ted olson, who would later represent george w. bush in "bush v. gore" and be named u.s. solicitor general, was a board member of the american spectator educational foundation, and is thought to have known about or played some role in the arkansas project. his firm gibson, dunn & crutcher provided $14,000 worth of legal services, and he himself wrote or co-authored several articles that were paid for with project funds. during olson's senate confirmation hearing for solicitor general, majority republicans blocked senator patrick leahy's call for further committee inquiries on the subject of olson's ties to the arkansas project.