OFFICE or THE 
Des Moiues, IA, October 10, 1995.
Senator CHARLES E. GRASSLEY,
Hurt Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.

DEAR CHUCK: I am writing to ask your sup-
port and assistance in the confirmation prose
ess for a second cousin, Merrick Garland,
who has been nominated to be a judge on the
US. Court of Appeals for the District of Co?
lumbia.

Merrick Garland has had a distinguished
legal career. He was a partner for many
years in the Washington law firm of Arnold
and Porter. During the Bush Administration,
Merrick was asked by Jay Stephens, the U.S.
Attorney for the District of Columbia, to
take on a three year stint as an Assistant
U.S. Attorney. As I?m sure you know, Jay
Stephens is the son of Lyle Stephens, the
Representative from Plymouth County that
we served with in the Iowa Legislature.

Recently, he has been overseeing the fed?
eral investigation and prosecution efforts in
the Oklahoma City bombing, having been
sent there the second day after the blast oc?
curred. He was serving in the position as
principal Associate Deputy Attorney Gen?
eral.

I am enclosing a number of news clippings
about Merrick Garland. I would eSpecially
encourage you to review the Legal Times
and article entitled: Garland, A Centrist
Choice.

As always, I appreciate all of your efforts.
Hope all is going well for you.

Sincerely,
TERRY E. BRANSTAD,
Governor of Iowa.