The Honorable Lewis “Scooter” Libby, JD
Lewis Libby is a Distinguished Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Libby previously held several high-level positions in the federal government, including Chief of Staff to Vice President Richard B. Cheney, Assistant to the Vice President for National Security Affairs, and Assistant to the President (2001-2005). Libby was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, and also served as Principal Deputy Under Secretary for Strategy and Resources in the U.S. Department of Defense (1989-1993). Libby was the Director of Special Projects in the East Asia Bureau of the U.S. Department of State and a member of the Secretary’s Policy Planning Staff (1981-1985). A member of the DC Bar, Libby was the managing partner of the Washington office of Dechert, an international law firm. He was the Senior Vice President of the Hudson Institute for over a decade.
Libby has published and lectured widely on national and homeland security. His novel, The Apprentice, was published by Gray Wolf Press and St. Martin’s Press. He graduated magna cum laude from Yale and as a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar from Columbia Law School.
All of us at the Commission are in shock and are heartbroken at news that Senator Lieberman has died suddenly and unexpectedly. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Hadassah, their children, and extended family.
We all were the beneficiaries of Joe’s many years of selfless public service, his kindness, and civility. Joe was the definition of a Mensch – a person of great integrity and honor. He always put others first and always worked to better our nation, to which he tirelessly devoted so much of his energy. He had an indefatigable spirit that always pushed our work forward.
For nearly ten years, Joe was my co-chair here at the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense. He cared deeply about the mission, for sure. Even more, he cared about each of our fellow Commissioners and the staff, all of whom I know are personally grieving at this tremendous loss. May his memory be a blessing.
Tom Ridge
March 27, 2024
