Mary B. McCord

Member of the Board of Editors

Mary B. McCord is Executive Director of the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection (ICAP) and a Visiting Professor of Law at Georgetown University Law Center.  At ICAP, McCord leads a team that brings constitutional impact litigation at all levels of the federal and state courts across a wide variety of areas including First Amendment rights, immigration, criminal justice reform, and combating the rise of private paramilitaries.

McCord was the Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security at the U.S. Department of Justice from 2016 to 2017 and Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for National Security from 2014 to 2016.

Previously, McCord was an Assistant U.S. Attorney for nearly 20 years at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.  Among other positions, she served as a Deputy Chief in the Appellate Division, overseeing and arguing hundreds of cases in the U.S. and District of Columbia Courts of Appeals, and Chief of the Criminal Division, where she oversaw all criminal prosecutions in federal district court.

McCord is a statutorily designated amicus curiae for the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review.  McCord served as legal counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives Task Force 1-6 Capitol Security Review appointed by Speaker Nancy Pelosi after the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.  McCord also served on the Columbus Police After Action Review Team tasked with evaluating how the Columbus, Ohio, Police Department responded to the 2020 summer protests.

McCord holds a J.D. from Georgetown University Law School.

Articles by this author:

The Threat from Unlawful Private Militias Has Evolved. The Federal Government’s Response Must Evolve Too.

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Oct 4th, 2024

Absolute Presidential Immunity and the Evasion of Checks and Balances: My Testimony Before the Senate Judiciary Committee

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Sep 24th, 2024

The Just Security Podcast: Presidential Immunity After Trump v. United States

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Jul 3rd, 2024

The Limited Effects of Fischer: DOJ Data Reveals Supreme Court’s Narrowing of Jan. 6th Obstruction Charges Will Have Minimal Impact

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Jun 28th, 2024

Lawsuit Brings to Light New Revelations About 2020 Fraudulent Electors Scheme

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May 15th, 2024

Comprehensive Timeline on False Electors Scheme in 2020 Presidential Election

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May 15th, 2024

The Supreme Court Cannot Ignore the National Security Implications of the So-Called ‘Jawboning’ Case

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Mar 17th, 2024

The Just Security Podcast: Toward a Goldilocks Deal on 702 Surveillance Reform

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Dec 5th, 2023

Anticipating Jim Jordan’s Judiciary Committee Hearing with FBI Director Wray

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Jul 11th, 2023

Stewart Rhodes Should Get No Leniency For Leading Anti-Government Paramilitary Group

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May 24th, 2023

Video: January 6th Investigators Speak About Ongoing Threats of Violent Extremism

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Feb 27th, 2023

January 6th Report Exposes Ongoing, Converging Threat of Anti-Democracy Schemes and Paramilitary Violence

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Jan 6th, 2023

The Government Was Right to Charge Seditious Conspiracy

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Dec 7th, 2022

Congress Can and Should Address the Threat from Unauthorized Paramilitary Activity

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Jan 24th, 2022

Lessons from Benghazi: Accountability for the U.S. Capitol Attack

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Jan 14th, 2021

Top Experts Analyze Inspector General Report Finding Problems in FBI Surveillance

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Apr 27th, 2020

Bill Barr’s Dangerous New Powers

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May 28th, 2019

New Approach After Charlottesville Violence Protects Public Safety While Preserving Rights

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Jan 2nd, 2019