Miers gave contributions to both parties

WASHINGTON — Harriet Miers may be a conservative Republican now, but she wasn't always that way, public records and Texas colleagues say.

In 1987 and 1988, Miers donated $3,000 to Democratic campaign committees — $1,000 each to then-Sen. Al Gore of Tennessee, who was running for president, to Sen. Lloyd Bentsen of Texas, who was running for re-election, and to the Democratic National Committee.

Gore was then running in a field of seven presidential candidates, casting himself as the most conservative Democratic choice. He lost the Texas primary, and the presidential nomination, to Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis, who went on to lose the general election to George H.W. Bush, the current president's father.

In 2000, Miers contributed to the campaign of Texas Gov. George W. Bush, who was running against Gore. When Florida's votes were still being counted and the outcome was in doubt, she gave $5,000 to the Bush-Cheney Inc. Recount Fund, according to the nonpartisan Political MoneyLine.

Through the years, Miers has contributed more than $10,000 to political candidates, focusing mainly on Texas Republicans such as Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, Rep. Pete Sessions and former Sen. Phil Gramm.

O'Connor's departure may create tie votes

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court is in transition with retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor promising to serve until the Senate approves Harriet Miers.

O'Connor is expected to hear cases until her replacement is approved. O'Connor's vote wouldn't count if the court announced a decision on any case after she left. Because she often has been a swing vote, that potentially could result in 4-4 ties.

In case of a tie, the court could decide either to let lower-court rulings stand or rehear arguments after O'Connor's replacement is named.

Steve Wermiel, associate director of the Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project at American University, said the situation involving O'Connor's replacement could produce "a much more chaotic and unsettling Supreme Court term than maybe we are sometimes used to."

Miers less wealthy than most justices

WASHINGTON — White House counsel Harriet Miers, if confirmed by the Senate to the Supreme Court, would be one of its least-affluent justices.

The most recent financial disclosure form for President Bush's high court nominee shows she has holdings worth between $220,000 and $595,000. The assets include small stock holdings, a money-market fund, several mutual funds and a vacant lot in Dallas, worth between $1,001 and $15,000, according to the form for 2004 that was filed in May.

That makes her far less wealthy than Bush's other Supreme Court choice, Chief Justice John Roberts, who is worth up to $5.3 million, with sizable stock investments, a golf-club membership and home in Chevy Chase, Md., worth $1.3 million, according to his financial disclosure form.

Retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor — whom Miers would replace — listed holdings worth between $2.7 million and nearly $6 million. Other wealthy Supreme Court justices include Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who listed assets between $6 million and $24 million, and David Souter, who reported holdings valued between $5 million and more than $25 million.

Anthony Kennedy is the least-affluent current justice, reporting assets worth $110,000 to $230,000, with Clarence Thomas and his holdings worth between $150,000 to $410,000 a close second.

Miers, 60, is single with no children and was in private legal practice in Texas for 28 years representing blue-chip clients. But she has taken primary financial responsibility for the care of her elderly and ailing mother, who is in a skilled-nursing facility in Texas, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said. Miers also owns a house in Dallas and a condominium in Virginia.

Some Hispanic groups upset with pick

WASHINGTON — President Bush's decision to make Harriet Miers his second Supreme Court nominee upset Hispanic groups that had hoped to see the nation's first Hispanic Supreme Court justice.

Several Hispanic lawyers and judges were thought to be on the president's short list, including Attorney General Alberto Gonzales — the first Latino attorney general and a close friend of the president — and federal appellate judge Consuelo Callahan.

Also mentioned during the search were Hispanic lawyer Miguel Estrada and Judge Emilio Garza of the New Orleans-based 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. Garza was President George H.W. Bush's second choice for the Supreme Court after Clarence Thomas.

"President Bush has again ignored highly qualified Latino judges, attorneys and law professors who could serve the nation ably on the United States Supreme Court," said Ann Marie Tallman, executive director of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund.

Hispanics are a highly prized voter base, and Republicans have made increased effort to court their support. Bush won more than 40 percent of the Hispanic vote in his 2004 re-election.

Compiled from The Associated Press, Los Angeles Times and Gannett News Services