 1988
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11 |
Presidential Appointees Handbook: prepared by National Academy of Public Administration undated
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12 |
Personal financial disclosure form (SF 278): Thornburgh notes and drafts July, 1988
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13 |
Personal financial disclosure form (SF 278): correspondence between Office of Government Ethics, Kirkpatrick and Lockhart and U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary July-August, 1988
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14 |
Personal financial disclosure form (SF 278): signed but without Ethics Committee notations July 25, 1988
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15 |
Personal financial disclosure form (SF 278): final copy with Ethics Committee notations July-August, 1988
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Section: Research Binders Prepared for Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing, August 5, 1988
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16 |
Research on Senate Judiciary Committee members, including bios, transcripts, articles and opinions by members August, 1988
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17 |
Binder prepared by the Department of Justice (DOJ) containing questions and answers from all DOJ components and background, with Thornburgh annotations August, 1988
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Box 755
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1-2 |
Binder prepared by the Department of Justice (DOJ) containing questions and answers from all DOJ components and background, with Thornburgh annotations August, 1988
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3-5 |
Binder prepared by the Department of Justice (DOJ) containing questions and answers from all DOJ components and background, unmarked copy August, 1988
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Section: Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing Preparation and Transcripts, August 5, 1988
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6 |
Department of Justice, Office of Legislative Affairs memorandum regarding mock hearing questions August 3, 1988
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7 |
Hearing background research and preparation on topics including drugs, deportation procedures, judicial appointment of minorities, handguns and other topics July-August, 1988
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8 |
Hearing background research and preparation on abortion 1981-1988
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9 |
Hearing background research and preparation on McNally decision on mail fraud 1987-1988
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10 |
Hearing background research and preparation on Thornburgh's 1966 Campaign for U.S. Congress and news clippings 1966
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11 |
Hearing background research and preparation on Thornburgh's accomplishments as U.S. Attorney 1969-1977
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Box 756
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Hearing background research and preparation on Proceedings of Thornburgh's confirmation hearing for Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Division June 12, 1975
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Hearing background research and preparation on Criminal Division 1976-1977
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Hearing background research and preparation on Supreme Court case, Abney v. United States October, 1976
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Hearing background research and preparation on Pennsylvania issues during Thornburgh's term as governor 1985-1986
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Negative correspondence to Senate Judiciary Committee regarding Thornburgh's appointment as Attorney General July 20, 1988
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Positive correspondence to Senate Judiciary Committee regarding Thornburgh's appointment as Attorney General July-August, 1988
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Thornburgh's interview with the Auditor General's Office following Senate Judiciary Committee hearing August 3, 1988
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Thornburgh's Washington DC schedule and courtesy calls with senators July 25-28, 1988
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9 |
Partial Senate Judiciary Committee hearing transcript, with corrections August 5, 1988
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Senate Judiciary Committee hearing transcript, morning and afternoon sessions, with Thornburgh's annotations August 5, 1988
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11 |
Senate Judiciary Committee follow-up questions after hearing and Thornburgh's answers and background material July-September, 1988
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Thornburgh's personal notes regarding nomination, hearing and appointment July-August, 1988
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News clippings regarding Thornburgh's nomination and confirmation as Attorney General of the United States July-August, 1988
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14 |
News clippings regarding Thornburgh's nomination and confirmation as Attorney General of the United States July-August, 1988
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Section: Confirmation and Swearing-in of Thornburgh as United States Attorney General, August-September, 1988
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15 |
Congressional Record, vol. 134, no. 120, part 2, Confirmation of Thornburgh as Attorney General August 11, 1988
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16 |
Swearing-in ceremony: memoranda and notes, lists and plans August 12, 1988
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Swearing-in ceremony: remarks by Thornburgh and President Reagan and draft of Thornburgh's speech with annotations August 12, 1988
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Swearing-in ceremony: questions and answers following ceremony with Attorney General Thornburgh August 12, 1988
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