WASHINGTON, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- U.S. President George Bush Tuesday selected Fred Fielding as White House counsel, replacing Harriet Miers, who resigned last week.
Fielding, who was associate counsel at the White House during Watergate and is a senior partner at Wiley, Rein & Fielding, most recently served on the Sept. 11 commission.
"Fred is one of the most well-respected and accomplished lawyers in our nation, and I look forward to benefiting from his wise counsel," Bush said in announcing the appointment. "I am pleased that he will once again take up public service in the White House."
Fielding served in the Nixon White House as deputy to then-White House Counsel John Dean. His name was often mentioned as the possible identity of "Deep Throat," the source who supplied Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein with inside information on the Watergate scandal and cover-up. Deep Throat, however, has since been identified as former FBI official W. Mark Felt.
Bush praised Miers for her work ethic and strong commitment. He nominated her to the Supreme Court last year, but she withdrew amid opposition from Democrats and Republican conservatives.
