Edwin Meese

Edwin Meese is an American politician. He has been a long time member of the Republican Party.

He worked under Governor of California Ronald Reagan, from 1967 to 1974, in various senior positions, including as his chief of staff. In 1980 Meese joined the Reagan Presidential Campaign, again as chief of staff. Meese headed Reagan's transition team.

Meese served as a counselor to Reagan, and sat on both his Presidential cabinet and the National Security Council, from 1981 to 1985. Meese played a leadership role in the development of Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative.

Reagan appointed Meese the successor to U.S. Attorney General William French Smith when he began his second term.