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Between his tenure as the director of the FBI from 2013 to 2017 under the appointment of President Obama, to his roles as the U.S Attorney for the Southern District of New York and the United States Deputy Attorney General in the administration of President George W. Bush, James Comey has been involved in some of the most consequential cases and policies of recent history. On the occasion of his new book following his highly contentious firing, Comey will take the ALOUD stage and share for the first time anecdotes and reflections from his high-stakes career. From prosecuting the mafia, to helping to change Bush administration policies on torture and electronic surveillance, to overseeing the Hillary Clinton e-mail investigation as well as ties between the Trump campaign and Russia, Comey will discuss the challenges of leading the American government through times of ethical crisis.

James Comey

On September 4, 2013, James Comey was sworn in as the seventh Director of the FBI.

A Yonkers, New York native, Jim Comey attended the College of William and Mary and the University of Chicago Law School. After law school, Comey returned to New York and joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York as an Assistant U.S. Attorney. There, he took on numerous crimes, most notably Organized Crime in the case of the United States v. John Gambino, et al. Afterwards, Comey became an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia, where he prosecuted the high-profile case that followed the 1996 terrorist attack on the U.S. military’s Khobar Towers in Khobar, Saudi Arabia.

Comey returned to New York after 9/11 to become the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. At the end of 2003, he was tapped to be the Deputy Attorney General at the Department of Justice (DOJ) under then-U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft and moved to the Washington, D.C. area.

Comey left DOJ in 2005 to serve as General Counsel and Senior Vice President at Defense contractor Lockheed Martin. Five years later, he joined Bridgewater Associates, a Connecticut-based investment fund, as its General Counsel. In early 2013, Comey became a Lecturer in Law, a Senior Research Scholar, and Hertog Fellow in National Security Law at Columbia Law School.


Jim Newton

Jim Newton is a veteran journalist, author and teacher. In 25 years at the Los Angeles Times, Newton worked as a reporter, editor, bureau chief, columnist and, from 2007 through 2010, editor of the editorial pages. Newton currently serves as the editor-in-chief of Blueprint, a new UCLA magazine addressing the policy challenges facing California and Los Angeles in particular. He also teaches in the Communication Studies and Public Policy department at UCLA. Newton is currently at work on this fourth book entitled Jerry Brown and the Creation of Modern California.


Location
This program will take place at the Aratani Theatre of the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center, at 244 S San Pedro St, Los Angeles, CA 90012. The Aratani Theatre Box Office is open Tuesday–Saturday, 12-5 PM and reachable at 213-680-3700.

Parking
Parking is available in multiple lots around the theatre. Note that many lots are cash only. Click here for specific lots and directions.

Will Call
5:30pm – Will call opens

7:00pm – House opens

7:30pm – Program begins

All tickets and books are non-refundable, and will require photo I.D. for pick-up. Each ticket will include an unsigned copy of the featured book, A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership, which will be distributed the night of the program.  There will be no book signing.

Main Image: James Comey Credit: Rouse Photography Group, LLC


Frequently Asked Questions

  • Why do programs fill so quickly?

    ALOUD provides a unique experience for the public to engage with scholars, authors, and artists in the intimate 235-seat Mark Taper Auditorium. Library Foundation Members have the benefit of reserving for programs in advance of the public. Consider joining as a Member to receive this benefit, and check the website on an on-going basis for program availability. Be sure to subscribe to our email alerts, and visit our Media Archive for podcasts and other items from our recent programs.

  • Where does ALOUD take place?

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  • Where should I park?

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  • Where can I find podcasts and videos of ALOUD programs?

    Podcasts and videos from our programs are available free online at our growing Media Archive. Visit the archive at lfla.org/media-archive to explore hundreds of podcasts and videos spanning 20+ years of ALOUD’s history bringing authors, artists, and t thinkers to the Los Angeles Public Library.