Miers' time on Dallas City Council provides some insight

By Aussiegirl

Mere entrails in the snow, but it's all we have to go on. Here are some resolutions that Harriet Miers voted for when she was on the Dallas City Council, they include approving sanctions against South Africa and revising of minimum height, weight and vision requirements for Dallas firefighters to facilitate "promotion of certain ranks in the Fire Department, particularly women.

KRT Wire | 10/06/2005 | Miers' time on Dallas City Council provides some insightFor example, in 1991, Miers voted in favor of a council resolution reaffirming economic sanctions Dallas had imposed against South Africa, then under a white minority-rule apartheid government. The council adopted the resolution by a 6-2 vote with three absences.

At the time, President George H.W. Bush was considering repealing federal economic sanctions against the country.

A 1989 city ordinance prohibited Dallas government from buying goods that originated in South Africa or conducting business with firms that sold goods or services there for use by the police, military or prison system.

"As she goes through this nomination process, something like that should cheer the liberals and lead to gnashing of teeth among the very conservative social conservative," said Cal Jillson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University, Miers' alma mater. "Hers was the appropriate moderate Republican position of the day, but beating up on South Africa wasn't a way to win friends with conservatives."

It was one of several council votes that will be scrutinized as her court nomination moves forward. She served between June 1989 and November 1991.

Miers was one of 10 Dallas council members to unanimously approve a 1989 agenda item that revised minimum height, weight and vision requirements for Dallas firefighters to facilitate "promotion of certain ranks in the Fire Department," particularly women.

The agenda item's title: "Implementation of Fire Department Affirmative Action Plan."