Ted Olsen

Theodore B. Olson, 64, is the former Solicitor General and now an attorney in private practice in Washington at the firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher.<> He is probably best known for arguing President Bush's case before the Supreme Court that decided the outcome of the disputed 2000 presidential election. He also lost his wife, a prominent conservative commentator, on the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon. He also served as Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel for three years during President Ronald Reagan's first term and he was legal counsel to Reagan during the investigation of the Iran-contra affair.

Key Writings:

Olsen is rather controversial because he is viewed as very political. He was an outspoken critic of President Clinton in the conservative American Spectator magazine. This became an issue during his confirmation hearings for solicitor general. Democrats pressed Olson as to whether he was involved in the "Arkansas Project," an attempt by American Spectator to uncover scandals involving Bill and Hillary Clinton. Olson claimed he did not, but he was contradicted by a Spectator staff writer, David Brock. Olson was confirmed, but only after an inquiry into charges that his testimony was untruthful.

Profiles:

Washington Post profile

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