White House Weighs Choices for Atty. Gen.

The White House on Wednesday began weighing the names of possible successors for departing Atty. Gen. Edwin Meese III, and Vice President George Bush told reporters he would not rule out having the choice stay on if he is elected President.

Bush’s comment could add some attraction to what otherwise would be at most a six-month job. But White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said there are “many candidates” interested in the post.

Among the names immediately mentioned by Administration officials as possible successors are former Pennsylvania Gov. Richard L. Thornburgh, former House Republican leader John J. Rhodes of Arizona and former Sen. Paul Laxalt (R-Nev.), a longtime friend of President Reagan.

Meese, who announced on Tuesday that he would leave by early August, met with Reagan on Wednesday to discuss Meese’s plans but Fitzwater said the two “didn’t spend any time going over candidates.”

However, Patrick S. Korten, Meese’s chief spokesman, said the attorney general had discussed “appropriate criteria” for his successor with Reagan and had suggested “a couple of names.” Korten said Meese would not disclose those he proposed.

Assistant Atty. Gen. William Bradford Reynolds predicted the announcement of a nominee would come soon, possibly by next week.

Tom Loranger, a Laxalt spokesman, said the former senator had told him there is “absolutely no truth” to speculation he would head the Justice Department.

Senate Republican leader Bob Dole of Kansas raised the names of former White House Chief of Staff Howard H. Baker Jr. and Judith Richards Hope, daughter-in-law of comedian Bob Hope. Mrs. Hope’s nomination to succeed Judge Robert H. Bork on the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington is awaiting Senate action.

‘A Lot of Names’

Bush and Reynolds said the selection process had not yet reached the “short list” stage.

Fitzwater said Reagan had directed that “a lot of names” be pulled together for consideration. “He wants to see what the universe looks like. We don’t have criteria that will narrow it down to one or two people. There are so many candidates--people who want the job. . . . I guarantee you they’ll be lined up at the gates,” Fitzwater said. Meanwhile, Meese’s lawyer, Nathan Lewin, said he had not yet received a copy of the 830-page report submitted by independent counsel James C. McKay to a federal court Tuesday on the 14-month investigation he conducted into several allegations against Meese, most involving dealings with his longtime friend, E. Robert Wallach.

Lewin and attorneys representing others mentioned in the report, which was submitted under seal to a special three-judge panel, have asked for as much as two weeks to review and reply to the lengthy report before it is made public.

Previous Reports Shorter

Reynolds and Lewin, in separate interviews, said they could not rule out a move by Meese to oppose public release of McKay’s report on the grounds it was based on secret grand jury material or that McKay had overstepped his function in issuing such a lengthy report. Previous reports issued by independent counsels on investigations have been much shorter.

But Lewin emphasized that he was not trying to signal that he will oppose release of the document, “because I have to wait until I see it.” Lewin said he was responding as “any good lawyer and not ruling anything out.”

Meese has said he considers McKay’s report a “complete vindication” of his conduct, because the filing of it signaled that McKay had found no evidence to seek his indictment.

Reynolds likened Meese’s being the subject of a lengthy report to being an unindicted co-conspirator “where you never have a chance to mount a defense.”

A ‘Perfect Window’

Terry Eastland, Meese’s former spokesman who was fired for what he said was not defending the attorney general aggressively enough, said Wednesday that he thought Meese had picked a “perfect window” to announce his departure. By making the announcement before the report is made public, Eastland noted, Meese has been able to capture the headlines with his claim of being “completely vindicated.”

“He doesn’t have to face questions of ‘What’s on Page 634 and Page 429?’ from reporters,” Eastland said.

Former associates of Meese in San Diego expressed surprise at the news of his resignation and said they did not expect the attorney general to move back to the West Coast any time soon. Meese has said only that he plans to consider job opportunities in the private sector.

Plans to Stay in East

LeRoy Knutson, an attorney who first met Meese when the two were neighbors in the San Diego suburb of La Mesa, said Meese indicated recently that he plans to remain on the East Coast, at least temporarily, to be close to his children.

“I would say their hearts are on the West Coast but, practically speaking, they feel they should be out there for the time being,” said Knutson, who has remained in close contact with Meese through letters, telephone calls and visits over the years.

Retired Superior Judge Gilbert Harrelson, who has maintained his friendship with Meese and visited him in Washington, said Meese has been “very cautious and close-mouthed” about his plans.

Knutson predicted that the attorney general would “hit the speaking circuit” after leaving office and ultimately join an East Coast law firm. He called Meese an “extraordinary speaker” and said he expects he would be in great demand.

Ties to San Diego

Meese’s ties to San Diego date to 1975, when he took a job as vice president for corporate administration with Rohr Industries. His tenure there lasted just a year, after which he became associated with Knutson’s law firm in La Mesa.

In 1977, Meese founded the Center for Criminal Justice Policy and Management at the University of San Diego School of Law. Before it folded in 1986 because of funding problems, the center sponsored seminars, conducted research and published studies on major issues in the criminal justice field. While running the center, Meese also taught criminal justice on a part-time basis at the law school.

A campus spokesman said he was unaware of any plans by Meese to return to the USD faculty.

Staff writers William J. Eaton in Washington, David Lauter in Dallas and Jenifer Warren in San Diego contributed to this story.