Today-from the 2005 Republican Freedom Calendar (Estrada)

[underpants]

http://policy.house.gov/2005_calendar/may.cfm

May 9, 2001
President George
W. Bush nominates Miguel Estrada to be first Hispanic to serve on U.S. Court of Appeals for D.C. Circuit; Democrats in Senate successfully filibuster nomination



http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default.aspx?oid=10311

Estrada’s silence on fundamental constitutional questions is part of an apparent strategy carefully calculated to prevent nominees’ extremist views from becoming known before they are confirmed for lifetime positions on our highest courts. Federalist Society members have been advised not to answer such questions, and have been told that such a stonewalling strategy worked well for Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Administration officials have reportedly instructed nominees not to discuss any past or present court rulings about which they have not previously expressed their views in writing.

In addition, the administration has refused to release memos Estrada wrote at the Justice Department that could provide senators with additional information with which to evaluate his nomination. The Bush administration and its allies have frequently asserted that Democratic senators have no right to memos Estrada prepared while working in the Solicitor General’s office, claiming that a demand for such information is inappropriate, unethical, and unprecedented. In fact, the administration is trying to create a completely new policy of executive privilege, a policy that has no precedent and no legal standing. Estrada himself has told senators that he would be willing to provide senators with those memos and to discuss them but the Bush administration refuses to permit their release.

[LizW]

1. What happened to Miguel Estrada's wife?

This is a nosy question, but I actually knew her quite well in law school years ago. We lost touch and she moved to D.C. and married Miguel Estrada. I heard from a friend of a friend that they were the ultimate D.C. glamour couple: gorgeous, wealthy, and traveling in all the right circles of power.

Then I heard she died suddenly last November at age 46. It was in our alumni magazine, but I haven't heard from anyone who knows how it happened.

[underpants]

2. After a long search-I can't even find her name

None of his bios (usdoj.gov etc) even mention him being married. I can't find her name or any mention of her, perhaps she is/was very private.

I googled several things and none of them turned up any mention of her what so ever except that she was upset about his withdrawing his name from consideration.

[LizW]

3. Her name is Laury Gordon Estrada

I found her obit in several papers, but it just said she died "unexpectedly".

We wrote for the same legal journal in law school. She was smart and funny. I was sad to see that she died.