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George Demos

George Demos is a former United States Securities and Exchange Commission prosecutor, and was a candidate for the Republican nomination for New York's 1st congressional district on New York State's Long Island.[1] He is currently a partner at DLA Piper and an adjunct law professor at University of California at Davis Law School.[2]

George Demos
Personal details
Born1976
Political partyRepublican, Conservative
RelationsAngelo Tsakopoulos (father-in-law)
Eleni Kounalakis (sister-in-law)
Alma materColumbia University (BA)
Fordham University School of Law (JD)
ProfessionAttorney

Early life

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Demos is the grandson of immigrants.[3] His mother was a public school teacher, and his father was an attorney in private practice.[3] Demos grew up in New York City where he attended Trinity School.[4]

Demos received his B.A. from Columbia University, majoring in political science, and his J.D. from Fordham Law School.[3]

Career

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Demos prosecuted white collar fraud as a prosecutor at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) between 2002 and 2009.[1][5][6][7] Demos is a partner at DLA Piper and an adjunct law professor at University of California at Davis Law School, where he has taught Corporate and White Collar Crime and Presidential Powers.[8]

Demos has also published legal analysis of the cases involving former President Donald Trump. In an April 2024 column regarding the "hush money" case against the former president, Demos wrote that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg "ignored a panoply of evidentiary matters that severely undermine the credibility of this prosecution."[9] In a May 2024 column, Demos published a detailed rebuke of Bragg's conduct and tactics in the case against President Donald Trump.[10] In June 2024, Demos asserted that District Attorney Bragg's closing argument may have resulted in Trump being convicted of overpaying his taxes.[11]

Politics

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New York's 1st congressional district

Demos vied in 2010 for the Republican nomination to compete for the congressional seat of Democrat Tim Bishop on Long Island in New York State in the November 2010 election, coming in second in the primary.[12][13] His three-way primary included Christopher Nixon Cox, the grandson of President Richard Nixon and Randy Altschuler, a businessman.[13][14][15]

In the days leading up to the primary, Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh did a "six-minute radio riff in support of George Demos in NY-1, calling the former SEC attorney the only conservative in the race." Limbaugh praised Demos and noted "the Republican establishment had turned on him [Demos]."[16] In the September 2010 primary, Altschuler finished first with 45 percent of the vote, Demos had 30 percent, and Cox was third with 24 percent.[17]

Demos announced another run for Congress Monday, August 8, 2011. In 2012 Demos wrote a letter to Donald Trump stating "your passion and dedication to defending (America's) interests is unequaled" and asking him to speak out against the outsourcing of American jobs to India."[18] Demos withdrew from the race May 25, 2012.[19]

On October 6, 2013, he announced he would seek the Republican nomination to run against Congressman Tim Bishop.[20] On June 24, 2014 he lost the primary election to New York State Senator Lee Zeldin.[21]

Ground Zero Church Advocacy

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In August 2010, Demos held a press conference at Ground Zero with former New York Governor George Pataki to object to the proposed construction of the Park51 Islamic community center near Ground Zero.[22] He said that the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, the only religious structure destroyed in the 9/11 attacks, should be rebuilt before moving forward on building an Islamic community center in the area, and called for an investigation into the center's financing.[23][24][25]

In September 2011, Demos called on Governor Andrew Cuomo to fire Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Director Christopher Ward for "stonewalling" the church's reconstruction.[26] On October 14, 2011, ten years after the church was destroyed in the 9/11 terror attacks, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese signed an agreement with the Port Authority for the reconstruction of the church.[27]

Personal life

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Demos is married to Chrysa Tsakopoulos, daughter of the real estate developer Angelo Tsakopoulos.[28] His sister-in-law, Eleni Kounalakis, is the current Lieutenant Governor of California. In 2020 George and Chrysa Demos made a $2 million donation to UC Davis.[29]

References

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  1. ^ a b Toeplitz, Shira (February 25, 2010). "Consulting Teams and Continental Divides". CQ Politics. Archived from the original on February 28, 2010. Retrieved August 5, 2010.
  2. ^ "George G. Demos | People | DLA Piper Global Law Firm". DLA Piper. Archived from the original on August 12, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c "Meet George: A Biography: Meet George". George Demos For Congress. Archived from the original on August 17, 2010. Retrieved August 5, 2010.
  4. ^ Leibovich, Mark (April 8, 2014). "How Not to Seem Rich While Running for Office". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on January 8, 2018. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
  5. ^ "Nixon Grandson in GOP Bid for Bishop's Seat". Long Island Press. September 11, 2001. Archived from the original on February 8, 2010. Retrieved August 5, 2010.
  6. ^ Cadei, Emily. "For New York's GOP, a Candidate Surplus". CQ Politics. Archived from the original on August 17, 2010. Retrieved August 5, 2010.
  7. ^ "GOP Family Feuds". Antonnews.com. July 9, 2010. Archived from the original on March 6, 2012. Retrieved August 5, 2010.
  8. ^ Anonymous (March 30, 2021). "George Demos | School of Law". law.ucdavis.edu. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  9. ^ Demos, George (April 24, 2024). "Why the hush money case against Donald Trump is on shaky ground". The Hill. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  10. ^ Demos, George (May 22, 2024). "Prosecutors in Trump trial have strayed from their mandate to ensure justice is done". The Hill. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  11. ^ Demos, George (June 5, 2024). "Was Trump convicted of overpaying taxes? - Washington Examiner". Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  12. ^ Ross, Casey (January 23, 2010). "With win behind them, Brown strategists are in demand". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on January 28, 2010. Retrieved August 5, 2010.
  13. ^ a b Katz, Celeste (July 21, 2010). "Jeb Bush Endorses Chris Cox For Congress In NY-1". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on August 8, 2010. Retrieved August 5, 2010.
  14. ^ Katz, Celeste (July 19, 2010). "Incumbent Rep. Tim Bishop Snags Indy Line In NY-1". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on July 22, 2010. Retrieved August 5, 2010.
  15. ^ "Schneiderman Opts Out of Congressional Race". The Sag Harbor Express. July 15, 2010. Archived from the original on July 15, 2011. Retrieved August 5, 2010.
  16. ^ Maggie Haberman (September 8, 2010). "Rush pro-Demos in NY-1, unloads on Cox and Altschuler". Politico. Archived from the original on July 15, 2011. Retrieved February 13, 2011.
  17. ^ Miller, Sean J. (September 14, 2010). "Rep. Bishop up against big-spending Republican – The Hill's Ballot Box". Thehill.com. Archived from the original on September 16, 2010. Retrieved September 16, 2010.
  18. ^ Haberman, Maggie (October 13, 2011). "The Donald as NY-1 wedge". Politico.
  19. ^ "Demos quits GOP primary for congressional seat". Archived from the original on June 4, 2012.
  20. ^ "Demos & Zeldin Announce Plans to Run for Congress in 2014 | The Sag Harbor Express". Archived from the original on May 5, 2014. Retrieved May 5, 2014.
  21. ^ "Zeldin tops Demos, will face Bishop this fall". June 25, 2014. Archived from the original on July 3, 2014. Retrieved June 25, 2014.
  22. ^ Vitello, Paul (August 24, 2010). "Amid Furor on Islamic Center, Pleas for Orthodox Church Nearby". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
  23. ^ CBN News (August 3, 2010). "Church Destroyed on 9/11 Still in Shambles". CBN News. Archived from the original on August 5, 2010. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
  24. ^ "George Demos Tells Fox News We Must Rebuild St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church at Ground Zero". USA.GreekReporter.com. August 3, 2010. Archived from the original on August 18, 2010. Retrieved August 5, 2010.
  25. ^ Katz, Celeste (July 21, 2010). "GOP Hopeful George Demos: Rebuild Church At Ground Zero, Not Mosque". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on July 25, 2010. Retrieved August 5, 2010.
  26. ^ Papapostolou, Apostolos (September 7, 2011). "George Demos: "Governor Cuomo Must Fire the Man Blocking 9/11 Church Rebuilding"". Greek Reporter.
  27. ^ "Historic Church Destroyed On 9/11 To Rise Again - NY1". May 12, 2013. Archived from the original on May 12, 2013. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
  28. ^ "Demos' bid boosted by wife's family fortune". Newsday. Archived from the original on October 21, 2020. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  29. ^ "Sacramento philanthropists lend support to healthy aging efforts". UC Davis Giving. October 3, 2020. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
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