Stuart M. Gerson

{{Short description|American politician}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Stuart M. Gerson

|image =

|office = United States Attorney General
Acting

|president = Bill Clinton

|term_start = January 20, 1993

|term_end = March 12, 1993

|predecessor = William Barr

|successor = Janet Reno

|office1 = United States Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division

|president1 = George H. W. Bush
Bill Clinton

|term_start1 = October 24, 1989

|term_end1 = March 19, 1993

|predecessor1 = John Bolton

|successor1 = Frank W. Hunger

|birth_name = Stuart Michael Gerson

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1944|1|16}}

|birth_place = New York City, U.S.

|death_date =

|death_place =

|party = Republican

|education = Pennsylvania State University, University Park (BA)
Georgetown University (JD)

}}

Stuart Michael Gerson (born January 16, 1944{{cite web

| author = Cahoon, Ben

| title = United States Government

| publisher = World Statesmen

| year = 2000

| url = http://worldstatesmen.org/USA_govt.html#Justice

| format =

| accessdate = 2008-12-12

| quote = 20 January 1993 - 12 March 1993 Stuart M. Gerson (acting) (b. 1944)}}) is an American politician and attorney who served as the acting United States Attorney General during the Clinton Administration,{{cite web

| author = Gerson, Stuart M.

| title = Inside the Justice Department and the U.S. Attorneys Controversy

| publisher = The Washington Post Company

| date = 2007-03-14

| url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2007/03/13/DI2007031300985.html

| accessdate = 2008-12-12

| quote = That is correct. I had been the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division during Bush I, and was Acting Attorney General at the beginning of the Clinton administration. }}{{cite web

| author = Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.

| title = Stuart M. Gerson Member of the Firm

| publisher = Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.

| date = n.d.

| url = http://www.ebglaw.com/showBio.aspx?show=2214

| format =

| accessdate = 2008-12-12

| quote = }} serving in the early months of 1993.

Gerson was a debate coach for President George H. W. Bush during the 1988 campaign{{cite web

| author = Labaton, Stephen

| title = Notes on Justice; Who's in Charge? Bush Holdover Says He Is, but Two Clinton Men Differ

| work = The New York Times

| date = 1993-01-25

| url = https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE3DF1F38F936A15752C0A965958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all

| format =

| accessdate = 2008-12-12

| quote = }} and went on to serve on President-elect Bush's transition team. Gerson was part of the Bush Administration's National Health Policy Working Group, serving as head of its Medical Malpractice Reform Working Group. At the Department of Justice (DOJ), he was the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division.

Gerson was acting United States Attorney General from January 20, 1993, to March 12, 1993. He was in the position for two reasons. Clinton had problems in finding an Attorney General during that period.{{cite web

| author = Staff reporter

| title = Stuart Gerson's Parting Shot

| work = New York Times

| date = 1993-02-21

| url = https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE1DE1331F932A15751C0A965958260

| format =

| accessdate = 2008-12-12

| quote = As supporters of the Brady gun-control bill prepare to introduce it in Congress yet again this week, they find a welcome, if unlikely, ally in Stuart Gerson, the Acting Attorney General. Because President Clinton has had so many problems finding a new Attorney General, Mr. Gerson remains in office....}} Also, he was fourth in the line of succession at the Justice Department (other senior DOJ officials had already resigned). Gerson supported the Brady bill and was in office during the beginnings of the Waco siege.{{cite web

|author = Scruggs, Richard

|author2 = Steven Zipperstein

|author3 = Robert Lyon

|author4 = Victor Gonzalez

|author5 = Herbert Cousins

|author6 = Roderick Beverly

|title = Report to the Deputy Attorney General on the Events at Waco, Texas February 28 to April 19, 1993

|publisher = Department of Justice

|date = 1993-10-08

|url = http://www.usdoj.gov/05publications/waco/waconine.html

|access-date = 2010-01-27

|quote =

|url-status = dead

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090530094615/http://www.usdoj.gov/05publications/waco/waconine.html

|archive-date = May 30, 2009

|df =

}} Janet Reno, President Clinton's nominee for Attorney General, was sworn in on March 12,{{cite web

| author = Ifill, Gwen

| title = Reno Confirmed in Top Justice Job

| work = New York Times

| date = 1993-03-12

| url = https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CEED71130F931A25750C0A965958260

| format =

| accessdate = 2008-12-12

| quote = She will replace Acting Attorney General Stuart M. Gerson, a holdover appointee from the Bush Administration. Ms. Reno said he resigned today.}} and he resigned the same day. Gerson's last day at the Justice Department was March 19.