Bill Text: GA SR25 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Enrolled

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Bill Title: Bell, Griffin Boyette; condolences

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 4-2)

Status: (Passed) 2009-01-14 - Senate Read and Adopted [SR25 Detail]

Download: Georgia-2009-SR25-Enrolled.html

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09 LC 94 0049

Senate Resolution 25

By: Senators Hooks of the 14th, Tolleson of the 20th, Smith of the 52nd, Tarver of the 22nd, Harp of the 29th and others

A RESOLUTION

Honoring the life and memory of Griffin Boyette Bell; and for other purposes.

WHEREAS, the Honorable Griffin Boyette Bell was born on October 31, 1918, in Americus, Georgia, and passed away January 5, 2009; and

WHEREAS, with his passing, the State of Georgia has lost one of her most distinguished public servants, innovative legal minds, and civil rights advocates; and

WHEREAS, this World War II veteran served in the United States Army from 1941 to 1946, attaining the rank of major during this time; and

WHEREAS, Judge Bell completed his undergraduate studies at Georgia Southwestern College and went on to graduate cum laude from Mercer University Law School in Macon, Georgia; and

WHEREAS, after he was admitted to the Georgia Bar in 1947, Judge Bell practiced in Savannah and Rome, Georgia, before joining the Atlanta law firm of King and Spalding in 1953, where he rose to the level of managing partner in 1958; and

WHEREAS, Judge Bell began his career as a public servant in 1959 with his honorary position as Chief of Staff to Georgia Governor Ernest Vandiver, advising the Governor for over two and a half years before being appointed by President John F. Kennedy in October of 1961 to serve as a United States Circuit Judge on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals; and

WHEREAS, during his 15 years on the federal bench, Judge Bell supervised the creation of dozens of school desegregation plans, playing an integral role in defusing racial tensions of the time and paving the way for peaceful desegregation of public schools in Georgia and other states; and
WHEREAS, Judge Bell's integrity, professionalism, and sharp legal mind were qualities his childhood neighbor President Jimmy Carter admired, and in 1976, the President nominated this great Georgian for the position of Attorney General for the United States; and

WHEREAS, on January 26, 1977, Griffin B. Bell was sworn in as the 72nd United States Attorney General by Chief Justice Warren E. Burger; and

WHEREAS, during his tenure as Attorney General, Judge Bell helped rehabilitate the United States Justice Department's severely damaged reputation which was caused by the Watergate scandal of the early 1970's; and

WHEREAS, after the conclusion of his term as United States Attorney General, this dean of Georgia lawyers continued his remarkable legal career specializing in conducting internal, page-turning investigations for corporations in legal distress such as E.F. Hutton, after its financial scandal; Exxon, after the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska; and Dow Corning, after the company's silicone implants were linked to health risks; and

WHEREAS, one of the most important Georgians of the 20th century, Judge Bell was known for his integrity, professionalism, sense of humor, and charm; and

WHEREAS, the State of Georgia mourns the loss of this trusted and enduring public figure, a principled statesman and strong defender of the First Amendment with the gift of persuasion and an instinct for politics.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body join to honor the life and achievements of the Honorable Griffin B. Bell, express their deepest regret at his passing, and extend their most sincere condolences to his family.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to the family of the Honorable Griffin B. Bell.