George Demos Explained

George Demos
Birth Date:1976
Party:Republican, Conservative
Alma Mater:Columbia University (BA)
Fordham University School of Law (JD)
Profession:Attorney
Website:George Demos for Congress
Relations:Angelo Tsakopoulos (father-in-law)
Eleni Kounalakis (sister-in-law)

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]

Early life

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

Legal Career

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 June 2024, Demos asserted that District Attorney Bragg's closing argument may have resulted in Trump being convicted of overpaying his taxes.[10]

Politics

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.[11] [12] His three-way primary included Christopher Nixon Cox, the grandson of President Richard Nixon and Randy Altschuler, a businessman.[12] [13] [14]

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."[15] 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.[16]

Demos announced another run for Congress Monday, August 8, 2011. However, citing his impending wedding, Demos withdrew from the race May 25, 2012.[17]

On October 6, 2013, he announced he would seek the Republican nomination to run against Congressman Tim Bishop.[18] On June 24, 2014 he lost the primary election to New York State Senator Lee Zeldin.[19]

Ground Zero Church Advocacy

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.[20] 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.[21] [22] [23]

In September 2011, Demos called on Governor Andrew Cuomo to fire Port Aurhority of New York and New Jersey Director Christopher Ward for "stonewalling" the church's reconstruction.[24] 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.[25]

Personal life

Demos is married to Chrysa Tsakopoulos, daughter of the real estate developer Angelo Tsakopoulos.[26] His sister-in-law, Eleni Kounalakis, is the current Lieutenant Governor of California. She served as the United States Ambassador to Hungary from 2010 to 2013 and was the first Greek American woman to serve as ambassador.[27]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Toeplitz . Shira . Consulting Teams and Continental Divides . CQ Politics . February 25, 2010 . August 5, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100228020159/http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000003298225 . February 28, 2010 . mdy .
  2. Web site: George G. Demos People DLA Piper Global Law Firm. 2021-09-23. DLA Piper. en. August 12, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200812065725/https://www.dlapiper.com/en/us/people/d/demos-george/. live.
  3. Web site: Meet George: A Biography: Meet George . George Demos For Congress . August 5, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100817232446/http://www.georgedemosforcongress.com/refresh/templates/meet_george.php?id=5 . August 17, 2010 . dead .
  4. News: How Not to Seem Rich While Running for Office. Leibovich. Mark. 2014-04-08. The New York Times. 2018-01-07. en-US. 0362-4331. January 8, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180108064648/https://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/13/magazine/leibovich-rich-politicians.html. live.
  5. Web site: Nixon Grandson in GOP Bid for Bishop's Seat . Long Island Press . September 11, 2001 . August 5, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100208185120/http://www.longislandpress.com/2010/02/06/nixon-grandson-in-gop-bid-for-bishops-seat/ . February 8, 2010 . mdy .
  6. Web site: Cadei . Emily . For New York's GOP, a Candidate Surplus . CQ Politics . August 5, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100817130312/http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000003293821&cpage=2 . August 17, 2010 . mdy .
  7. Web site: GOP Family Feuds . Antonnews.com . July 9, 2010 . August 5, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120306031724/http://www.antonnews.com/columns/barry/9000-gop-family-feuds.html . March 6, 2012 . mdy .
  8. Web site: Anonymous . 2021-03-30 . George Demos School of Law . 2024-07-17 . law.ucdavis.edu . en.
  9. News: Demos . George . April 24, 2024 . Why the hush money case against Donald Trump is on shaky ground . July 17, 2024 . The Hill.
  10. Web site: Demos . George . 2024-06-05 . Was Trump convicted of overpaying taxes? - Washington Examiner . 2024-07-17 . en-US.
  11. News: With win behind them, Brown strategists are in demand . The Boston Globe . January 23, 2010 . August 5, 2010 . Casey . Ross . January 28, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100128140618/http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2010/01/23/with_win_behind_them_brown_strategists_are_in_demand/ . live .
  12. News: Jeb Bush Endorses Chris Cox For Congress In NY-1 . New York Daily News . July 21, 2010 . August 5, 2010 . Celeste . Katz . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100808141511/http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2010/07/jeb-bush-endorses-chris-cox-fo.html . August 8, 2010 . mdy .
  13. News: Incumbent Rep. Tim Bishop Snags Indy Line In NY-1 . New York Daily News . July 19, 2010 . August 5, 2010 . Celeste . Katz . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100722205046/http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2010/07/incumbent-rep-tim-bishop-snags.html . July 22, 2010 . mdy .
  14. Web site: Schneiderman Opts Out of Congressional Race . The Sag Harbor Express . July 15, 2010 . August 5, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110715224434/http://sagharboronline.com/sagharborexpress/page-1/schneiderman-opts-out-of-congressional-race-8485 . July 15, 2011 . mdy .
  15. Web site: Rush pro-Demos in NY-1, unloads on Cox and Altschuler . Maggie Haberman . September 8, 2010 . Politico . February 13, 2011 . July 15, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110715103235/http://www.politico.com/blogs/maggiehaberman/0910/Rush_proDemos_in_NY1_unloads_on_Cox_and_Altschuler_.html . live .
  16. Web site: Miller . Sean J. . Rep. Bishop up against big-spending Republican – The Hill's Ballot Box . Thehill.com . September 14, 2010 . September 16, 2010 . September 16, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100916211034/http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/house-races/118851-rep-bishop-up-against-big-spending-republican- . live .
  17. News: Demos quits GOP primary for congressional seat . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120604014824/http://online.wsj.com/article/AP1196ba9af6a547f2a14c5f296d58bf8e.html . June 4, 2012 .
  18. Web site: Demos & Zeldin Announce Plans to Run for Congress in 2014 | The Sag Harbor Express . May 5, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140505125817/http://sagharboronline.com/sagharborexpress/page-1/demos-zeldin-announce-plans-to-run-for-congress-in-2014-25924 . May 5, 2014 . dead . mdy-all .
  19. Web site: Zeldin tops Demos, will face Bishop this fall. June 25, 2014. June 25, 2014. July 3, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140703172521/http://riverheadnewsreview.timesreview.com/2014/06/55552/zeldin-holds-early-lead-in-gop-primary/. live.
  20. News: Vitello . Paul . 2010-08-24 . Amid Furor on Islamic Center, Pleas for Orthodox Church Nearby . 2024-07-25 . The New York Times . en-US . 0362-4331.
  21. Web site: CBN News . August 3, 2010 . Church Destroyed on 9/11 Still in Shambles . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20100805014821/http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2010/August/Church-Destroyed-on-911-Still-in-Shambles/ . August 5, 2010 . August 4, 2010 . CBN News.
  22. Web site: August 3, 2010 . George Demos Tells Fox News We Must Rebuild St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church at Ground Zero . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20100818072248/http://usa.greekreporter.com/2010/08/03/george-demos-on-rebuilding-of-st-nicholas-in-manhattan/ . August 18, 2010 . August 5, 2010 . USA.GreekReporter.com.
  23. News: Katz . Celeste . July 21, 2010 . GOP Hopeful George Demos: Rebuild Church At Ground Zero, Not Mosque . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100725190240/http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2010/07/gop-hopeful-george-demos-rebui.html . July 25, 2010 . August 5, 2010 . New York Daily News.
  24. Web site: Papapostolou . Apostolos . September 7, 2011 . George Demos: "Governor Cuomo Must Fire the Man Blocking 9/11 Church Rebuilding" . live . Greek Reporter.
  25. Web site: 2013-05-12 . Historic Church Destroyed On 9/11 To Rise Again - NY1 . 2024-07-29 . web.archive.org.
  26. Web site: Demos' bid boosted by wife's family fortune. 2020-08-13. Newsday. en. October 21, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201021224225/https://www.newsday.com/long-island/suffolk/demos-house-bid-boosted-by-wife-s-family-fortune-1.7329673. live.
  27. Web site: Madam Ambassador: Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis recounts her groundbreaking role as the first Greek American woman to serve as U.S. Ambassador – NEO Magazine. 2020-08-13. en-US. September 30, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200930004458/https://www.neomagazine.com/2015/06/madam-ambassador-eleni-tsakopoulos-kounalakis-recounts-her-groundbreaking-role-as-the-first-greek-american-woman-to-serve-as-u-s-ambassador/. live.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "George Demos".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.