A shadowy figure whose legal acumen and ruthless tactics shaped Cold War politics, Roy Cohn rose to prominence as a key strategist for Senator Joseph McCarthy’s anti-communist crusade and later as a mentor to future political figures. His career as a lawyer and political operator—marked by both influence and controversy—continues to resonate in modern American politics. In American Scoundrel, biographer Kai Bird examines Cohn’s life, legacy, and the enduring impact of his methods on power structures in the U.S. The discussion with Jeffrey Brown offers deeper insight into how Cohn’s actions still echo through political and legal landscapes today.
For decades, Roy Cohn operated at the center of American power, from his work with Sen. Joseph McCarthy to his role as a lawyer, political fixer and mentor to a young Donald Trump. Biographer Kai Bird traces Cohn's life and the influence he still exerts on American politics in "American Scoundrel." Jeffrey Brown spoke with Bird for our arts and culture series, CANVAS.
