Judiciary Panel Approves Meese’s Nomination, 12-6 : All Republicans, Two Democrats Vote Yes; Senate OK Expected After Recess

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 12-6 today to approve Edwin Meese III’s nomination as attorney general and sent it to the full chamber, putting him within reach of the job delayed for a year by persistent ethical questions.

Approval by the full Senate is expected when it votes on the nomination soon after it returns from recess Feb. 18.

Only two Democrats on the committee, Sens. Dennis DeConcini of Arizona and Howell Heflin of Alabama, joined the 10 Republicans who voted unanimously in favor of Meese.

“I have decided to give Mr. Meese the benefit of the doubt,” said Heflin, adding that it was a “troubling problem and a troubling vote.”

‘Faced So-Called Music’

DeConcini said that “Mr. Meese is a man who has been through a great deal and an ordeal . . . he has faced the so-called music.”

However, Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.) said the “standard has to be set to which the people in this country can look with confidence and faith. . . . I’m sorry to say I don’t believe the nominee meets these standards.”

The Democrats voting against the nomination were Sens. Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware, Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, Byrd of West Virginia, Howard M. Metzenbaum of Ohio, Patrick J. Leahy of Vermont and Max Baucus of Montana.

The Republicans supporting Meese were Sens. Strom Thurmond of South Carolina, Charles McC. Mathias Jr. of Maryland, Paul Laxalt of Nevada, Orrin G. Hatch of Utah, Robert J. Dole of Kansas, Alan K. Simpson of Wyoming, John P. East of North Carolina, Charles E. Grassley, of Iowa, Jeremiah Denton of Alabama and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania.

‘Pleased’ by Vote

Aide Bruce Chapman described Meese as “pleased by the committee vote” but said he would defer any further comment until after the full Senate votes.

Thurmond, the committee chairman, noted that the panel had been considering the nomination since February of last year “and more than 50 witnesses have testified.” He said that Meese’s personal and financial dealings were “carefully examined in a thorough and exhaustive investigation” by independent counsel Jacob Stein and that the Office of Government Ethics has “concluded Mr. Meese has violated no ethical standard.”

Meese was White House counselor when President Reagan picked him on Jan. 23, 1984, to succeed Atty. Gen. William French Smith, who submitted his resignation, effective on the approval on his successor. The nomination was quickly derailed by ethics questions, but Meese was later cleared of any criminal wrongdoing by special prosecutor Stein.

Testimony last week focused on allegations that Meese received money or loans with favorable conditions from people who later got government jobs, knew of questionable procedures taken in his promotion in the Army reserve and engaged in other ethics violations.