Mark J. Lesko{{Cite news|last=Saslow|first=Linda|date=April 2, 2009|title=Supervisor for the Short Term in Brookhaven|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/05/nyregion/long-island/05brookli.html|access-date=March 22, 2021|issn=0362-4331}} (born February 4, 1967) is an American politician and attorney who served as the acting Assistant Attorney General for the National Security Division at the United States Justice Department.{{cite web |title=Brooklyn US Attorney Mark Lesko to Replace DOJ National Security Chief John Demers |url=https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/politics/brooklyn-us-attorney-mark-lesko-to-replace-doj-national-security-chief-john-demers/3105784/ |website=NBC New York|date=June 14, 2021 }} Prior to that, from January 20, 2021, he was named as acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. In addition to his career as a prosecutor in the United States Department of Justice, Lesko served as town supervisor of Brookhaven, New York.{{Cite news|last1=Confessore|first1=Nicholas|last2=Hakim|first2=Danny|date=November 5, 2008|title=Democrats Are Poised to Control Albany|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/05/nyregion/05york.html|access-date=March 22, 2021|issn=0362-4331}}

Early life and education

Lesko is a native of Washington, D.C. and graduated from Sidwell Friends School.{{Cite web|last=Parlato|first=Frank|date=January 31, 2019|title=Lesko for the prosecution|url=https://www.artvoice.com/2019/01/30/lesko-for-the-prosecution/|access-date=March 22, 2021|website=Artvoice|language=en-US}} He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Yale University, where he was a quarterback on the varsity football team. In 1994, Lesko received his Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law School, graduating on the dean's list and serving as a notes editor of the Georgetown Immigration Law Journal.[https://www.law.georgetown.edu/alumni/class/1994/pages28and29.html Georgetown Law: Class of 1994: Mark J. Lesko (Page 28)], includes photo

Career

After graduating from law school, Lesko practiced law at firms in Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C. He then served as assistant United States Attorney for 10 years. From 1999 to 2002, he was based in the District of Columbia and the Eastern District of New York from 2002 to 2009.{{Cite web|title=Power brokers eye Brookhaven supervisor election|url=https://www.newsday.com/long-island/politics/power-brokers-eye-brookhaven-supervisor-election-1.1205097|access-date=March 22, 2021|website=Newsday|language=en}}

As of 2009, Lesko was the Democratic candidate for the open Brookhaven town supervisor position, which was vacated by Democrat Brian X. Foley in the past election. Foley was elected to the New York State Senate and a special election is scheduled to be held on March 31, 2009, to decide his successor. Lesko was endorsed by Foley.{{Cite web|title=Lesko takes oath as new Brookhaven supervisor|url=https://www.newsday.com/long-island/politics/lesko-takes-oath-as-new-brookhaven-supervisor-1.1219111|access-date=March 22, 2021|website=Newsday|language=en}} His opponent was town councilman Republican Tim Mazzei.{{cite web |title=Mazzei, Lesko kick off campaigns |url=http://www.newsday.com/news/local/politics/ny-lirace115995190jan11,0,3735657.story |publisher=Newsday.com |author=Strickler, Andrew |date=January 11, 2009 |archiveurl=http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache:e6pXf_evNQgJ:www.newsday.com/services/newspaper/printedition/sunday/longisland/ny-lirace115995190jan11,0,3944490.story |archivedate=January 17, 2009}} The special election for town supervisor on March 31, 2009, saw over 14% turnout according to the Suffolk County Board of Elections.{{cite web |url=http://www.co.suffolk.ny.us/boe/eleres/09s1/ |title=Final Results of Special Election on Tuesday, March 31, 2009 |publisher=Suffolk County Board of Elections}} Lesko defeated Mazzei by over 4000 votes and he assumed office as the supervisor of Brookhaven.{{Cite web|last=Whittle|first=Patrick|title=Newcomer Lesko wins Brookhaven supervisor|url=https://www.newsday.com/long-island/politics/newcomer-lesko-wins-brookhaven-supervisor-1.1217060|access-date=March 22, 2021|website=Newsday|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=November 6, 2011|title=UPDATED: Lesko Wins Brookhaven Town Supervisor Race|url=https://patch.com/new-york/threevillage/town-supervisor-results-lesko-vs-forte|access-date=March 22, 2021|website=Three Village, NY Patch|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=March 17, 2010|title=Lesko Looking to Bring Brookhaven Together|url=https://patch.com/new-york/sachem/lesko-looking-to-bring-brookhaven-together|access-date=March 22, 2021|website=Sachem, NY Patch|language=en}}

Lesko served as deputy chief of the Long Island Criminal Division, where he ran the U.S. Attorney's office on Long Island and managed all federal investigations and prosecutions in Brookhaven. From 2015 to 2018, Lesko was the vice president for economic development of Hofstra University.{{Cite web|date=October 17, 2016|title=Mark Lesko Tapped as VP of Economic Development|url=https://news.hofstra.edu/2016/10/17/mark-lesko-tapped-as-vp-of-economic-development/|access-date=March 22, 2021|website=News {{!}} Hofstra University, New York|language=en-US}} In 2018, Lesko rejoined the United States Department of Justice, first serving as special counsel to the United States Attorney from the Eastern District of New York in Brooklyn. In March 2019, he became first deputy U.S. Attorney under Richard Donoghue.{{Cite web|title=U.S. Attorney Donoghue appoints Lesko to be his No. 2|url=https://www.newsday.com/long-island/suffolk/eastern-district-shake-up-1.28949876|access-date=March 22, 2021|website=Newsday|date=March 25, 2019 |language=en}} On March 19, 2021, after the resignation of U.S. Attorney Seth DuCharme, Lesko became acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.{{Cite web|date=March 8, 2021|title=Acting U.S Attorney Seth D. DuCharme Announces Resignation From Office|url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/pr/acting-us-attorney-seth-d-ducharme-announces-resignation-office|access-date=March 22, 2021|website=www.justice.gov|language=en}}

Personal life

Lesko and his wife Karen reside in East Setauket, New York.{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}}

References

External links

[http://www.leskoforsupervisor.com/ Lesko for Supervisor], official campaign website
[http://www.facebook.com/pages/Farmingville-NY/The-Mark-Lesko-Campaign/43139873067 The Mark Lesko Campaign] on Facebook
[http://www.northshoreoflongisland.com/Articles-i-2009-01-29-78038.112114-sub_Supervisor_candidates_go_head_to_head_in_debate.html "Supervisor candidates go head to head"] by Kelly Campbell. Times Beacon Record Newspapers. 2009-01-19.
[http://www.newsday.com/services/newspaper/printedition/monday/longisland/ny-libroo196004352jan19,0,6509605.story "Mazzei and Lesko step up fundraising efforts] by Rick Brand, William Murphy & James T. Madore. Newsday.com. 2009-01-29.
[http://media.www.sbstatesman.com/media/storage/paper955/news/2009/02/23/Opinion/Lets-Go.Lesko-3642266.shtml "Let's Go Lesko!"] by Amy Ellis. The Statesman (Stony Brook University). 2009-02-23.
[http://dpny.net/rank-number-one-for-long-island-dwi-lawyer/ Long Island Lawyers], more information (Stony Brook University). 2011-04-08.

{{s-ttl|title={{nowrap|United States Assistant Attorney General for the National Security Division
{{small|Acting}}}}|years=2021–}}

{{s-bef|before=Seth DuCharme
{{small|Acting}}}}

{{s-ttl|title=United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York
{{small|Acting}}|years=2021}}

{{s-aft|after=Jacquelyn M. Kasulis
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Category:1967 births

Category:Living people

Category:Assistant United States attorneys

Category:Georgetown University Law Center alumni

Category:Hofstra University people

Category:Lawyers from Washington, D.C.

Category:New York (state) Democrats

Category:People from Brookhaven, New York

Category:Sidwell Friends School alumni

Category:United States attorneys for the Eastern District of New York

Category:Yale University alumni