The collection
Articles and Op-Eds
Extent: 5 linear feet
In this portion of the collection, the researcher will find 183 articles and 110 op-eds written by Dick Thornburgh spanning the period from 1956 to 2004, from law school years up to and including Thornburgh’s ongoing career. The op-eds are included here online.
The myriad articles cover legal topics, as well as Pennsylvania, national, and international issues. The topics include, for example: public service, judicial reform, home rule, merit selection, organized crime, crime prevention, white-collar crime, Pennsylvania’s economy, economic development, jobs, education, welfare reform, Three Mile Island, energy, ethics in government, balanced budget amendment, drug abuse, terrorism, rule of law, Americans With Disabilities Act, environmental laws, United Nations, Hong Kong, civil justice reform, tort reform, science and technology, independent counsel, malpractice, and homeland security.
Although the themes are highly varied, they consistently appear over Thornburgh’s twenty-five year public service and ongoing careers. Nowhere is Thornburgh’s leadership role in clarifying issues and serving as an advocate of positive change more evident than in these well-crafted and interesting articles.
The articles have been printed in legal journals, bulletins, newsletters, law reviews, and various other publications. Folders containing the articles are arranged chronologically, and there are both original copies and frequent drafts. Of additional interest will be Thornburgh’s annotations throughout.
There are 110 op-eds, written by Thornburgh, which similarly include many of the above topics. The primary difference is that they appear solely in newspapers, from 1966–2004. Of special interest is that all op-eds are online here. The newspapers include, just for example: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh Press, The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Philadelphia Inquirer, USA Today, Toledo Blade, Christian Science Monitor, San Francisco Chronicle, International Tribune Review, Detroit News, and Harrisburg Patriot-News.
