"I would hope that they would be able to consider whether [reconciliation] is a reasonable approach or whether their differences are too significant," Dimento said. "I would not want them to compromise their differences."
A UCI spokesperson said Drake was not available for comment Friday.
Chemerinsky, a former USC law professor now at Duke University, has a solidly liberal record.
He worked against California's three strikes law, argued in support of judicial review for detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and represented Valerie Plame Wilson, the CIA agent whose cover was blown by members of the Bush administration.
Drake acknowledged that Chemerinsky had attracted significant opposition from conservatives, but he would not name the people who had contacted him. He said that their complaints were not the cause for his decision to terminate the dean.The criticism included a letter from the California Supreme Court criticizing a Chemerinsky opinion piece in The Times.
In an interview Friday, George said Chemerinsky made a "gross error" that was "very troubling" to the court in an Aug. 16 article that criticized U.S. Atty. Gen. Alberto R. Gonzales. Drake offered him the job that same day.
George, an appointee of Gov. Pete Wilson, said that Chemerinsky wrote incorrectly that only one state, Arizona, provided lawyers for death row inmates who want to file a constitutional challenge, known as a habeas corpus petition, to have their sentences or convictions overturned.
George said he was surprised Chemerinsky would make such a mistake. The court asked Court Clerk Frederick K. Ohlrich to write a letter to the editor to The Times to correct the piece.
"None of us could understand how somebody, let alone someone who is very bright and a fine legal scholar, could get that wrong," George said. "It had nothing to do with his philosophy. I certainly feel he is an outstanding legal scholar and a fine advocate."
The Times has no record of the letter being received as a letter to the editor or as a request for correction.
George gave a copy of the letter to Malcolm.
Malcolm said he gave the letter to Drake. "It disturbed him, but I don't think it was the reason for his decision."
Chemerinsky was angered by the letter when told about it by The Times.
"If the justices sent a letter to UC Irvine with the goal of influencing the dean process, that's inappropriate," he said.
