Richard Ben-Veniste
Encyclopedia
Richard Ben-Veniste is an American lawyer. He first rose to prominence as a special prosecutor during the Watergate scandal
. He has also been a member of the 9/11 Commission
. He is known for his pointed questions and criticisms of members of both the Clinton
and George W. Bush
administrations.
in New York City
(1960), earned an A.B.
from Muhlenberg College
in Allentown, Pennsylvania
(1964), an LL.B. from Columbia Law School
in New York City (1967), and an LL.M. from Northwestern University School of Law
in Chicago, Illinois (1968).
He was an assistant U.S. attorney (1968–1973) in the Southern District of New York, and chief of the Special Prosecutions section, (1971–1973). He became a leading Watergate prosecutor, as chief of the Watergate Task Force of the Watergate Special Prosecutor
's Office, (1973–1975).
He was the Democrat's chief counsel (1995–1996) on the Senate Whitewater Committee which investigated a variety of allegations involving Bill and Hillary Clinton. He argued effectively that the Clintons did no wrong in connection with their investment in a failed land development project named Whitewater, or in their other Arkansas
business affairs, nor did they commit violations of law after Mr. Clinton became President.
Ben-Veniste was a presidential appointee (2000) to the Nazi War Crimes and Japanese Imperial Government Records Interagency Working Group
, which ultimately declassified some 8 million documents relating to war crimes in the World War II
and post-war era.
was contentious, and led to the declassification of the previously secret August 6, 2001 President's Daily Brief
: "Bin Laden Determined to Attack Inside the United States." The 9/11 Commission's Report was published in 2004 and has been read by millions of readers worldwide. Most of the Commission's recommendations have been enacted into law.
Ben-Veniste was a partner of the Washington, DC, law firm of Melrod, Redman & Gartlan (1975–1981). In 1981 he formed Ben-Veniste and Shennoff, where he practiced for 10 years. He joined Weil, Gotshal and Manges in 1991, where he was a partner until 2002. Ben-Veniste has been a partner at Mayer Brown LLP from 2002 until the present.
Watergate scandal
The Watergate scandal was a political scandal during the 1970s in the United States resulting from the break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., and the Nixon administration's attempted cover-up of its involvement...
. He has also been a member of the 9/11 Commission
9/11 Commission
The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, also known as the 9/11 Commission, was set up on November 27, 2002, "to prepare a full and complete account of the circumstances surrounding the September 11, 2001 attacks", including preparedness for and the immediate response to...
. He is known for his pointed questions and criticisms of members of both the Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
and George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
administrations.
Career
Ben-Veniste graduated from Stuyvesant High SchoolStuyvesant High School
Stuyvesant High School , commonly referred to as Stuy , is a New York City public high school that specializes in mathematics and science. The school opened in 1904 on Manhattan's East Side and moved to a new building in Battery Park City in 1992. Stuyvesant is noted for its strong academic...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
(1960), earned an A.B.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from Muhlenberg College
Muhlenberg College
Muhlenberg College is a private liberal arts college located in Allentown, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1848, Muhlenberg is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and is named for Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, the patriarch of the Lutheran Church in America.- History...
in Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the 215th largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently...
(1964), an LL.B. from Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School, founded in 1858, is one of the oldest and most prestigious law schools in the United States. A member of the Ivy League, Columbia Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Columbia University in New York City. It offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in...
in New York City (1967), and an LL.M. from Northwestern University School of Law
Northwestern University School of Law
The Northwestern University School of Law is a private American law school in Chicago, Illinois. The law school was founded in 1859 as the Union College of Law of the Old University of Chicago. The first law school established in Chicago, it became jointly controlled by Northwestern University in...
in Chicago, Illinois (1968).
He was an assistant U.S. attorney (1968–1973) in the Southern District of New York, and chief of the Special Prosecutions section, (1971–1973). He became a leading Watergate prosecutor, as chief of the Watergate Task Force of the Watergate Special Prosecutor
Special prosecutor
A special prosecutor generally is a lawyer from outside the government appointed by an attorney general or, in the United States, by Congress to investigate a government official for misconduct while in office. A reasoning for such an appointment is that the governmental branch or agency may have...
's Office, (1973–1975).
He was the Democrat's chief counsel (1995–1996) on the Senate Whitewater Committee which investigated a variety of allegations involving Bill and Hillary Clinton. He argued effectively that the Clintons did no wrong in connection with their investment in a failed land development project named Whitewater, or in their other Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
business affairs, nor did they commit violations of law after Mr. Clinton became President.
Ben-Veniste was a presidential appointee (2000) to the Nazi War Crimes and Japanese Imperial Government Records Interagency Working Group
Nazi War Crimes and Japanese Imperial Government Records Interagency Working Group
The Nazi War Crimes and Japanese Imperial Government Records Interagency Working Group is a United States government interagency group, which tasked with locating, identifying, inventorying, and recommending for declassification classified U.S. records relating to Nazi and Japanese war crimes.The...
, which ultimately declassified some 8 million documents relating to war crimes in the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and post-war era.
9/11 Commission
Ben-Veniste was a member (2002) of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (or "9/11 Commission"), where he developed a reputation for asking tough questions and demanding access to sensitive documents, although in some circles he was accused of grandstanding. His interrogation of U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza RiceCondoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice is an American political scientist and diplomat. She served as the 66th United States Secretary of State, and was the second person to hold that office in the administration of President George W. Bush...
was contentious, and led to the declassification of the previously secret August 6, 2001 President's Daily Brief
President's Daily Brief
The President's Daily Brief , sometimes incorrectly referred to as the President's Daily Briefing or the President's Daily Bulletin, is a top-secret document produced each morning for the President of the United States...
: "Bin Laden Determined to Attack Inside the United States." The 9/11 Commission's Report was published in 2004 and has been read by millions of readers worldwide. Most of the Commission's recommendations have been enacted into law.
Ben-Veniste was a partner of the Washington, DC, law firm of Melrod, Redman & Gartlan (1975–1981). In 1981 he formed Ben-Veniste and Shennoff, where he practiced for 10 years. He joined Weil, Gotshal and Manges in 1991, where he was a partner until 2002. Ben-Veniste has been a partner at Mayer Brown LLP from 2002 until the present.
Works
- Richard Ben-Veniste and George FramptonGeorge FramptonSir George James Frampton, RA was a notable British sculptor and leading member of the New Sculpture movement.-Early life and career:...
, Stonewall: The Real Story of the Watergate Prosecution Simon & Schuster, 1977, ISBN 0-671-22463-8 - Richard Ben-Veniste, The Emperor's New Clothes: Exposing the Truth from Watergate to 9/11 Thomas Dunne Books, 2009, ISBN 978-0312357962
Further reading
- New York Times, November 13, 1973;
- Washington Post Book World, April 17, 1977.
- Daily Standard, April 15, 2004.
- Insight on the News, April 29, 1996.
- Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles TimesThe Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, April 11, 2004. - NewsweekNewsweekNewsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
, June 10, 1996. - New York Times, April 18, 2004.
- Washington Post, December 8, 1998.
- Washington Post Magazine, July 26, 1981.
- Weekly Standard, April 21, 1997.
External links
- Richard Ben-Veniste profile, NNDB.
- Mayer Brown - Richard Ben-Veniste firm biography