Meese Remains Opposed to Quotas as Bias

Atty. Gen. Edward Meese III, reacting to the Supreme Court’s sweeping decisions upholding affirmative action plans, said today that he remains opposed to “an affirmative action process which in itself is discrimination, which in itself deals with people on the basis of their race rather than their qualifications.”

Meese, at a news conference, tried to put the best face on the two rulings issued today, saying, “We will continue to hold to the moral position, which the court itself in each of these cases has re-established as the ultimate goal, that we would have a colorblind society and that we would not have racial preferences.”

Not a ‘Final Answer’

Referring to two decisions earlier this term that the Administration claimed as victories, Meese said the score is 2-2 and added, “The final answer which we had hoped to come out of these cases, as to when quotas can be used, can’t be used, has not been yet ruled on by the court.”

Albert Brashear, a White House spokesman, said simply, “The President’s domestic policy council will be studying and analyzing the decision.”

Reagan has for months been weighing a call from Meese that he revoke a 1965 executive order requiring that companies doing business with the government implement affirmative action programs.

Brashear said that the matter “is still pending” and that no final recommendation has been made to the President.