Remarks Announcing the
Nomination of Richard L. Thornburgh To Be Attorney
General of the
The President. It's with great
pleasure that I announce my intention to nominate former Governor Richard L.
Thornburgh to serve as Attorney General.
Governor
Thornburgh's extensive law enforcement experience and proven integrity, along
with his familiarity with the Department of Justice, clearly meet my criteria
for filling this important post. Dick Thornburgh was a prosecutor's prosecutor
for 6 years as the United States Attorney for
Dick
proved himself an able manager while serving as Governor of Pennsylvania, our
fourth largest State. And there he reinstituted the death penalty and won
tough, mandatory jail terms for violent and repeat criminals. He was in the
forefront of the war against drugs, cracking down on drug traffickers and
creating preventive education programs for
I
could always count on Governor Thornburgh's help, whether in the fight against
big spending and high taxes or for balancing the budget and the line-item veto.
I could count on him then, and I'm turning to him now, an intelligent and
knowledgeable man, an experienced prosecutor, alumnus of the Justice
Department, and former Governor. He said once that ``The
first civil right of all Americans is the right to be free from fear in our
homes, on our streets, and in our communities.'' Nothing could be more true, and that cause could have no greater champion
than Dick Thornburgh.
He
is the ideal choice for Attorney General, and I urge the Senate to move quickly
to confirm him as well as our other Justice Department nominees so that they
can roll up their sleeves and get back to work -- or get to work enforcing the
laws of the land.
Attorney
General Meese
Q.
Why is the Attorney General stepping down when no criminality was proved
against him and no charges placed?
The President. I think that's a
question he'd better answer for you, and I think he would.
Q.
Well, why do you think he did?
The President. Well, I think it was
personal reasons -- after all that he'd been through,
and with his family in mind.
Q.
Mr. President, there are some conservatives who are going to say you're
bringing the Harvard Yard Boutique into your own administration. [Laughter]
What are you going to say to conservatives?
The President. I think I would just
answer them that the more Governors I can get into the Federal Government the
better off the Nation will be.
Q.
Mr. President, what are you going to do about
The President. I can't -- look, Mr.
Thornburgh is here, and he has a statement.
Q.
Are you going to sit by and let
Governor
Thornburgh. Thank you, Mr. President. I want to extend my appreciation to you
for extending to me the great honor and privilege of your appointment as
Attorney General of the
I
look forward as well to helping to implement the priorities of the Reagan-Bush
administration, especially in the field of law enforcement and administration
of criminal justice. I'm confident that the experience I had as Governor for 8
years of one of our major States will serve me and you and the people of this
country well in accepting this challenge, and I appreciate it very much.
Q.
Do you think you can restore the integrity and morale -- --
Q.
Governor, what did you consider your major challenge?
Q.
Mr. President, could you just tell us what you're planning to do about
The President. That is under
discussion right now.
Q.
Do you want more lethal aid?
The President. Wait a minute! I have
to move on to another engagement, but Governor Thornburgh has kindly agreed
that he -- you have some questions for him.
Q.
Governor Thornburgh --
--
Q.
Aren't we going to send some response to
Q. -- and the integrity of
the Justice Department?
Q.
Are we going to do something about their diplomats?
Attorney
General's Role
Q.
Governor, what do you consider your major challenge in the last 6 months of the
Reagan administration as Attorney General?
Governor
Thornburgh. I think the major challenge of the Attorney General at any period of
time is to provide the leadership to the law enforcement community nationwide
that is necessary to keep up a relentless war on problems such as organized
crime, drug trafficking, official corruption -- the major priorities that the
Federal law enforcement establishment is involved in.
Q.
In terms of the cloud, the investigation over the past months of Attorney
General Meese, is your challenge also stabilizing the
Justice Department?
Governor
Thornburgh. Oh, I think it's important to look forward rather than back, and that will certainly be my viewpoint if I'm
confirmed. And I think what we will try to do is to carry out a full-bore
effort in the law enforcement area.
Q.
In looking forward, just exactly how much do you expect to accomplish in advancing
the priorities over the next 6 months? Or do you expect to remain in the post
if the Vice President wins in November?
Governor
Thornburgh. Well, I obviously can't speak for the Vice President. But I think
that law enforcement is a 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week proposition. And whether
you're on the job for 6 days or 6 months or 6 years, it is a full-time effort
and an important effort to give the people of the
Attorney
General Meese
Q.
Governor, what do you think of the Attorney General?
Q.
Governor, do you feel that you will have to look into the Meese
affair because there are still unanswered questions about his ethical conduct
-- about whether or not there was something involved with the Israeli pipeline?
There were differing recollections in his deposition.
Governor
Thornburgh. I really can't answer any substantive questions at this point for
two reasons: One, obviously I have not been privy to the workings of the
Department of Justice or the Independent Counsel's office up to today, and
secondly, I think my prime responsibility is to the Judiciary Committee and the
Senate to answer and disclose my views on substance -- --
Q.
But without dealing with the substance, is it your intention to look into those
allegations and to look at the McKay report and to follow up if necessary?
Governor
Thornburgh. Well, my intention, and this is in any area, is to follow the
evidence wherever it may lead. And not knowing what that evidence is, I can't
give you a prediction.
Q.
Governor Thornburgh, what's your understanding -- --
Mr.
Fitzwater. Let's take the final question here. Helen [Helen Thomas, United
Press International], go ahead.
Q.
Well, what do you think of the Attorney General? What do you think of the
Attorney General? I mean, what do you think of his performance?
Governor
Thornburgh. Well, I'm not in any position to evaluate that.
Q.
You haven't even mentioned him, which is peculiar.
Governor
Thornburgh. No, as I said, I think it's important to look forward rather than
look back. I will --
--
Q.
You have no opinion about him?
Governor
Thornburgh. I'm not going to express any opinion today on the basis of the
information I have. I think in due course I'll have the obligation. And the
Senate, through its Judiciary Committee, will have the responsibility to
question me at length, as they should, on my views on any substantive matters
that affect them.
Mr.
Fitzwater. Thank you very much.
Attorney
General's Role
Q.
But wait a minute. The Attorney General played an important role in this
administration in suggesting that this President veto a number of civil rights
bills. There is an important housing -- the fair housing bill that's going to
come to the President's desk. Do you expect to play a role similar to Mr. Meese's as a counselor to the President on recommending
issues? And do you think your views will differ with Mr. Meese
at all?
Governor
Thornburgh. Well, again, I'm sure you'll understand that I'm not in a position
-- nor would it be appropriate at this time -- to comment on substantive
issues. The office of the Attorney General encompasses
important tasks of advising the President on legal issues, of being the chief
law enforcement officer, and of being the advocate for the people of the
Q.
Well, will you head the Domestic Policy Council?
Q.
Do you want to stay on if --
--
Governor
Thornburgh. That's a question you'll have to ask the President.
Q.
Do you want to be a Governor and -- --
Q.
Governor, do you want --
--
Q.
Would you like to stay more than 6 months?
Q.
Excuse me, Governor, do you want to be an Attorney
General in the tradition of Ed Meese, your
predecessor?
Governor
Thornburgh. I'll be an Attorney General in the tradition of Dick Thornburgh.
Q.
Do you want to stay on if Bush wins?
Governor
Thornburgh. That's something that's entirely premature.
Q.
Have you talked to Bush? Have you talked to Bush?
Q.
Are you going to campaign for him?
Governor
Thornburgh. Well, to the extent that that's proper for the Attorney General,
but, again, there is some constraint on it. Thank you.
Note: The President
spoke at