Michael Chertoff | |
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2nd United States Secretary of Homeland Security | |
In office February 15, 2005 – January 21, 2009 | |
President | George W. Bush Barack Obama |
Preceded by | Tom Ridge |
Succeeded by | Janet Napolitano |
Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit | |
In office June 10, 2003 – February 15, 2005 | |
Appointed by | George W. Bush |
Preceded by | Morton Ira Greenberg |
Succeeded by | Michael Chagares |
United States Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division | |
In office January 20, 2001 – June 10, 2003 | |
President | George W. Bush |
Preceded by | James Robinson |
Succeeded by | Christopher A. Wray |
United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey | |
In office 1990–1994 | |
President | George H. W. Bush Bill Clinton |
Preceded by | Samuel Alito |
Succeeded by | Faith S. Hochberg |
Personal details | |
Born | Elizabeth, New Jersey, U.S. | November 28, 1953
Political party | Republican |
Spouse |
Meryl Justin (m. 1988) |
Children | 2 |
Education | Harvard University (BA, JD) London School of Economics |
Michael Chertoff (born November 28, 1953) is an American attorney who was the second United States Secretary of Homeland Security to serve under President George W. Bush. Chertoff also served for one additional day under President Barack Obama. He was the co-author of the USA PATRIOT Act. Chertoff previously served as a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, as a federal prosecutor, and as Assistant U.S. Attorney General. He succeeded Tom Ridge as U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security on February 15, 2005.
Since leaving government service, he co-founded the Chertoff Group, a risk-management and security consulting company. He has also worked as senior of counsel at the Washington, D.C., law firm of Covington & Burling. He is also the chair and a member of the board of trustees in the international freedom watchdog Freedom House, and sits on the bipartisan advisory board of States United Democracy Center.[1]