Jason Torchinsky

Jason Brett Torchinsky has been a Senior Associate with HoltzmanVogel PLLC since March 2006. 

Torchinsky is "behind the Progressive Policy Council, the phony group behind a mailer that's gone out to an untold number of Pennsylvania voters in an apparent attempt to sour liberal voters on" Democratic Party candidate Bob Casey, according to TMP Muckraker's Paul Kiel.

"Records with the Virginia State Corporation Commission show that the group's charter was filed by a man named Jason Torchinsky of Holtzman Vogel," Kiel wrote October 31, 2006.

In July 2006, Michael Turk reported that he, Torchinksy, Frank J. Donatelli, Becki Donatelli, and Chuck DeFeo had "been working to put together" Rightroots (supported by ABC PAC Inc.), "the GOP equivalent of Act Blue - the Democrat’s online fundraising PAC."

The May 17, 2006, U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC.gov) "Status Report on the Voting Fraud-Voter Intimidation Research Project" quotes Torchinsky, from the American Center for Voting Rights Legislative Fund, on page 12 as being "the only interviewee who believes that polling place fraud is widespread and among the most significant problems in the system."

Torchinsky was identified as "Counsel to [the] American Center for Voting Rights" when he participated in an October 4, 2006, panel discussion at the American Constitution Society for Law and Policy.

In April 2006, Torchinsky, identified as a "Senior Associate, Holtzman Vogel PLLC", was a speaker at the Spring Forum of the National Conference of State Legislatures. 

His HoltzmanVogel bio states that, "[i]mmediately before joining the firm", he was "Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division at the United States Department of Justice."

Background
In 2005, Torchinsky was Executive Assistant to the Counsel to the President and Paralegal and a member of the Federalist Society, according to People For the American Way's "The Right-Wing Affiliations of Bush Administration Officials".

During the 2004 election cycle, Torchinsky served as Deputy General Counsel to Bush-Cheney '04 and Deputy General Counsel to the 2005 Presidential Inaugural Committee. 

Torchinsky worked previously with Senator Bill Frist, running his Frist 2000, Inc., which the FEC determined violated federal campaign finance laws.

According to an October 1996 The Virginian-Pilot article, Torchinsky had "worked on the campaigns of First District Congressman Herb Bateman, U.S. Senate hopefuls Oliver North of Virginia and Chuck Haytaian of New Jersey and New Jersey Gov. Christie Todd Whitman. He was also an intern on House Majority Leader Dick Armey's floor staff." 

Profiles
According to his firm profile (accessed October 23, 2006), Torchinsky, who recently joined Holtzman Vogel, has "a primary focus on campaign finance and election law. During the 2004 election cycle, Jason served as Deputy General Counsel to Bush-Cheney '04 and Deputy General Counsel to the 2005 Presidential Inaugural Committee.

"Immediately before joining the firm, Jason was Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division at the United States Department of Justice. Jason has also served in other positions at the White House and at the United States Department of Justice. At the White House, he worked for now-Attorney General Alberto Gonzales in the Counsel's Office. At the Department of Justice, Jason served as a Special Assistant to the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division and in the Eastern District of Wisconsin as a Special Assistant United States Attorney.

"Jason has served as counsel for three federal jury trials, argued a number of motions and hearings before federal tribunals, and authored a number of briefs for United States Courts of Appeals, including the 3rd Circuit, 7th Circuit, 9th Circuit, and 11th Circuit.

"Jason's prior political experience includes the Republican National Committee Counsel's Office, the Dole-Kemp campaign, the 1996 Republican National Convention, and Congressman Herb Bateman's re-election campaign.

"Jason's most recent public appearance was at the National Conference of State Legislator's Spring Forum where he presented Vermont Republican State Committee v. Sorrell.

"He holds a B.A. in Government and Public Policy from the College of William and Mary and a J.D. from the College of William and Mary School of Law. He is a member of the Virginia Bar and the Federalist Society. Jason is resident in the Virginia office."

According to his Washington Council profile posted on the William and Mary website, Torchinsky was "currently working as an attorney with the Bush-Cheney '02 campaign. While an undergraduate, Jason spent significant time in Washington, including internships on Capitol Hill, at a lobbying firm and at a political consulting firm. While in law school, Jason worked for the Republican National Committee and then for the White House."

Related SourceWatch Resources

 * U.S. congressional elections in 2006
 * Vets for Freedom