For other people named Matthew Whitaker, see Matthew Whitaker (disambiguation).
Matthew Whitaker
United States Attorney General
Acting November 7, 2018 – February 14, 2019
President
Donald Trump
Deputy
Rod Rosenstein
Preceded by
Jeff Sessions
Succeeded by
William Barr
United States Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa
In office June 15, 2004 – November 25, 2009
President
George W. Bush Barack Obama
Preceded by
Stephen Patrick O'Meara
Succeeded by
Nicholas A. Klinefeldt
Personal details
Born
Matthew George Whitaker
(1969-10-29) October 29, 1969 (age 54) Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.
Political party
Republican
Spouse
Marci Whitaker[1]
Children
3
Education
University of Iowa (BA, MBA, JD)
Matthew George Whitaker (born October 29, 1969) is an American lawyer, lobbyist and politician who served as the acting United States Attorney General from November 7, 2018, to February 14, 2019. He was appointed to that position by President Donald Trump after Jeff Sessions resigned at Trump's request.[2] Whitaker had previously served as Chief of Staff to Sessions from October 2017 to November 2018.[3]
While attending the University of Iowa, Whitaker played tight end for the University of Iowa Hawkeyes football team, including in the 1991 Rose Bowl.
In 2002, Whitaker was the candidate of the Republican Party for Treasurer of Iowa. From 2004 to 2009, he served as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa, where he was known for aggressively prosecuting drug traffickers.[4] Whitaker ran in the 2014 Iowa Republican primary for the United States Senate. He later wrote opinion pieces and appeared on talk-radio shows and cable news as the executive director of the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT), a conservative advocacy group.
On December 7, 2018, Trump nominated William Barr for Attorney General.[5] The legality of Whitaker's appointment as acting U.S. Attorney General was challenged in multiple lawsuits,[6] and questioned by legal scholars, commentators, and politicians.[7] On February 15, 2019, after Barr was sworn in on the previous day, Whitaker became a senior counselor in the Office of the Associate Attorney General; he resigned from the Justice Department on March 2, 2019.[8][9][10] After leaving the Justice Department, Whitaker became a guest on news and analysis shows including as a CNN contributor, and was affiliated with the law firm of Graves Garrett. In August 2019, he became a managing director at Axiom Strategies and Clout Public Affairs.[11]
^Maffucci, Samantha (February 8, 2019). "Who Is Matthew Whitaker's Wife? New Details On Marci Whitaker". Tango. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
^"Jeff Sessions forced out as attorney general". CBS News. November 7, 2018. Retrieved November 9, 2018.
^"Attorney Goes After Drug Traffickers", The Des Moines Register (March 28, 2005), p. 4B.
^Petroski, William (December 7, 2018). "Iowa's Matt Whitaker's future in limbo as Trump's picks William Barr for attorney general". The Des Moines Register. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
^"After outcry over appointment, Trump's top law enforcer treading..." Reuters. December 16, 2018. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
^Cite error: The named reference appointment was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^"Ex-acting AG Matthew Whitaker leaves Justice Department". ABC News. March 3, 2019. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
^Wilber, Del Quentin (March 4, 2019). "Matthew Whitaker, former acting attorney general, leaves Justice Department". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 6, 2019.
^Lynch, Sarah N. (March 4, 2019). "Whitaker, former acting U.S. attorney general, leaves Justice Dept". Reuters.
^Jacobs, Jennifer (August 1, 2019). "Trump's Former Acting Attorney General Lands Political Consulting Job". Bloomberg LLP.
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