An Announcement: David Priess Becomes Chief Operating Officer of the Lawfare Institute

I am delighted to announce an important new hire by the Lawfare Institute: David Priess is coming on board as our Chief Operating Officer.

Many Lawfare readers already know David's work, on the site and elsewhere.

David served during the Clinton and George W. Bush administrations at the CIA as an intelligence officer, manager, and daily intelligence briefer as well as at the State Department as a desk officer in the Near East Bureau. He served, among other roles, as the daily intelligence briefer to then-FBI Director Robert Mueller and then-Attorney General John Ashcroft.

What a lot of readers don't know is that since leaving the CIA almost 15 years ago, Priess has held management positions in private sector companies, with a specialization on small, growing entities. His experience overseeing operations, interacting with clients and stakeholders, and engaging in strategic planning have armed him well to join Lawfare’s leadership team in charting and managing the organization’s growth.

David is also a writer and speaker on national security, intelligence, and the presidency. For his 2016 book, "The President’s Book of Secrets: The Untold Story of Intelligence Briefings to America’s Presidents," he became the first author to interview for one book every living former President, Vice President, and CIA Director from previous administrations, as well as nearly 100 other national security and intelligence leaders of the past half century. His new book, "How To Get Rid of a President: History’s Guide to Removing Unpopular, Unable, or Unfit Chief Executives," conveys the rich stories of the many ways American presidents have left office.

Priess obtained his BA in politicial science from Illinois Wesleyan University, his MA in political science from Duke University, and his PhD in political science from Duke University. He has taught political science classes at Duke University, the George Washington University, and George Mason University.

We are very excited to have him on the team.