A very special man. [applause] ed, congratulations on receiving a really incredible award. That we hadthing the congressional medal of honor and we have the president ial medal of freedom. This is something that is very special to me to present to you. I have heard so many incredible things about you over the years and so congratulations. It is my honor to be with you. We are delighted to be joined by Vice President mike pence, attorney general will you embark, bill, acting a would be director and Heritage Foundation ll james. Kay cu hello. He did a good job, didnt he . Terrific us is eds family including his wife of 61 years, ursula. He was a good husband. At least for the first 38 years. [laughter] his. Trump along with children, grandchildren, and his greatgrandson, liam. I know you, he grabbed me and i said i like this guy. Ed mees was born into a deeply patriotic family committed a public service. His father worked in local government for five decades including many years as police court clerk. Incrediblesome stories from what i have been told. The stories of serving the people of oakland inspired his lifetime of passion and his Law Enforcement career was unparalleled. After graduating from yale in 1953, he attended berkeley law ofool and served two years active duty in the United States army. He remained in the reserves for another 2. 5 decades retiring as in 1984. I did not know that. He married ursula, the love of his life in 18 and they wanted me to say that and he meant that truly the love of his life. A beautiful thing. He then became Deputy District Attorney of alameda, california. The same county where he had grown up. He regularly rode with local police on patrol. One officer later said about him that finding someone around here that does not like ed meese is like trying to find a fouryearold that does not like santa claus. In other words, he was a popular guy. When chaos and violence broke out on the campus of uc berkeley, he was instrumental in restoring order, peace, and public safety. In 1966, the Deputy District Attorney of his native county, he was introduced to governor elect Ronald Reagan for the first time. At the end of a 30 minute oneonone meeting, the new governor offered him a job. He said, this guy has the potential to be great. Joined the administration as Legal Affairs secretary and reagansarned governor trust. He became chief of staff to years later and in that position come he worked tirelessly to serve the people of california. He fought for the governors legislative priority and helped propel Ronald Reagan on to a National Stage and it was a stage that was a truly great one. He became a great president. After governor reagan narrowly lost the 1976 president ial joined thepaign, ed faculty of the San Diego Law School becoming the head of their criminal. He became a key leader in Ronald Reagans president ial campaign and he knew it was going to happen. Just a question of time. After the victory, he oversaw the president ial transition. In the new Administration Come he was appointed counselor to the president. He was the only white house staff member included in resident reagans cabinet. In that position come he drove sweeping reforms of the ensurede branch and that the departments worked together to achieve the goals of the administration and he was a star. He was among president reagans closest advisers as the administration implemented tax cuts. A dramatic difference buildup and a Relentless Campaign to defeat communism. He helped spearhead an crime. Ive to fight he supported a task force of victims of crime. The strategich defense initiative, a strategy that help to win the cold war. In 1984, president reagan nominated him to be attorney general. We have our attorney general with us and he is also doing a great job. I will take you that. [applause] ump in the course of a grueling process, he showed his grip. After 13 strong and months, he was finally confirmed. That sounds like the kinds of things that we go through. [laughter] pres. Trump if you win by one vote today, it is considered a landslide. Things do not change much. Over the next three years, he would deliver monumental change to the american people. As attorney general, he led the battle against drugs aggressively targeting traffickers and their assets. Drug boardired the and coordinated the administrations response to the drug crisis. In the years that followed, the strategy proved successful. 1992 drug use by young adults plummeted by 50 nationwide. Would you like to make a comeback . We have it down 18 . But i like 50 better. But we are dealing with a whole new set of drugs unfortunately. Very tough situation. Perhaps his greatest contribution to american law has been his unwavering advocacy for the legal principle that judges us adhere to the original meaning of the constitution setting aside their own personal political views. Through the decades coming he has been one of the most eloquent champions for following the constitution as written. To ensure fidelity to our founding documents. He supported the growth of the Federalist Society and worked to confirm supremely qualified judges including the late Great Supreme CourtJustice Antonin Scalia a whose son just became the secretary you know that, the secretary of labor. A grazerad him in for money. After concluding a historic tenure as attorney general, he joined the Heritage Foundation. Over his 30 years at heritage he helped to create the legal and Judicial Studies Department which is now named in his honor. We are talking about judges. Erika check been very helpful with us also as you know. And i just had on that does a little while ago another six and we will soon be up to 182 federal judges and two Supreme Court justices. Twothat is not including Supreme Court justices. A number that a few people have been even able to come close to. We appreciate your work. He has advocated for effective overnforcement against criminalization and is always in defense of the constitution and the system of government defined designed by our founders. Fighter foryal freedom. A champion of law and order. A faithful defender of our republic. You are an inspiration to liberty loving citizens everywhere. Youre just an inspiration period. Everyone that knows you uses that word inspiration. On behalf of the grateful nation that i love and that we serve, i want to thank you and i want to thank you for your incredible lifetime of exceptional service. And of devotion to our country. And i just want to say to your family that this is an extraordinary man. I looked at all of your wonderful children and grandchildren and your greatgrandson, i am especially talking about you you have very good genes. Great genes. Ask thew my honor to military aid to come forward and edward meets the third with the president ial medal of freedom. Congratulations. [applause] , aedwin meese the third strong conservative voice on coming healed craft the Foreign PolicyStrong Enough to help and the cold war and played a pivotal role in helping to secure. As attorney general, he promoted federalism and the original public understanding of our constitution. Service, heg public has continued to champion our nations rounding principles through his work at the Heritage Foundation. The United States proudly presents edwin meese the third the president ial medal of honor. [applause] mr. Meese thank you, mr. President. Thank you very much both for awardery fine award, and which i will cherish obviously forever. It also for the kind words you gave. And when you mentioned particularly for the privilege of being with you and having my family here to meet you and also to listen to this particular ceremony. It is just a great privilege that i appreciate very much and appreciate all that you have done to make us welcome here and as i say, for the kind words. I am also very grateful to the Vice President for being here, mr. Vice president , you and i have been friends since you were here in congress not so many years ago and it was great to have known you and followed your career also. And i think you and the president make one of the finest teams in our country and i am very grateful to have this a word coming particularly from the two of you. And so i thank you. [applause] mr. Meese i also want to mention bill barr and i thank this. R we started Work Together in the first term of Ronald Reagan. You were in the office of all development and you have risen to continue the string of great attorneys general in this country and i certainly appreciate what you are doing now. I must say for my own experience, i understand what youre going through now. It is even better to wish you well and the feinberg you are doing. [applause] fine work you are doing. [applause] i ameese mr. President , also really honored by the members of your administration that are here today. As i look around, i see some many good friends here. I cannot name them all. It would take the rest of the afternoon. There are so many and i have appreciated the chance to work with them. As i look around, i am really honored that you would come out to see this particular ceremony. I cannotd here today do anything other than to thank and praise god for the opportunities and blessings i have received over the course of my life. And of course, one of the greatest lessings and my life has been my wife, as you point out, for over 60 years who is with me today and who is my best friend, a partner in everything i have done, and a great teammate particularly i attribute to her the handsome family of kids we have here. And also to my whole family. The family has been my Foundation Throughout our married life and it is just great and to be with all of them here today and mr. President , you honor me by allowing them to participate in this particular event. And you know, it is just great to know that we have here four generations. And so, it is a great honor to have them here. The privilege i had a working for Ronald Reagan and i will always be indebted to him not only for the honor he appointed to me serve under his leadership for 30 years. From 1967 when i first served as his Legal Affairs secretary into 1997 when he went total isolation really. I had that privilege to work for him in the state of california. Also here as you pointed out d. C. Usly, in washington, and following that, both in the building of his library and today, i still have the privilege of working for the Young Americas Foundation that has taken over his branch in santa barbara. I have the privilege of cohosting back. Ronald reagan was a pivotal part of my life and i am always grateful to him. But you know, the things that you mentioned and you were very kind and generous in all that you said. The things that you mentioned are something i could not have done by myself. I was always very lucky to have a team of people that i was able to work with and over the area road of time, i cannot think period of time, i cannot think of better people to work with are dissipating in the work of the United States of america. Both in my early days are particularly over the last 30 odd years as i was privileged to work here in washington, d. C. One person that has been a ,riend, a counselor, literally and also a great teammate has been can crib who is here today. Crib who is here today. He has always been by my side of amy excellent advice and help. And as they they today, always having my back and i am very grateful. Are hereerson who today and join to me in the department of justice. One is mark 11. This was before he became fit one is mark levin. And this was before he became famous. He was an easygoing young man. [laughter] mr. Meese we are happy to have him here with his wife julie. And a third one was becky, who was in the department of justice with me and did a terrific job. [applause] mr. Meese it is great to have them. Mcewancourse, bob thank yo who has been an advisor to me in the conservative moment move ment and a great teammate. In left the government at the end of 1988, i was privileged to be asked to join the Heritage Foundation. Johnow today the with malcolm heading up the legal center with Bridget Wagner to is here. We have had a great team of people that i have been privileged to work with their. It is been a great thing for me to have all of these opportunities and im very grateful to all of those people that are here. I am also grateful to another guest. Our pastor. Pastor bill man. He has been a great spiritual leader for our family and we are grateful very much for that. Are just, as i say, there so many things to be grateful for today. And the only thing i would do mr. President is mention a couple of things that particularly are meaningful to me. You have done so many things but there are three things that of been particularly meaningful. One of them is your commitment to the constitution and your commitment to making sure that it is interpreted as it actually reads. And for that, you have appointed these outstanding judges which is a monument to justice and the rule of that will last, literally, literally for decades and im greaateful for that. And the second thing is your emphasis on religious liberty. To the United Nations there is no group that needed that more on that particular subject. And finally, ursula and i are grateful because of our family for your support for the armed forces of the United States. You not only have given them leadership. You have given them the resources they need. You have gone beyond that. Showing your personal respect for every man and woman in uniform and that is something that is not only good for them but also for their families. And so their families can see the dignity that you appreciate and the work that our military folks are doing. All of these things are very important to us and as a result, today, i could not be happier or more grateful to anyone than what you have given us here today. Thank you, sir. [applause] pres. Trump you know, youre right about mark. He has become a star. Would say a few words and the attorney general and the Vice President. Could we do that . Come on, mark. Nice and easy now, mark. [laughter] mark it is a great honor to be here with two great men. President trump and attorney general meese. It was an honor to work for you as special assistant and then chief of staff through the good, the bad, and the ugly. Accomplished many, many things as attorney general of the United States. And you always have been wonderful to my family. You and ursula. You are family to us and you always will be. This is a great honor and i cannot think of a better person to receive it. Mr. President , i want to thank you [laughter] thank you for everything you are doing for this country. I have known two great president s Ronald Reagan and you. I am sorry youre going through what youre going through that i what you to know that there are thatof millions of people stand with you. So god bless you. [applause] pres. Trump that is very nice. Thank you are in much. Bill . Mike . Come on. You,president pence thank mr. President and it really is my great honor to serve alongside this president and to be able to share this moment with you attorney general meese and your wonderful family. It is extraordinary to think about the life of consequence you have lived coming alongside one american president but also being there every step of the way as this president brought forward a vision to rebuild our military, revive our economy, and reground the courts of this constitutional principles of limited government. And on behalf of the president and on behalf of a grateful nation, it is my honor to add my congratulations to you on the president ial medal of freedom. Congratulations. [applause] pres. Trump thank you very much, everybody. [applause] reporter mr. President , [indiscernible] monday night at 10 00 p. M. On cspan, Boston University law professor gary lawson argues that Robert Muellers appointment as special counsel was the legal and thus the office of special counsel had no Legal Authority to take any legal actions. Actingay 17, 2017, United States attorney general Rod Rosenstein appointed robert mueller, former fbi director but at the time a lawyer in private practice to be a special counsel. During the two years of operation, it in panel to a grand jury, issued thousands of subpoenas, indicted at least 33 people and three companies, secured seven guilty pleas and obtained convictions on eight counts in a criminal trial. All of those actions had formal, legal consequences and some of those consequences continue to this day even after the Office Closed up shop on march i second, 2019. It is therefore in more than academic interest, though also of academic interest, that all of those legally consequential actions were unlawful. Robert wheelers office of special counsel had no Legal Authority to act. To be sure, this was not by any means the First Special counsel unlawfully appointed in the last two decades but hopefully will be the last if the argument that my longtime collaborator Steve Calabrese make and id make proved persuasive. Boston University Law perverse or gary lawson talking about why he believes Robert Muellers appointment as special was illegal. And a