David S. Cohen (attorney)
| David S. Cohen | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 5th Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency | |
|
Assumed office 2015 | |
| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Avril Haines |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1963 |
| Citizenship | United States |
| Education |
B.A., Cornell University (1985) J.D., Yale Law School (1989) |
| Religion | Jewish[1] |
David S. Cohen (born 1963) is an American attorney who is currently the Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Originally from Boston, Cohen previously worked in the U.S. Treasury Department and as an attorney in private practice.
Early life and education
Cohen is the son of a Boston physician. In high school he became friends with the son of Alan Dershowitz; the elder Derschowitz later recommended Cohen for his first job with Nathan Lewin. He graduated from Cornell University in 1985 and went on to receive a J.D. from Yale Law School in 1989. After graduating from law school, Cohen served as a law clerk for federal judge Norman P. Ramsey for the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland.[2][1][3]
Career
Cohen began his law career working with Nathan Lewin. He later moved to Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr where his practice focused on criminal and civil litigation involving money laundering and sanctions compliance. He was hired by the U.S. Treasury Department in 1999 as Senior Counsel to the General Counsel. While there he was credited by department officials with "crafting legislation that formed the basis" of Title III of the USA PATRIOT Act, dealing with money laundering. In 2001 he left the government and returned to private practice as a criminal defense attorney with Miller, Cassidy, Larroca & Lewin.[2][1]
In 2009 Cohen was appointed Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing in the Treasury Department, being confirmed by the U.S. Senate to the office on May 1, 2009. Variously described by members of the Obama administration as a "financial Batman" and one of the president's "favorite combatant commanders" he was, two years later, elevated to Under Secretary of the Treasury, responsible for the Office of Foreign Assets Control. During his Senate confirmation hearing, Cohen singled-out the government of Kuwait for rebuke, noting that "we have a real challenge with the Kuwaiti government. Kuwait is the only government in the Gulf Cooperation Council that does not criminalize terrorist financing." The following year, Cohen appeared as speaker at the annual forum of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.[4][3][5][6]
In 2015 Cohen was appointed Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. At the time of his appointment, some speculated that Cohen's selection was due to the Obama administration's reluctance in picking someone who might later be linked to past incidences of CIA torture and extraordinary rendition. The post of deputy director has traditionally been filled by military officers or intelligence community veterans; Cohen's selection also marked the highest-level appointment of a Jew in the agency's history.[7][8]
Personal life
Cohen is married with two children. He met his wife while in law school.[3] Cohen was described as "very consciously Jewish" by his former employer, Nathan Lewin.[1]
References
- 1 2 3 4 Kampeas, Ron (18 February 2015). "As David Cohen becomes CIA’s No. 2, Jews appear to have smoother sailing at security agencies". Washington Jewish Week. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
- 1 2 "David S. Cohen". United States Department of the Treasury. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
- 1 2 3 Davis, Julie (21 October 2014). "Enforcer at Treasury Is First Line of Attack Against ISIS". New York Times. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
- ↑ Lowrey, Anne (3 June 2014). "Aiming Financial Weapons From Treasury War Room". New York Times. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
- ↑ Nominations of David S. Cohen to be Under ... (PDF). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. 7 April 2011. p. 21. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
- ↑ "2012 Speakers". defenddemocracy.org. Foundation for the Defense of Democracies. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
- ↑ Mazzetti, Mark (9 January 2015). "Reaching Outside C.I.A., Obama Picks Treasury Official to Become Agency’s No. 2". New York Times. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
- ↑ Melman, Yossi. "Meet David Cohen: The Jewish ‘sanctions guru’ appointed deputy chief of the CIA". Jersualem Post. Retrieved 30 April 2016.