Brian Roehrkasse

Brian J. Roehrkasse is from Urbandale, Iowa. Roehrkasse served as the Director of Public Affairs for the U.S. Department of Justice during the last two years of the George W. Bush Administration (2007-2009).

Roehrkasse was on the campaign staff for George W. Bush in 2000.^[1] From 2001-2002, Roehrkasse served in the Office of Public Affairs at the Department of Transportation. In 2002, he moved to the then newly created Department of Homeland Security where he served as press secretary. While at the Department of Homeland Security he was responsible for communicating sensitive intelligence and threat information^[2] to the press during several heightened periods of threat.^[3][4][5]

After serving as Deputy Director of Public Affairs at the Department of Jusctice during the dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy, he was promoted to director in 2007.^[1][6]

While at the Department of Justice, he served as a communications strategist during the passage of the USA PATRIOT Act Reauthorization,^[7] the modernization of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act^[8] and other significant national security and counterterrorism laws that remain in place under the Obama Administration.^[9] He also served as a spokesperson for the Department on litigation concerning detainees suspected of engaging in terrorism.^[10][11][12]

In 2013, Roehrkasse was a signatory to an amicus curiae brief submitted to the Supreme Court in support of same-sex marriage during the Hollingsworth v. Perry case.^[13]

Prior to working in Washington, Roehrkasse lived in San Diego and worked in the San Diego office of Porter Novelli.^[14] He graduated from Colorado State University in 1996 with a bachelor's degree in journalism.

References

1. Al Kamen (2007-08-10). "Campaigning by the Book / Moving Up". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2009-10-21.
2. "Experts Seeking Dirty Bombs in Cities". USA Today. Associated Press. January 7, 2004. Retrieved 2009-10-22.
3. RACHEL L. SWARNS (January 2, 2004). "2 More Flights Are Called Off After Warnings". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-10-21.
4. "Security report outlines terror scenarios". USA Today. Associated Press. March 16, 2005. Retrieved 2009-10-22.
5. Andrea Stone (December 26, 2003). "More Flights Could be Cancelled Amid Warnings". USA Today. Retrieved 2009-10-22.
6. Paul Kiel (2007-08-30). "DoJ Officials Resign, But Mouthpiece Promoted". Talking Points Memo. TPM Media LLC. Retrieved Oct 21, 2009.
7. Charles Babington (February 10, 2006). "Patriot Act Compromise Clears Way For Senate Vote". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2009-10-21.
8. JAMES RISEN and ERIC LICHTBLAU (August 19, 2007). "Concerns Raised on Wider Spying Under New Law". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-10-21.
9. ERIC LICHTBLAU (September 15, 2008). "Terror Plan Would Give F.B.I. More Power". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-10-24.
10. ADAM LIPTAK (July 16, 2008). "Court Backs Bush on Military Detentions". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-10-21.
11. "Statement by Brian Roehrkasse, Director of Public Affairs, on (the) District Court Decision Ordering Release of the Uighurs Detained at Guantanamo Bay" (Press release). United States Department of Justice. October 7, 2008. Retrieved 2009-10-21.
12. "Statement by Brian Roehrkasse, Director of Public Affairs, on (the) Decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in Al-marri V. Pucciarelli" (Press release). United States Department of Justice. July 15, 2008. Retrieved 2009-10-24.
13. http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/02/28/the-pro-freedom-republicans-are-coming-131-sign-gay-marriage-brief.html
14. Diane Bell (2007-04-10). "At the White House". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved Oct 21, 2009.("Another former Hutchens' employee from the late '90s, Brian Roehrkasse, is also in the Washington, D.C., spotlight as the chief spokesman for the Department of Justice and beleaguered Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.")