On this day in 2005, Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers met with Senate Judiciary ranking member Patrick J. Leahy of Vermont. Miers, previously a White House counsel, was tapped by President George W. Bush to replace Justice Sandra Day O’Connor on the bench.

The nomination, however, drew fire from across the political spectrum, leading to her withdrawal from the confirmation process three weeks later. Miers had never previously served as a judge, as most high court nominees do, and there were questions over how her tenure at the White House would play into a role in the judicial branch. CQ Roll Call cartoonist Mike Mikula summed up the nomination here.

Current Justice Samuel A. Alito was eventually nominated to fill the vacancy and was confirmed on Jan. 31, 2006.