John Durham

For other people named John Durham, see John Durham (disambiguation).

John Durham
Special Counsel for the United States Department of Justice
In office
October 19, 2020 – May 15, 2023
Appointed byWilliam Barr
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byPosition abolished
United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut
In office
October 28, 2017 – February 28, 2021
Acting until February 22, 2018
PresidentDonald Trump
Joe Biden
Preceded byDeirdre M. Daly
Succeeded byLeonard C. Boyle (acting)
Acting
January 20, 1997 – June 30, 1998
PresidentBill Clinton
Preceded byChristopher F. Droney[1]
Succeeded byStephen C. Robinson
Personal details
Born
John Henry Durham

(1950-03-16) March 16, 1950 (age 74)
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Political partyRepublican[2]
EducationColgate University (BA)
University of Connecticut (JD)
Awards
Attorney General's Award for Exceptional Service

Attorney General's Award for Distinguished Service

John Henry Durham (born March 16, 1950)[3][4][5] is an American lawyer who served as the United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut (D. Conn.) from 2018 to 2021. By April 2019, the Trump administration assigned him to investigate the origins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. elections, and in October 2020 he was appointed special counsel for the Department of Justice on that matter.

He previously served as an assistant U.S. attorney in various positions in D.C. for 35 years.[6] He is known for his role as special prosecutor in the 2005 destruction of interrogation tapes created by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), during which he decided not to file any criminal charges related to the destruction of tapes of torture at a CIA facility.[3]

By April 2019, U.S. Attorney General William Barr had tasked Durham with overseeing a review of the origins of the Russia investigation and to determine if intelligence collection involving the Trump campaign was "lawful and appropriate".[7][8] Barr disclosed in December 2020 that he had elevated Durham's status to special counsel in October 2020, ensuring that the Durham special counsel investigation could continue after the Trump administration ended.[9][10] After 31⁄2 years of investigation and prosecutions, Durham had secured one guilty plea and a probation sentence for a charge unrelated to the origins of the Russia investigation, and two unsuccessful trial prosecutions. Durham alleged at the two trials that the FBI had been deceived by the defendants.

  1. ^ "About the Office". justice.gov. March 18, 2015.
  2. ^ Mahony, Edmund H. (October 27, 2017). "John Durham Named Interim U.S. Attorney; Presidential Nomination Expected". Hartford Courant. Retrieved October 24, 2019.
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference lewis was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "Committee Questionnaire" (PDF).
  5. ^ Ford, Lois Mitchell (1979). Descendants of David Mitchell of Burnton, Laurencekirk, Kincardineshire, Scotland.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference resign was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference review was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Balsamo, Michael (May 14, 2019). "AP source: Barr launches new look at origins of Russia probe". Associated Press. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  9. ^ Tucker, Eric; Balsamo, Michael (December 1, 2020). "Barr appoints special counsel in Russia probe investigation". The Seattle Times. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  10. ^ Balsamo, Michael (February 27, 2021). "Durham remains special counsel overseeing Trump-Russia probe". Associated Press. Retrieved September 9, 2021.