Alberto Gonzales, the U.S. attorney general from 2005-2007 during President George W. Bush's administration, will speak at Harding University in Searcy today.
Gonzales, 62, is dean of Belmont University College of Law in Nashville, Tenn., where he teaches courses on the U.S. Constitution and First Amendment. His speech at Harding University will cover the topic "The Price and Privilege of Government Service."
In 1995, Gonzales became general counsel for Bush, then governor of Texas. Bush appointed him to Texas secretary of state from December 1997 to January 1999. Gonzales was a justice on the Texas Supreme Court from January 1999 to December 2000.
After Bush became president, he appointed Gonzales as White House counsel in 2001. Gonzales held the job until he became the nation's 80th and first Hispanic attorney general on Feb. 3, 2005.
He is the author of True Faith and Allegiance and A Conservative and Compassionate Approach to Immigration Reform.
Gonzales was born in in San Antonio. He received his bachelor's degree from Rice University in 1979 and his law degree from Harvard University in 1982.
His appearance at Harding University, part of its 2017-18 American Studies Institute Distinguished Lecture Series, will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Benson Auditorium on campus.
Admission is free and open to the public. The event is open seating. No ticket is necessary.
State Desk on 09/07/2017