Born: February 22, 1945
Wilmington, Delaware

Summary by
Carl Stern

Interviews conducted by
Carl Stern, Esq.

Joseph E. diGenova, Esq.

Oral History Text & Documentation

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Oral History Summary

BIOGRAPHY – 2003

Joseph E. diGenova, a founding partner of diGenova & Toensing, represents individuals, corporations and other entities in criminal, civil, administrative, and investigative matters.

In December 1992 he was appointed Independent Counsel in the Clinton Passport File Search matter. He served from 1995 – 2002 as Chairman of the Grievance Committee of the District Court, District of Columbia. In 1997, he was named Special Counsel by the U.S. House of Representatives to probe the election of Ron Carey as President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

From 1983 – 1988, Mr. diGenova was United States Attorney for the District of Columbia. He supervised complex Federal criminal and civil matters including international drug smuggling, public corruption, espionage, insider trading, tax violations, extradition, fraud, RICO, export control and international terrorism.

He conducted a wide-ranging probe of corruption in the D.C. government, which led to the conviction of two deputy mayors. He led the prosecution of Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard and supervised the prosecution of attempted Presidential assassin, John W. Hinckley.

Mr. diGenova has extensive experience on Capitol Hill. He was Chief Counsel and Staff Director of the Senate Rules Committee, and Counsel to the Senate Judiciary, Governmental Affairs and Select Intelligence Committee. He has conducted confirmation, investigative, legislative and oversight hearings, drafted legislation, and testified before both Houses of Congress. He also served as Administrative Assistant and Legislative Director to U.S. Senator Charles Mathias.

Mr. diGenova has published articles on criminal law, terrorism and Congressional oversight, and has spoken on these and other litigation and legislative issues to organizations throughout the United States. As part of his advocacy approach, he has appeared on many well known national television programs.

He is a native of Delaware and received his undergraduate degree from the University of Cincinnati and his law degree from Georgetown University. Education: Georgetown University (J.D., 1970); University of Cincinnati (B.A., 1967); Admitted to bar, 1970, District of Columbia.

Employment History:

Private Practice, 1988 – Present
Appointed member of Independent Review Board by International Brotherhood of Teamsters President James Hoffa, 2001 –
Special Counsel to U.S. House of Representatives Teamsters Investigation, 1997-1998
Independent Counsel of the United States, 1992-1995
U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, 1983-1988
Principal Assistant U.S. Attorney, Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, 1982- 1983
Chief Counsel and Staff Director, U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, 1981 – 1982
Administrative Assistant and Legislative Counsel to U.S. Senator Charles Mathias, 1979- 1981
U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, 1978
Subcommittee on the District of Columbia, U.S. Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, 1976
Attorney Advisor on Intelligence Matters, U.S. Attorney General Edward Levi, 1976-1977
Counsel, U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, 1975-1976; Assistant U.S. States Attorney, District of Columbia, 1972-1975
Law Clerk to Honorable George Gallagher, D.C. Court of Appeals, 1970-1971

Professional Organizations and Activities:

Member, Board of Directors, Bankers Insurance Life Society, 199 1-1 995
Member, Council for Court Excellence, 1991
Fellow, American Bar Foundation, 1990-
Master of the Bench, Edward Bennett Williams American Inn of Court, 1989- 1992
Legal Advisory Council, National Legal Center for the Public Interest, 1989-91
United States Sentencing Commission, Practitioners Advisory Group on Organizational Sanctions, 1989- 1990
Washington Legal Foundation Legal Policy Advisory Board, 1989
District of Columbia Superior Court Sentencing Guidelines Commission, 1984-1988
District of Columbia Circuit Judicial Conference, 1982-