Michael Chertoff

On February 15, 2005, Michael Chertoff became the second Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Prior to his nomination by President George W. Bush, Chertoff served as a federal judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.  Earlier, during more than a decade as a federal prosecutor, he investigated and prosecuted cases of political corruption, organized crime, corporate fraud and terrorism – including the investigation of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Mr. Chertoff also served as United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey from 1990-1994 and as a clerk to Supreme Court Justice Williams Brennan, Jr. from 1979-1980. He graduated magna cum laude from Harvard College in 1975 and magna cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1978.