Chairs

The Honorable Matthew Whitaker

CO-CHAIR, CENTER FOR LAW & JUSTICE

America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination, and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand.

- HARRY S. TRUMAN

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Matthew G. Whitaker is from Des Moines, Iowa, and serves as a Co-Chair for the Center of Law & Justice at AFPI. Whitaker was the Acting Attorney General of the United States from 2018 to 2019. Prior to becoming Acting Attorney General, Mr. Whitaker served as Chief of Staff to Attorney General Jeff Sessions. He was previously appointed as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa by President George W. Bush, serving from 2004 to 2009. Whitaker was also previously the managing partner of Des Moines-based law firm Whitaker Hagenow & Gustoff, LLP from 2009 until rejoining the U.S. Department of Justice in 2017. He was also the Executive Director for FACT, The Foundation for Accountability & Civic Trust, an ethics and accountability watchdog, from 2014 to 2017. Mr. Whitaker earned a Master of Business Administration, Juris Doctor, and Bachelor of Arts from the University of Iowa. While at Iowa, Whitaker was a three-year letterman on the football team, where he received the prestigious Big Ten Medal of Honor. Mr. Whitaker is also of counsel with the Graves Garrett law firm.