Jack Lew

{{short description|American attorney (born 1955)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Jack Lew

| image = Jacob J. Lew, U.S. Ambassador (cropped).jpg

| caption = Official portrait, 2023

| status =

| order = 28th

| office = United States Ambassador to Israel

| president = Joe Biden

| term_start = November 5, 2023

| term_end = January 20, 2025

| predecessor = Thomas R. Nides

| successor = Mike Huckabee

| order1 = 76th

| office1 = United States Secretary of the Treasury

| president1 = Barack Obama

| deputy1 = Neal S. Wolin
Mary J. Miller (acting)
Sarah Bloom Raskin

| term_start1 = February 28, 2013

| term_end1 = January 20, 2017

| predecessor1 = Timothy Geithner

| successor1 = Steven Mnuchin

| order2 = 25th

| office2 = White House Chief of Staff

| president2 = Barack Obama

| deputy2 = Alyssa Mastromonaco
Nancy-Ann DeParle
Mark B. Childress

| term_start2 = January 27, 2012

| term_end2 = January 20, 2013

| predecessor2 = William M. Daley

| successor2 = Denis McDonough

| order4 = 32nd & 38th

| office4 = Director of the Office of Management and Budget

| president4 = Barack Obama

| deputy4 = Jeffrey Liebman (acting)
Heather Higginbottom

| term_start4 = November 18, 2010

| term_end4 = January 27, 2012

| predecessor4 = Peter R. Orszag

| successor4 = Sylvia Mathews Burwell

| president5 = Bill Clinton

| deputy5 = Joshua Gotbaum (acting)
Sylvia M. Mathews

| term_start5 = July 31, 1998

| term_end5 = January 19, 2001
Acting: May 21, 1998 – July 31, 1998

| predecessor5 = Franklin Raines

| successor5 = Mitch Daniels

| order6 = 1st

| office6 = Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources

| president6 = Barack Obama

| term_start6 = January 28, 2009

| term_end6 = November 18, 2010

| predecessor6 = Position established

| successor6 = Thomas R. Nides

| birth_name = Jacob Joseph Lew

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1955|8|29}}

| birth_place = New York City, New York, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = Democrat

| spouse = Ruth Schwartz

| children = 2

| education = Harvard University (BA)
Georgetown University (JD)

| signature = Jacob Lew new money signature.svg

| module = {{Listen|pos=center|embed=yes|filename=Treasury Secretary Jack Lew Testifies on the FY2015 Federal Budget Before the House Ways and Means Committee.ogg|title=Jack Lew's voice|type=speech|description=Lew testifies on the FY2015 federal budget before the House Ways and Means Committee
Recorded March 6, 2014}}

}}

Jacob Joseph Lew (born August 29, 1955) is an American attorney and diplomat who served as the 28th United States ambassador to Israel from 2023 to 2025. He was the 76th United States secretary of the treasury from 2013 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he also served as the 25th White House chief of staff from 2012 to 2013 and as director of the Office of Management and Budget in both the Clinton administration and Obama administration.

During the Obama administration, Lew served as the first deputy secretary of state for management and resources from 2009 to 2010, before returning to his former post of OMB Director from 2010 to 2012. He then served as chief of staff for the remainder of President Barack Obama’s first term from 2012 to 2013.

On January 10, 2013, during Obama's second term, Lew was nominated to replace retiring Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner,{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/11/us/politics/lew-to-complete-change-of-obamas-economic-team.html|work=The New York Times|author=Jackie Calmes|title=Lew Would Complete Transformation of Obama's Economic Team|date=January 10, 2013|access-date=January 10, 2013}} was confirmed by the Senate February 27, 2013, and then sworn in on the following day, serving until the conclusion of the Obama administration. Since 2017, he has been a managing partner at Lindsay Goldberg,{{Cite web|title=Team {{!}} Lindsay Goldberg|date=April 10, 2019 |url=https://www.lindsaygoldbergllc.com/team|access-date=October 17, 2020|language=en-US}} a private equity firm headquartered in New York City. He is currently a visiting professor at the School of International and Public Affairs of Columbia University.{{Cite news|date=October 5, 2021|title=Former Treasury Secretary Jack Lew on why the debt ceiling matters|url=https://journalistsresource.org/economics/debt-ceiling-jack-lew/|access-date=October 5, 2021|website=The Journalist's Resource|language=en-US}}

Early life, education, and early career

Lew was born in New York City, the son of Ruth (née Turoff) and Irving Lew.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/23/classified/paid-notice-deaths-lew-ruth-turoff.html|title=Paid Notice: Deaths LEW, RUTH (TUROFF)|date=July 23, 2003|newspaper=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|access-date=January 22, 2017}}{{Cite news|url=http://forward.com/news/169402/jack-lews-life-shaped-by-faith-and-service/|title=Jack Lew's Life Shaped by Faith and Service|newspaper=The Forward|access-date=January 22, 2017}} His family is Jewish.{{Cite web |last=JTA |title=US Treasury secretary named in suit over tax-free donations to Israel |url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/us-treasury-secretary-named-in-suit-over-tax-free-donations-to-israel/ |access-date=May 31, 2023 |website=www.timesofisrael.com |language=en-US}} He attended New York City public schools, graduating from Forest Hills High School.{{cite web|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2011/06/27/homecoming |work=whitehouse.gov |title=Homecoming|via=National Archives |date=June 27, 2011}} His father was a lawyer and rare book dealer who came to the United States from Poland as a child.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/02/us/politics/obamas-aide-jacob-lew-is-a-low-key-power-broker.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0|title=Trusted Aide to Obama Faces Test in Budget Showdown|work=The New York Times|date=December 1, 2012}} Lew attended Carleton College in Minnesota for a year, where his faculty adviser was Paul Wellstone, who eventually represented Minnesota in the U.S. Senate.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2013/01/09/who-is-jack-lew/|title=Who is Jack Lew?|last=Sullivan|first=Sean|date=January 9, 2013|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=September 13, 2016}} He graduated from Harvard College in 1978 and the Georgetown University Law Center in 1983.{{cite news|url= https://www.wsj.com/articles/AP72dca053b8394486815f57c37e7bbde2|title= Biographical information on Jack Lew|publisher= The Wall Street Journal|date= January 9, 2012|access-date= August 8, 2017|archive-date= September 26, 2017|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170926100018/https://www.wsj.com/articles/AP72dca053b8394486815f57c37e7bbde2|url-status= dead}}

He worked as an aide to Rep. Joe Moakley (D-Mass.) from 1974 to 1975.{{cite web

|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/102547-incoming-white-house-chief-of-staff-jack-lew-like-rahm-sans/

|title=Incoming White House Chief of Staff Jack Lew like Rahm sans %@#!

|work=The Hill

|date=January 12, 2012

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303234434/http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/203739-jack-lew-like-rahm-sans-

|archive-date=March 3, 2014

|url-status=live

}} In 1979, he was a senior policy adviser to House Speaker Tip O'Neill.{{cite web|url=http://seattletimes.com/html/politics/2017198748_apuslewbiobox.html |title=Biographical information on Jack Lew |newspaper=The Seattle Times |date=January 9, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303234434/http://seattletimes.com/html/politics/2017198748_apuslewbiobox.html |archive-date=March 3, 2014 |url-status=dead }} Under O'Neill he served at the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee as Assistant Director and then Executive Director, and was responsible for work on domestic and economic issues including Social Security, Medicare, budget, tax, trade, appropriations, and energy issues.{{cite news

|last=Cook

|first=Nancy

|url=http://www.nationaljournal.com/magazine/jack-lew-the-man-who-could-save-obama-s-legacy-20121101

|title=Jack Lew: The Man Who Could Save Obama's Legacy

|work=National Journal

|date=January 9, 2013

|access-date=January 14, 2013

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303234434/http://www.nationaljournal.com/magazine/jack-lew-the-man-who-could-save-obama-s-legacy-20121101

|archive-date= March 3, 2014

|url-status=dead

}}

Lew practiced as an attorney for five years as a partner at Van Ness Feldman and Curtis.{{cite web|url=http://www.vnf.com/news-media-118.html |title=Van Ness Feldman Congratulates Jack Lew on His Anticipated Nomination to Serve as Head of the White House Office of Management and Budget |publisher=VNF |date=July 13, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303234434/http://www.vnf.com/news-media-118.html |archive-date=March 3, 2014 |url-status=dead }} His practice dealt primarily with electric power generation. He has also worked as Executive Director of the Center for Middle East Research, Issues Director for the Democratic National Committee's Campaign 88, and Deputy Director of the Office of Program Analysis in the city of Boston's Office of Management and Budget.{{cite web

|url=http://www.hsgac.senate.gov/media/minority-media/thompson-schedules-nomination-hearing-on-jacob-j-lew

|title=Thompson Schedules Nomination Hearing on Jacob J. Lew

|publisher=hsgac.senate.gov

|date=May 28, 1998

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303234434/http://www.hsgac.senate.gov/media/minority-media/thompson-schedules-nomination-hearing-on-jacob-j-lew

|archive-date=March 3, 2014

|url-status=dead

}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/15/us/politics/15web-lew.html |title=Jacob J. Lew |work=The New York Times |date=November 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120706165740/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/15/us/politics/15web-lew.html |archive-date=July 6, 2012 |first=Robert |last=Pear |url-status=dead }}

Clinton administration

From February 1993 to 1994, Lew served as Special Assistant to the President under Bill Clinton.{{cite web

|url=http://www.georgetown.edu/news/jack-lew-obama-chief-of-staff.html

|title=Obama's New Chief of Staff Third Gu Alumnus to Serve in Post

|publisher=Georgetown University

|date=January 18, 2012

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303234434/http://www.georgetown.edu/news/jack-lew-obama-chief-of-staff.html

|archive-date=March 3, 2014

|url-status=dead

}} Lew was responsible for policy development and the drafting of the national service initiative (AmeriCorps) and health care reform legislation.{{cite web

|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=105250&WhenStart=2012-01-26+19%3A14%3A36

|title=Lew, Jacob J. "Jack"

|publisher=Our Campaigns

|date=January 26, 2012

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303234434/http://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=105250&WhenStart=2012-01-26+19%3A14%3A36

|archive-date=March 3, 2014

|url-status=dead

}}

Lew left the White House in October 1994 to work as OMB's Executive Associate Director and Associate Director for Legislative Affairs.{{cite web

|url=http://clinton6.nara.gov/1998/04/1998-04-14-jack-lew-nominated-to-be-omb-director.html

|title=The White House Office of the Press Secretary

|location=Houston, Texas

|publisher=National Archives and Records Administration

|date=April 14, 1998

|access-date=January 14, 2013

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303234434/http://clinton6.nara.gov/1998/04/1998-04-14-jack-lew-nominated-to-be-omb-director.html

|archive-date=March 3, 2014

|url-status=dead

}} From August 1995 until July 1998, Lew served as Deputy Director of OMB.{{cite web

|url=https://news.yahoo.com/look-white-house-chief-staff-jack-lew-222900763.html

|title=A Look at the New White House Chief of Staff Jack Lew

|publisher=Yahoo! News

|date=January 9, 2012

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303234434/http://news.yahoo.com/look-white-house-chief-staff-jack-lew-222900763.html

|archive-date=March 3, 2014

|url-status=dead

}} There, Lew was chief operating officer responsible for day-to-day management of a staff of 500. He had crosscutting responsibilities to coordinate Clinton administration efforts on budget and appropriations matters. He frequently served as a member of the Administration negotiating team, including regarding the Balanced Budget Act of 1997.

President Clinton nominated Lew to be director of the OMB,{{cite web|url=http://clinton4.nara.gov/WH/New/html/19980415-12692.html |title=President Clinton Announces OMB Director Raines' Departure |publisher=clinton4.nara.gov |date=April 14, 1998 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303234434/http://clinton4.nara.gov/WH/New/html/19980415-12692.html |archive-date=March 3, 2014 |url-status=dead }} and his nomination was confirmed by the United States Senate on July 31, 1998.{{cite web|url=http://clinton3.nara.gov/omb/organization/lew.html |title=OMB's Organization |publisher=clinton3.nara.gov |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303234434/http://clinton3.nara.gov/omb/organization/lew.html |archive-date=March 3, 2014 |url-status=dead }} He served in that capacity until the end of the Clinton administration in January 2001. As OMB director, Lew had the lead responsibility for the Clinton Administration's policies on budget, management, and appropriations issues. As a member of the Cabinet and senior member of the economic team, he advised the president on a broad range of domestic and international policies. He represented the Administration in budget negotiations with Congress and served as a member of the National Security Council.

Between Clinton and Obama tenures

After leaving public office in the Clinton administration, Lew served as the executive vice president for operations at New York University and was a clinical professor of public administration at NYU's Wagner School of Public Service.{{cite news|url=http://realclearpolitics.blogs.time.com/2008/12/23/natl-security-team-additions/ |title=Nat'l Security Team Additions |publisher=RealClearPolitics |date=December 23, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707213453/http://realclearpolitics.blogs.time.com/2008/12/23/natl-security-team-additions/ |archive-date=July 7, 2011 }} While at NYU, Lew aided the university in ending graduate students' collective bargaining rights. The Obama administration has maintained that Lew supports workers' union rights.{{cite web

|last=Eidelson

|first=Josh

|title=Jack Lew's union-busting past

|url=http://www.salon.com/2013/01/09/jack_lews_union_busting_past/

|work=Salon

|access-date=January 10, 2013

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303234434/http://www.salon.com/2013/01/09/jack_lews_union_busting_past/

|archive-date= March 3, 2014

|url-status=dead

|date=January 9, 2013

}} According to a 2004 report in NYU's student newspaper, the Washington Square News, Lew was paid $840,339 during the 2002–2003 academic year.{{cite news|url= https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887324329204578269821728015016|author=James Freeman|title=What Did Lew Do at NYU?|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal|date= January 30, 2013}} In addition, the university forgave several hundred thousand dollars in mortgage loans it made to Lew.{{cite web|last=Kaminer |first=Ariel |title=NYU will cease loans to top employees for second homes |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2013/08/15/nyu-will-cease-loans-to-top-employees-for-second-homes.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=August 16, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303234434/http://www.cnbc.com/id/100965438 |archive-date=March 3, 2014 |url-status=live |date=August 15, 2013 }} In 2004, President George W. Bush appointed Lew as a member of the board of directors of the Corporation for National and Community Service, a position he held until 2008.{{cite web|url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/108th-congress/2048|title=PN2048 — Jacob Joseph Lew — Corporation for National and Community Service|work=United States Congress|date=November 21, 2004}}

In June 2006, Lew was named chief operating officer of Citigroup's Alternative Investments unit, a proprietary trading group. The unit he oversaw invested in a hedge fund "that bet on the housing market to collapse."{{cite web

|url=https://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2012/01/flashback-lews-time-citi-and-other-disappointments

|title=Flashback: Lew's Time at Citi And Other Disappointments

|publisher=Mother Jones

|date=January 9, 2012

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131010032612/https://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2012/01/flashback-lews-time-citi-and-other-disappointments

|archive-date=October 10, 2013

|url-status=dead

}} During his work at Citigroup, Lew had invested heavily in funds in Ugland House while he worked as an investment banker at Citigroup during the 2008 financial meltdown.{{cite news|title=From the Citi to the Caymans|newspaper=WSJ News |date=February 12, 2012|url= https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887323696404578298352191611608?mod=hp_opinion|access-date=February 12, 2013}} Lew also had oversight of Citigroup subsidiaries in countries including, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, and Hong Kong; and during his time at Citigroup, Citigroup subsidiaries in the Cayman Islands increased to 113.{{cite news|title=Jack Lew Oversaw Up to 113 Cayman Island Investment Funds |author=Daniel Halper |url=http://m.weeklystandard.com/blogs/jack-lew-oversaw-113-cayman-island-investment-funds_701211.html |newspaper=Weekly Standard |date=February 13, 2013 |access-date=February 22, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303234434/http://m.weeklystandard.com/blogs/jack-lew-oversaw-113-cayman-island-investment-funds_701211.html |archive-date= March 3, 2014 |url-status=dead |author-link=Daniel Halper }}{{Cite web |date=February 9, 2013 |title=Jack Lew's investment in Cayman Islands flagged by Senate Finance Committee |url=http://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/jack-lews-investment-cayman-islands-flagged-senate-finance-committee-flna1B8309826 |access-date=May 31, 2023 |website=NBC News |language=en}}

Lew co-chaired the Advisory Board for City Year New York.{{cite web

|url=http://cityyearnewyork.wordpress.com/2011/01/18/director-jack-lew-blogs-about-cyny/

|title=Director Jack Lew Blogs About CYNY

|publisher=cityyearnewyork.wordpress.com

|date=January 18, 2011

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303234434/http://cityyearnewyork.wordpress.com/2011/01/18/director-jack-lew-blogs-about-cyny/

|archive-date=March 3, 2014

|url-status=dead

}} He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Brookings Institution Hamilton Project Advisory Board, and the National Academy of Social Insurance.{{cite web

|url=http://blogs.yu.edu/news/2012/11/26/yu-hanukkah-dinner-and-convocation/

|title=White House Chief of Staff Jack Lew to Keynote December 16 Convocation; Stanley Raskas, Moise Safra and Diane Wassner to be Honored

|publisher=Yeshiva University

|date=November 26, 2012

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303234434/http://blogs.yu.edu/news/2012/11/26/yu-hanukkah-dinner-and-convocation/

|archive-date=March 3, 2014

|url-status=dead

}} Lew is also a member of the bar in Massachusetts and the District of Columbia.{{cite web|title=Obama National Security Team Takes Shape |date=December 23, 2008 |access-date=July 13, 2010 |url=http://lostintransition.nationaljournal.com/2008/12/obama-national-security-team-takes-shape.php |work=National Journal |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081227070251/http://lostintransition.nationaljournal.com/2008/12/obama-national-security-team-takes-shape.php |archive-date=December 27, 2008 }}

Obama administration

=Deputy Secretary of State=

File:Defense.gov photo essay 100727-N-0696M-299.jpg Admiral Mike Mullen at the Combined Press Information Center in Baghdad, July 27, 2010.]]

As Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, Lew was the State Department's chief operating officer and was primarily responsible for resource issues, while James Steinberg, who also served as Deputy Secretary of State during that period was responsible for policy.{{cite news

|title=Obama Names Steinberg, Lew State Department Deputies

|date=December 23, 2008

|access-date=February 6, 2011

|publisher=Bloomberg L.P.

|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aHUvNBzk6p5w

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303234434/http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aHUvNBzk6p5w

|archive-date=March 3, 2014

|url-status=dead

}}{{cite web

|url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/misc/19232.htm

|publisher=United States Department of State

|title=Senior Officials

|access-date=February 6, 2011

}} Lew was co-leader of the State Department's Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review.{{cite news|url=http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0709/071509l1.htm|title=State Department launches quadrennial review|first=Emily|last=Long|magazine=Government Executive|date=July 15, 2009|access-date=February 6, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091226052622/http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0709/071509l1.htm|archive-date=December 26, 2009|url-status=dead}}

=Budget director=

On July 13, 2010, the White House announced that Lew had been chosen to replace Peter Orszag as director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), subject to Senate confirmation.{{cite web

|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/president-obama-announces-his-intent-nominate-jacob-lew-omb-director

|title=President Obama Announces His Intent to Nominate Jacob Lew as OMB Director

|date=July 13, 2010

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170216093801/https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/president-obama-announces-his-intent-nominate-jacob-lew-omb-director

|archive-date=February 16, 2017

|via=National Archives

|work=whitehouse.gov

|url-status=live

}} During confirmation hearings in the Senate, in response to questioning by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Lew said that he did not believe deregulation was a "proximate cause" of the financial crisis of 2007–2008: Lew told the panel that "the problems in the financial industry preceded deregulation," and after discussing those issues, added that he didn't "personally know the extent to which deregulation drove it, but I don't believe that deregulation was the proximate cause."{{cite news|url= http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/21/obama-nominee-jacob-lew-f_n_732594.html |title=Jacob Lew, Obama Nominee And Former Citigroup Executive, Doesn't Believe Deregulation Led To Financial Crisis|newspaper=The Huffington Post|date=September 21, 2010|first=Shahien|last=Nasiripour}}{{cite web

|url=http://www.alternet.org/economy/matt-taibbi-bill-black-obamas-new-treasury-secretary-failure-epic-proportions?page=0%2C1

|title=Matt Taibbi & Bill Black: Obama's New Treasury Secretary a 'Failure of Epic Proportions'

|publisher=AlterNet

|date=January 11, 2013

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303234434/http://www.alternet.org/economy/matt-taibbi-bill-black-obamas-new-treasury-secretary-failure-epic-proportions?page=0%2C1

|archive-date=March 3, 2014

|url-status=dead

}}

On November 18, 2010, Lew was confirmed by the Senate by unanimous consent.

The $3.7 trillion 2011 budget President Obama unveiled the administration estimated reductions to federal spending deficits by $1.1 trillion over the next decade if adopted and economic assumptions were fully achieved. Two-thirds of that estimated reduction would come from spending cuts through a five-year freeze in discretionary spending first announced in Obama's 2011 State of the Union address, as well as savings to mandatory programs such as Medicare and lower interest payments on the debt that would result from the lower spending. Tax increases are responsible for the other third of the reduction, including a cap on itemized reductions for wealthier taxpayers and the elimination of tax breaks for oil and gas companies.{{cite web

|last=Wasson

|first=Erik

|url=https://thehill.com/policy/finance/82567-obama-2012-budget-proposes-1-1t-deficit-cut-over-next-decade/

|title=Obama 2012 budget proposes $1.1T deficit cut over next decade

|work=The Hill

|date=February 14, 2011

|access-date=November 14, 2012

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131010032006/http://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-money/budget/143777-obama-tries-to-prove-cost-cutting-credentials-in-budget-rollout

|archive-date=October 10, 2013

|url-status=live

}} Economist and former financial fraud investigator William K. Black warned that the OMB budget statement prepared under Lew's direction was "an ode to austerity," and that austerity would force the U.S. economy back into recession.{{cite web

|url=http://neweconomicperspectives.org/2012/12/obamas-omb-channels-its-inner-tea-party.html

|title=Obama's OMB Channels its Inner Tea Party

|publisher=New Economic Perspectives

|date=December 27, 2012

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303234434/http://neweconomicperspectives.org/2012/12/obamas-omb-channels-its-inner-tea-party.html

|archive-date=March 3, 2014

|url-status=dead

}}

File:Rob Nabors, Barack Obama, and Jack Lew.jpg]]

In an op-ed in the Huffington Post, Lew cited top Administration priorities to achieve deficit reduction; including: $400 billion in savings from non-security discretionary spending freezes, $78 billion in cuts to the Department of Defense, returning to the Clinton-era tax rates for the top 2% of income earners, and lowering the corporate tax from 35% to 25%.{{cite news|url= http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jacob-lew/the-2012-budget_b_823041.html|title=The 2012 Budget|newspaper=The Huffington Post|date=February 14, 2011|access-date=January 7, 2013|first=Jacob|last=Lew}}

=Chief of Staff=

On January 9, 2012, President Obama announced that Lew would replace William M. Daley as White House Chief of Staff.{{cite news|url= https://www.cbsnews.com/news/obama-chief-of-staff-bill-daley-steps-down-budget-chief-jack-lew-steps-up/|title=Obama chief of staff Bill Daley steps down, budget chief Jack Lew steps up|work=CBS News|date=January 9, 2012|access-date=November 14, 2012}} Lew's nomination was followed with criticism{{cite web

|url=http://www.salon.com/2012/01/10/the_new_wh_chief_of_staff_and_citigroup/

|title=The new WH Chief of Staff and Citigroup

|work=Salon

|date=January 10, 2012

|access-date=January 7, 2013

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303234434/http://www.salon.com/2012/01/10/the_new_wh_chief_of_staff_and_citigroup/

|archive-date=March 3, 2014

|url-status=dead

}}{{cite web|url= http://www.cato.org/blog/are-these-examples-washington-corruption|title =Are These Examples of Washington Corruption?|publisher=cato.org|access-date=January 7, 2013|date =July 29, 2010}}{{cite web

|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jul/28/omb-nominee-got-900000-after-citigroup-bailout/?page=2

|title=OMB nominee got $900,000 after Citigroup bailout

|publisher=washingtontimes.com

|date=July 28, 2010

|access-date=January 7, 2013

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303234434/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jul/28/omb-nominee-got-900000-after-citigroup-bailout/?page=2

|archive-date=March 3, 2014

|url-status=dead

}}{{cite news

|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/11/us/politics/11citi.html

|title=Advisers' Citigroup Ties Raise Questions

|work=The New York Times

|access-date=January 7, 2013

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116055357/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/11/us/politics/11citi.html

|archive-date=January 16, 2013

|first=Eric

|last=Lipton

|date=February 11, 2009

|url-status=dead

}} after renewed reports that he received over $900,000 in bonuses while working at Citigroup, which had been rescued with $45 billion from the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) after losing $27.7 billion, or 90% of its value.{{cite web

|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/jack-lew-omb-bonus-2010-7

|title=BUSTED: Obama's New Budget Chief Got A $900K Bonus From Citigroup After It Got A Bailout

|website=Business Insider

|agency=Business Insider

|date=July 29, 2010

|access-date=January 7, 2013

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303234434/http://www.businessinsider.com/jack-lew-omb-bonus-2010-7

|archive-date=March 3, 2014

|url-status=dead

}}{{cite news

|url=http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/citigroup_inc/index.html

|title=Citigroup Inc.

|newspaper=International New York Times

|date=December 5, 2012

|access-date=January 7, 2013

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140109211712/http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/citigroup_inc/index.html

|archive-date=January 9, 2014

|first=Chad

|last=Bray

|url-status=dead

}}

During his tenure as chief of staff, Lew was seen as a supporter and top negotiator for a "grand bargain" deal between President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner, to avoid "fiscal cliff" sequester cuts and tax increases.

=Secretary of the Treasury=

File:Jacob J Lew Signature.svg

File:Jacob Lew new money signature.svg

File:Jacob Lew official portrait.jpg

On January 10, 2013, President Obama nominated Lew for the position of Secretary of the Treasury. The nomination became the subject of some humorous commentary, due to Lew's unusual loopy signature, which would have appeared on all newly issued U.S. paper currency for the duration of his tenure;{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2013/01/likely-treasury-secretary-under-fire-for-signature/|title=Likely Treasury Secretary Under Fire for Signature|work=ABC News|date=January 9, 2013|access-date=January 9, 2013}} the signature generated enough media attention that Obama joked at a press conference that he had considered rescinding his nomination when he learned of it.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/01/10/obama-mocks-lews-signature/|title=Obama mocks Lew's signature |first=Rachel|last=Weiner|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=January 10, 2013|access-date=January 10, 2013}} Lew later adopted a more conventional signature for currency.{{Cite news|title = Treasury Secretary Jack Lew unveils new signature after quibbles with his scribble|date = June 18, 2013|url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/treasury-secretary-jack-lew-unveils-new-signature-after-quibbles-with-his-scribble/2013/06/18/5c904a90-d858-11e2-a9f2-42ee3912ae0e_story.html|last=Goldfarb|first = Zachary A.|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=July 29, 2013}} The Senate Finance Committee held confirmation hearings for Lew on February 13, 2013.[https://purl.fdlp.gov/GPO/gpo45996 Nomination of Jacob J. Lew: Hearing Before the Committee on Finance, United States Senate, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, First Session, on the Nomination of Jacob J. Lew, to be Secretary, Department of the Treasury, February 13, 2013] During his confirmation hearings before the United States Senate Committee on Finance, Republican senator Chuck Grassley expressed concern that Lew did not know what Ugland House was, though he had invested in it.{{cite web|url=https://www.taxnotes.com/research/federal/legislative-documents/congressional-news-releases/grassley-says-lew%27s-ignorance-of-ugland-house-%27does-not-build/dzsr |title=Grassley Says Lew's Ignorance of Ugland House "Does not Build Confidence"|publisher=Tax Notes Today|page=2013 TNT 31–26|date=February 13, 2013}} Lew had invested heavily in funds in Ugland House, while he worked as an investment banker at Citigroup during the 2008 financial meltdown.{{cite news|title=From the Citi to the Caymans|newspaper=WSJ News|date=February 12, 2012|access-date=February 21, 2013|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887323696404578298352191611608 }} Lew had taken advantage of current tax law, and his financial allocation in the venture resulted in Lew taking roughly a 2.8% loss, a $1,582 decrease in his investment principal.{{cite news

|title=Politically inconvenient taxation

|url=http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/political-potpourri/2013/feb/16/treasury-secretary-jack-lew-politically-inconvenie/#ixzz2LIWk9Izz

|newspaper=Washington Times Communities

|author=Timothy W. Coleman

|date=February 16, 2013

|access-date=February 18, 2013

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303234434/http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/political-potpourri/2013/feb/16/treasury-secretary-jack-lew-politically-inconvenie/#ixzz2LIWk9Izz

|archive-date=March 3, 2014

|url-status=dead

}} The committee approved his nomination by a 19–5 vote on February 26, 2013, sending his nomination to the full Senate.{{cite news|url=http://www.politico.com/story/2013/02/senate-finance-approves-jack-lew-nomination-for-treasury-88091.html?hp=r1 |author=Kelsey Snell |title=Senate Finance approves Jack Lew nomination for Treasury |publisher=Politico |date=February 26, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303234434/http://www.politico.com/story/2013/02/senate-finance-approves-jack-lew-nomination-for-treasury-88091.html?hp=r1 |archive-date=March 3, 2014 |url-status=dead }}

File:Jack Lew sworn in as Treasury Secretary.jpg in the Oval Office of the White House, February 28, 2013.]]

On February 27, 2013, the full Senate voted and approved Lew for Secretary of the Treasury by a 71–26 vote.{{Cite web|url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1131/vote_113_1_00025.htm|title=On the Nomination (Confirmation Jacob J. Lew, of New York, to be Secretary of the Treasury)|website=United States Senate|date=October 31, 2023|access-date=October 31, 2023}} He was sworn into office on February 28, 2013.{{cite web

|title=Jack Lew Gets Enough Senate Votes to Be Confirmed as Treasury Secretary

|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2013/02/27/senate-confirms-jack-lew-as-the-next-treasury-secretary.html

|publisher=CNBC

|access-date=February 27, 2013

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303234434/http://www.cnbc.com/id/100503428

|archive-date=March 3, 2014

|url-status=live

|date=February 27, 2013

}}

In December 2013, Lew said that the government might run out of cash to pay the country's bills by late February or early March 2014. That set up yet another showdown in Congress over raising or suspending the debt limit, a statutory limit on the total amount of United States borrowing, early in the year. "The creditworthiness of the United States is an essential underpinning of our strength as a nation; it is not a bargaining chip to be used for partisan political ends," Mr. Lew said in the letter. "Increasing the debt limit does not authorize new spending commitments. It simply allows the government to pay for expenditures Congress has already approved."{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/20/business/congress-is-warned-anew-on-debt-ceiling.html?ref=politics&_r=0 |author=Annie Lowrey |title=Congress Is Warned Anew Not to Breach Debt Ceiling |newspaper=International New York Times |date=December 19, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303234434/http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/20/business/congress-is-warned-anew-on-debt-ceiling.html?ref=politics&_r=0 |archive-date=March 3, 2014 |url-status=dead }}

In May 2014, Lew received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Georgetown University, and spoke at the first commencement ceremony of the McCourt School of Public Policy.{{cite news|url=http://www.georgetown.edu/hoyas2014/speakers.html |title=Georgetown Announces Speakers for 2014 Commencement |date=May 1, 2014 |work=Georgetown University |access-date=May 1, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502033259/http://www.georgetown.edu/hoyas2014/speakers.html |archive-date=May 2, 2014 }}

In 2016, a fictionalized version of Lew appeared in season 2 episode 2 and episode 11 in the series Mr. Robot.{{cite web |last1=Riesman |first1=Abraham |date=July 13, 2016 |title=How Mr. Robot Got President Obama to Say 'Tyrell Wellick' |url=http://www.vulture.com/2016/07/mr-robot-obama.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20170623160625/http://www.vulture.com/2016/07/mr-robot-obama.html |archive-date=June 23, 2017 |access-date=June 23, 2017 |work=Vulture.com |language=en}}{{Cite news |title=Mr. Robot: Which (Mostly) New Characters Live Only In Elliot's Mind? |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/2904648/mr-robot-which-mostly-new-characters-live-only-in-elliots-mind/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160715144209/http://www.mtv.com/news/2904648/mr-robot-which-mostly-new-characters-live-only-in-elliots-mind/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 15, 2016 |access-date=June 24, 2017 |work=MTV News |language=en}}

Biden administration

=Ambassador to Israel=

File:248th U.S. Independence Day Celebration in Israel. July 3, 2024 97.jpg at the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem on July 3, 2024]]

On September 5, 2023, President Biden nominated Lew as the U.S. ambassador to Israel. A hearing on his nomination took place before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on October 18, 2023. Lew's confirmation coincided with Congress responding to the October 7 attacks by Hamas on Israel and the ensuing war in Gaza. Although Biden had nominated Lew before the war began, the urgency surrounding his confirmation heightened as hostilities between Israel and Gaza intensified. While Republicans recognized the necessity of a Senate-confirmed ambassador, they opposed Lew, expressing concerns about his role in the multinational nuclear pact with Iran during the Obama years. They argued that this made him an unreliable interlocutor with Israel and questioned him about the deal during his confirmation hearing.{{Cite news |last1=Gregoran |first1=Deborah |last2=Shabad |first2=Rebecca |date=October 18, 2023 |title=Biden's ambassador pick tells senators 'Israel's security is paramount' |language=en-US |website=NBC News |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/senate-hold-jack-lew-confirmation-hearing-ambassador-israel-rcna120648 |access-date=October 26, 2023}}{{Cite news |last=Demirjian |first=Karoun |date=2023-10-31 |title=Senate Confirms Lew as U.S. Ambassador to Israel |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/31/us/politics/jacob-lew-confirmed-israel-ambassador.html |access-date=2023-11-04 |issn=0362-4331}}

On October 25, 2023, the committee advanced his nomination by a 12–9 vote, with Senator Rand Paul, Republican of Kentucky, joining all of the Democrats to advance his nomination to the full Senate.{{Cite news|date=October 25, 2023|last1=Shabad|first1=Rebecca|last2=Thorp V|first2=Frank|title=Senate committee advances Jack Lew's nomination to be U.S. ambassador to Israel|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna122095|website=NBC News|access-date=October 26, 2023|language=en-US}} On October 31, 2023, the United States Senate invoked cloture on his nomination by a 53–44 vote.{{Cite web|url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1181/vote_118_1_00275.htm|title=On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Jacob J. Lew to be Ambassador of the United States of America to the State of Israel)|website=United States Senate|date=October 31, 2023|access-date=October 31, 2023}} Later that day, Lew's nomination was confirmed by a 53–43 vote, with Republican senators Rand Paul and Lindsey Graham voting to confirm his nomination.{{Cite web|url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1181/vote_118_1_00276.htm|title=On the Nomination (Confirmation: Jacob J. Lew, of New York, to be Ambassador of the United States of America to the State of Israel)|website=United States Senate|date=October 31, 2023|access-date=October 31, 2023}}{{Cite web |last=Rimmer |first=Morgan |last2= |date=2023-10-31 |title=Senate confirms Jack Lew as US ambassador to Israel following vocal GOP opposition over Iran deal |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/31/politics/senate-confirms-jack-lew/index.html |access-date=2024-11-13 |website=CNN |language=en}} Lew presented his credentials to President Isaac Herzog on November 5, 2023.{{cite web |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/herzog-accepts-credentials-of-new-us-ambassador-jack-lew/ |title=Herzog accepts credentials of new US Ambassador Jack Lew |date=2023-11-05 |website=The Times of Israel |access-date=2023-11-05}}

File:United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits Israel in August 2024 - 18.jpg and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on August 19, 2024]]

In January 2024, Lew advocated the US State Department to approve Boeing manufactured GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb sales to Israel, asserting that the Israeli air force would minimize civilian death. GBU-39 bombs were later identified in attacks on dense civilian areas, including the Tel al-Sultan attack, Al-Sardi school attack, and Al-Tabaeen school attack. Embassy officials in both Jerusalem and Washington say that concerns about civilian death tolls, including the targeting of Palestinian embassy employees and their families, were brought to Lew repeatedly. Such concerns were not found in Lew's diplomatic cables.{{Cite web |last=Murphy |first=Brett |date=2024-10-04 |title=Inside the State Department’s Weapons Pipeline to Israel |url=https://www.propublica.org/article/israel-gaza-america-biden-administration-weapons-bombs-state-department |access-date=2024-10-04 |website=ProPublica |language=en}}

Personal life

Lew married his high school sweetheart, Ruth Schwartz.{{Cite news|url=http://riverdalepress.com/stories/Riverdalian-named-for-top-treasury-post,51684|title=Riverdalian named for top treasury post|last=Wisnieski|first=Adam|date=January 16, 2013|newspaper=The Riverdale Press|access-date=December 17, 2016}} As Chief of Staff, Lew commuted to Washington from the couple's home in the Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx, New York City.{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/14-things-you-should-know-about-jack-lew/2013/01/07/c6860ba4-5925-11e2-9fa9-5fbdc9530eb9_gallery.html|title=14 things you should know about Jack Lew|date=January 7, 2013|newspaper=The Washington Post|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286|access-date=December 17, 2016}} They have two grown children, one of whom is Shoshana Lew, head of the Colorado Department of Transportation.{{cite news |title=Chief operating officer Shoshana Lew will head Colorado's transportation department |url=https://www.providencejournal.com/news/20181227/ri-transporation-official-heads-west |access-date=October 31, 2019 |work=Providence Journal |date=December 27, 2018 |quote=Lew, a former U.S. DOT official under President Barack Obama and daughter of former U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew}}

Lew is an Orthodox Jew who observes the Jewish ShabbatWagner, Ellis, White House Correspondent, [http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/07/16/jacob-lew-bill-clintons-budget-brain-returning-to-the-omb-hel "Clinton's Budget Brain Returning to OMB Helm", Politics Daily, July 16, 2010] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120114180907/http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/07/16/jacob-lew-bill-clintons-budget-brain-returning-to-the-omb-hel/ |date=January 14, 2012 }}, retrieved February 5, 2012.{{cite news |title=Obama names Jack Lew new chief of staff|date=January 9, 2012 |access-date=January 9, 2012|first=Yitzhak|last=Benhorin |work=Ynetnews |url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4173501,00.html}} and has attended Beth Sholom Congregation in Potomac, Maryland; TheSHUL of the Nation's Capital{{Cite news|title=Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner's choice of neighborhood narrows the focus on Chabad|language=en-US|newspaper=The Washington Post|first=Julie|last=Zauzmer|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2017/01/05/ivanka-trump-and-jared-kushners-choice-of-neighborhood-narrows-the-focus-on-chabad/|access-date=June 9, 2021|issn=0190-8286}} and Kesher Israel Congregation in Washington, D.C.;{{cite news|url=http://www.baltimorejewishlife.com/news/news-detail.php?SECTION_ID=2&ARTICLE_ID=36505|title=A School for D. C.'s Jewish Elite|last=Hoffman|first=Allison|date=April 3, 2013|work=Baltimore Jewish Life|access-date=December 2, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141022150712/http://www.baltimorejewishlife.com/news/news-detail.php?SECTION_ID=2&ARTICLE_ID=36505|archive-date=October 22, 2014}} and the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale in the Bronx, New York.{{cite web|last=Donn|first=Yochonon|url=https://www.hamodia.com/inthepaper.cfm?ArticleID=1133|title=Jack Lew: Liberal Jew, White House's First "Gabbai"|publisher=Hamodia|access-date=January 3, 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130216053945/https://www.hamodia.com/inthepaper.cfm?ArticleID=1133|archive-date=February 16, 2013|url-status=dead}} Interviewed in a 2010 article, Lew's former boss on the National Security Council, Sandy Berger, commented that "Lew's faith never got in the way of performing his duties." A 2011 press release from the Religion News Service noted that Lew also "has extensive connections in the American Jewish community," and that he might be able to help President Obama "build a more friendly rapport" with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.{{cite news|last=Gibson |first=David|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/10/white-house-cecilia-munoz-jacob-lew_n_1197664.html|title=New White House Staffers, Cecille Munoz and Jacob Lew, Have Strategic Catholic, Jewish Ties|work=The Huffington Post|date=January 10, 2012|access-date=February 5, 2012}}

In 1971, at the age of 16, Lew helped organize The New York March Against Hunger. In 2018, Lew was honored by Queens Community House for his lifelong contributions to social equality.{{Cite web |last=Davenport |first=Emily |date=2018-09-14 |title=Jacob Lew to be honored at upcoming gala in Astoria hosted by Queens Community House |url=https://qns.com/2018/09/jacob-lew-honored-upcoming-gala-astoria-hosted-queens-community-house/ |access-date=2024-05-28 |website=qns.com |language=en-US}}

See also

References

{{Reflist|30em}}