Richard Ben-Veniste (born January 3, 1943), a key member of the 9-11 Commission, is known for his pointed questions and criticisms of members of both the Clinton and G.W. Bush administrations.

Mr. Ben-Veniste graduated from Stuyvesant High Schoolin New York City in 1960, received an A.B. from Muhlenberg College in 1964, an LL.B. from Columbia Law School in 1967, and an LL.M. from Northwestern University School of Law in 1968.

He served as assistant U.S. attorney from 1968 to 1973, including the turbulent period of the Watergate scandal. Mr. Ben-Veniste was a leading figure in the prosecution of this scandal. He served as chief of the Watergate Task Force of the Watergate Special Prosecutor's Office. He later aided in the investigations of other other issues of national importance, including serving as chief councel of the Senate Whitewater Committee . In his private practice, he has represented Democratic National Chairman Terry McAuliffe, and continues to represent major clients such as Boeing and United Airlines.

Ben-Veniste is a Presidential appointee to the Nazi War Crimes and Japanese Imperial Government Records Interagency Working Group, a group mandated to review and declassify documents relating to war crimes in the World War II era. He also co-authored Stonewall: The Real Story of the Watergate Prosecution.

Most recently, Ben-Veniste was appointed to the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States ( popularly known as the "9/11 Commission"), where he has developed a reputation for asking tough questions and demanding access to sensitive documents, although in some circles he has been accused of grandstanding.

Mr. Ben-Veniste is a partner with the international law firm Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw, LLP

Further reading

• Richard Ben-Veniste and George Frampton , Stonewall: The Real Story of the Watergate Prosecution Simon & Schuster, 1977, ISBN 0671224638

External link

• Richard Ben-Veniste profile, NNDB.