The 1980s Attorney General was Edwin Meese III, commonly known as Ed Meese. He served in the Reagan administration from 1985 to 1988 and was the 75th Attorney General of the United States. He was also the first to hold the title of Counselor to the President. Prior to his appointment, he had served as the Chief of Staff to Governor Reagan. During his tenure, he was responsible for a number of initiatives, including the War on Drugs, the establishment of the Office of Legal Counsel, and the creation of the Department of Justice's Organized Crime Task Force. He was also instrumental in the passage of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986. After leaving office, he continued to serve as a senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation.