WHEREAS:

The President of the United States has, with characteristic disregard for the solemn constitutional demands placed on the office of Attorney General, nominated a person for that office who fails to possess the fundamental understanding of and empathy for the basic human concerns and civil rights of millions of Americans; and,

WHEREAS:

In the highest tradition of its duty to advise and consent to Presidential appointments the Senate has brought out serious questions about the suitability of the President's nominee to hold that office; and,

WHEREAS:

Despite an obvious reluctance of the present Attorney General to enforce the law which applies to his proposed successor and to conduct a preliminary investigation of matters brought out in the Senate confirmation process, such an investigation is finally underway; and,

WHEREAS:

It appears that all too soon this administration has forgotten the lessons of Watergate and the role of an independent judiciary in safeguarding the public from those who would bend the processes of justice and the apparatus of the Justice Department to their own criminal ends.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

That the International Executive Board demands that the Department of Justice cease its efforts to avoid its responsibility with respect to the investigation of possible criminal acts by persons in high office or sensitive positions; and,

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED:

That the International Executive Board respectfully urges the Senate of the United States to reject the nomination of Edwin Meese, III to be Attorney General if he does not have the decency to request that his name be withdrawn from consideration, or if the President fails to withdraw from nomination the name of a person shown by the confirmation process to be unfit for the office.