Robert Luskin
Encyclopedia
Robert D. Luskin is an attorney and partner in the law firm of Patton Boggs LLP, specializing in White-collar crime
and federal and state government investigations. He is currently the personal attorney for White House
senior advisor and chief political strategist Karl Rove
, representing Rove in the special investigations into the outing of covert operative Valerie Plame
's position within the Central Intelligence Agency
(CIA) as a weapons of mass destruction
(WMD) specialist.
Luskin is a graduate of Harvard University
and Harvard Law School
, and a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University. He worked in the US Department of Justice
, specializing in Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
(RICO) enforcement, and helped supervise the ABSCAM
investigation of the early 1980s. Since entering private practice, he has represented both witnesses and investigative targets in independent counsel, criminal, and congressional investigations. Luskin is also a lecturer at the University of Virginia
School of Law
, where he teaches one course each spring in Labor Racketeering.
of Rhode Island
accused Luskin of "willful blindness" for accepting $505,125 in gold bars as well as Swiss Wire transfers of $169,000 from Stephen Saccoccia. Luskin represented Saccoccia in the appellate phase of the case after Saccoccia was convicted of money laundering. Whitehouse argued that Saccoccia's payments to Luskin were related to Saccoccia's broad money-laundering scheme and that the money should be returned to the government. William Moffitt, first VP of the National Association of Defense Lawyers, supported Luskin: "if the case gets a high profile [or] they don't like the lawyer in it, they can immediately open this kind of assault," adding "if you plead your client guilty, they're never going to go after your fee. So there's an incentive here to give the government what it wants." In 1998, Luskin settled with the government, forfeiting $245,000 in fees. Whitehouse, on the other hand, went on to lose his 2002 gubernatorial bid due to civil rights controversies during his tenure as State Attorney General.
, Luskin is a proud Democrat and has donated to numerous Democratic causes..
In 1995, Luskin reportedly became the first male lawyer to wear an earring while arguing a case before the Supreme Court. He had his left ear pierced in 1990 and has worn an earring since.
Luskin splits his time between West Tisbury, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta. When in Washington, Luskin often rides his motorcycle to work. When in Atlanta, Luskin, a pilot, will fly.
Luskin is married; he has two sons and two step daughters.
Luskin has been described as a "man of somewhat Neiman-Marxist tastes".
White-collar crime
Within the field of criminology, white-collar crime has been defined by Edwin Sutherland as "a crime committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of his occupation" . Sutherland was a proponent of Symbolic Interactionism, and believed that criminal behavior was...
and federal and state government investigations. He is currently the personal attorney for White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
senior advisor and chief political strategist Karl Rove
Karl Rove
Karl Christian Rove was Senior Advisor and Deputy Chief of Staff to former President George W. Bush until Rove's resignation on August 31, 2007. He has headed the Office of Political Affairs, the Office of Public Liaison, and the White House Office of Strategic Initiatives...
, representing Rove in the special investigations into the outing of covert operative Valerie Plame
Valerie Plame
Valerie Elise Plame Wilson , known as Valerie Plame, Valerie E. Wilson, and Valerie Plame Wilson, is a former United States CIA Operations Officer and the author of a memoir detailing her career and the events leading up to her resignation from the CIA.-Early life :Valerie Elise Plame was born on...
's position within the Central Intelligence Agency
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
(CIA) as a weapons of mass destruction
Weapons of mass destruction
A weapon of mass destruction is a weapon that can kill and bring significant harm to a large number of humans and/or cause great damage to man-made structures , natural structures , or the biosphere in general...
(WMD) specialist.
Luskin is a graduate of Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
and Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
, and a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University. He worked in the US Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
, specializing in Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, commonly referred to as the RICO Act or simply RICO, is a United States federal law that provides for extended criminal penalties and a civil cause of action for acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization...
(RICO) enforcement, and helped supervise the ABSCAM
Abscam
Abscam was a United States Federal Bureau of Investigation sting operation run from the FBI's Hauppauge, Long Island, office in the late 1970s and early 1980s...
investigation of the early 1980s. Since entering private practice, he has represented both witnesses and investigative targets in independent counsel, criminal, and congressional investigations. Luskin is also a lecturer at the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
School of Law
University of Virginia School of Law
The University of Virginia School of Law was founded in Charlottesville in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson as one of the original subjects taught at his "academical village," the University of Virginia. The law school maintains an enrollment of approximately 1,100 students in its initial degree program...
, where he teaches one course each spring in Labor Racketeering.
Controversies
In 1997, US Attorney Sheldon WhitehouseSheldon Whitehouse
Sheldon Whitehouse is the junior U.S. Senator from Rhode Island, serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
of Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
accused Luskin of "willful blindness" for accepting $505,125 in gold bars as well as Swiss Wire transfers of $169,000 from Stephen Saccoccia. Luskin represented Saccoccia in the appellate phase of the case after Saccoccia was convicted of money laundering. Whitehouse argued that Saccoccia's payments to Luskin were related to Saccoccia's broad money-laundering scheme and that the money should be returned to the government. William Moffitt, first VP of the National Association of Defense Lawyers, supported Luskin: "if the case gets a high profile [or] they don't like the lawyer in it, they can immediately open this kind of assault," adding "if you plead your client guilty, they're never going to go after your fee. So there's an incentive here to give the government what it wants." In 1998, Luskin settled with the government, forfeiting $245,000 in fees. Whitehouse, on the other hand, went on to lose his 2002 gubernatorial bid due to civil rights controversies during his tenure as State Attorney General.
Personal Life
Despite representing President Bush's top political advisor Karl RoveKarl Rove
Karl Christian Rove was Senior Advisor and Deputy Chief of Staff to former President George W. Bush until Rove's resignation on August 31, 2007. He has headed the Office of Political Affairs, the Office of Public Liaison, and the White House Office of Strategic Initiatives...
, Luskin is a proud Democrat and has donated to numerous Democratic causes..
In 1995, Luskin reportedly became the first male lawyer to wear an earring while arguing a case before the Supreme Court. He had his left ear pierced in 1990 and has worn an earring since.
Luskin splits his time between West Tisbury, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta. When in Washington, Luskin often rides his motorcycle to work. When in Atlanta, Luskin, a pilot, will fly.
Luskin is married; he has two sons and two step daughters.
Luskin has been described as a "man of somewhat Neiman-Marxist tastes".