Arnold Burns

Arnold Burns
22ndUnited States Deputy Attorney General
In office 1986–1988
President	Ronald Reagan
Preceded by	D. Lowell Jensen
Succeeded by	Harold G. Christensen
United States Associate Attorney General
In office 1985–1986
President	Ronald Reagan
Preceded by	D. Lowell Jensen
Succeeded by	Stephen S. Trott
Personal details
Born	Arnold Irwin Burns (1930-04-14)April 14, 1930 Brooklyn,New York City,New York
Died	October 1, 2013(2013-10-01)(aged 83) Manhattan,New York City,New York
Spouse	Felice Burns
Alma mater	Union College(B.A) Cornell Law School(J.D.)

Arnold Irwin Burns(April 14, 1930 – October 1, 2013) was an Americanlawyer.He served as theUnited States Deputy Attorney Generalfrom 1986 to 1988 under PresidentRonald ReaganandU.S. Attorney GeneralEdwin Meese.In March 1988, Burns, together with the head of the U.S. Justice Department's criminal divisionWilliam Weldand four aides, resigned from office in protest of what they viewed as improper conduct by Attorney General Meese, including personal financial indiscretions.In July 1988, Burns and Weld jointly testified before theU.S. Congressin support of a potential prosecution of Meese following an investigation by aspecial prosecutor,who had declined to file charges.Meese resigned from office later in July 1988, shortly after Burns and Weld appeared before Congress.

Life and career

Burns was born inBrooklyn,New York,on April 14, 1930.His mother, Rose Burns, was ahomemaker,while his father, Herman Burns, owned a jewelry store.He received hisbachelor's degreeinpolitical sciencefromUnion Collegein 1950 and aJ.D.degree fromCornell Law Schoolin 1953.He later served as the Chairman of Union College's Board of Trustees from 1982 to 1986.

Burns worked for a private law firm after law school. He then co-founded Burns Summit Rovins & Feldesman, where he specialized in corporate law for more than twenty-five years.He was appointed asUnited States Associate Attorney Generalin late 1985 after Attorney General Meese's first choice for the position was rejected by theSenate Judiciary Committee.In July 1986, Burns was appointedUnited States Deputy Attorney General,the second highest ranking position in the Justice Department, a position he held until his resignation in protest of Meese's conduct in 1988.

Burns joinedProskauer Rose Goetz & Mendelsohnfor approximately a decade after leaving the Justice Department.He also published amemoir,Preparing to Be Lucky,as well as two joke books.

In 1993, Burns and a Canadian lawyer,Yves Fortier,were asked to investigate a controversy concerning theHockey Hall of Fame.Gill Stein,the outgoing president of theNational Hockey League,had been elected to membership in the Hall of Fame, but rumours arose that he had placed undue influence on the directors of the Hall to ensure his election.Gary Bettman,the commissioner of theNational Hockey League,retained Burns and Fortier, Canada's former ambassador to the United Nations, to investigate the allegations. They concluded that Stein had "improperly manipulated the process" and "created the false appearance and illusion" that the owner of theLos Angeles Kings,Bruce McNall,had put Stein's name forward. Stein denied those conclusions, but ultimately he withdrew his name from the Hall of Fame.

Arnold Burns died from cardiac arrest and complications ofParkinson's diseaseinManhattan,New York City,on October 1, 2013, at the age of 83.He was survived by his wife of 62 years, Felice Bernstein, and two children, Douglas Burns and Linda Burns.

References

• AppearancesonC-SPAN