Attorney. A controversial figure in 20th century, he is best known for his participation as chief counsel to Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy during the so-called "Red Scare" congressional investigations in the 1950s. Born in New York City in 1927, he graduated from Columbia Law School at 20, passed the New York State Bar exam at 21, and rose to become the youngest assistant United States attorney at the time. The case that launched his career was the 1951 trial of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, accused of leaking atomic secrets to the Soviets. Cohn was one of four attorneys who successfully prosecuted them for treason. As chief counsel to Senator Joseph McCarthy's Communist-hunting United States Senate permanent investigations subcommittee (1953 to 1954), he was an often celebrated, often denigrated national figure that became a household name in the era. Over the next 30 years, Cohn built a high-powered law career in New York City. Between 1963 and 1971, however, he was indicted three times for crimes such as perjury and witness tampering. Cohn was acquitted in each case, but in the 1980s, further allegations of unethical conduct finally led to disbarment, just weeks before he died of AIDS-related complications on August 2, 1986. His clients included Anthony (Fat Tony) Salerno, boss of New York's Genovese crime family; Carmine (Lilo) Galante, boss of New York's Bonnano crime family; and several members of the Gambino crime family including Thomas and Joseph Gambino, Carmine Fatico, Angelo Ruggiero, and John Gotti. He was also legal counsel to then-New York businessman and future 45th United States President Donald J. Trump.
Attorney. A controversial figure in 20th century, he is best known for his participation as chief counsel to Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy during the so-called "Red Scare" congressional investigations in the 1950s. Born in New York City in 1927, he graduated from Columbia Law School at 20, passed the New York State Bar exam at 21, and rose to become the youngest assistant United States attorney at the time. The case that launched his career was the 1951 trial of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, accused of leaking atomic secrets to the Soviets. Cohn was one of four attorneys who successfully prosecuted them for treason. As chief counsel to Senator Joseph McCarthy's Communist-hunting United States Senate permanent investigations subcommittee (1953 to 1954), he was an often celebrated, often denigrated national figure that became a household name in the era. Over the next 30 years, Cohn built a high-powered law career in New York City. Between 1963 and 1971, however, he was indicted three times for crimes such as perjury and witness tampering. Cohn was acquitted in each case, but in the 1980s, further allegations of unethical conduct finally led to disbarment, just weeks before he died of AIDS-related complications on August 2, 1986. His clients included Anthony (Fat Tony) Salerno, boss of New York's Genovese crime family; Carmine (Lilo) Galante, boss of New York's Bonnano crime family; and several members of the Gambino crime family including Thomas and Joseph Gambino, Carmine Fatico, Angelo Ruggiero, and John Gotti. He was also legal counsel to then-New York businessman and future 45th United States President Donald J. Trump.
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