Ronald Machen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ronald C. Machen
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| United States Attorney for the District of Columbia | |
| In office February 2010 – March 31, 2015 |
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| Appointed by | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Kenneth L. Wainstein |
| Succeeded by | Vincent H. Cohen Jr. (Acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 6, 1969 |
| Education | Stanford University (B.A.) Harvard Law School (J.D.) |
Ronald C. Machen Jr. (born May 6, 1969) is a lawyer who used to be the top prosecutor for the District of Columbia. This important job is called the United States Attorney. He held this role for a long time, more than 35 years. In 2015, he left this position and went back to working at a law firm called WilmerHale.
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Early Life and School
Ronald Machen grew up in Detroit, Michigan. He went to Stanford University. There, he played football as a walk-on wide receiver for the Stanford Cardinal football team. A walk-on means he joined the team without a special scholarship.
In 1991, Machen finished his studies at Stanford. He earned degrees in economics and political science. Later, he went to Harvard Law School and became a lawyer in 1994. After law school, he worked for a judge named Damon J. Keith.
His Career as a Lawyer
Mr. Machen started working for the U.S. government in 1997. He was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Columbia. He worked under Eric Holder, who later became the U.S. Attorney General.
After five years, Machen left the government. He worked in private law, helping companies and people with legal issues.
Becoming the U.S. Attorney
On December 23, 2009, President Barack Obama chose Machen for a big job. He nominated him to be the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia. The United States Senate approved him on February 11, 2010.
During his time as U.S. Attorney, Machen worked on many important cases. These cases often involved making sure government officials followed the rules.
Finding Wrongful Convictions
On September 12, 2014, Machen started something new. He created the first federal team in the country to look into cases where people might have been wrongly convicted. This team reviews old cases. They look for new evidence, like DNA tests, that could show someone is innocent. Other prosecutor offices have started similar teams since then.
Machen left his job on April 1, 2015. Vincent H. Cohen Jr. took over as the Acting United States Attorney.
Protecting Important Information
Machen's office also worked on cases about national security. These cases involved people who shared important government information. His office successfully prosecuted individuals who shared information with other countries. This work helped keep important national secrets safe.
Investigating Government Fairness
During his time, Machen's office worked to ensure fairness in government. They investigated concerns about the 2010 mayoral election in the District of Columbia. This investigation led to several people admitting they helped a campaign in ways that were not allowed.
In March 2014, Machen announced some findings from this investigation. This news came before a big election. The investigation was later closed without charges against Mayor Vincent Gray.
