ANDREW C. MCCARTHY JOINS ROMNEY FOR PRESIDENT

Today, Governor Mitt Romney announced that Andrew C. McCarthy will be joining his Advisory Committee on the Constitution and the Courts, which is co-chaired by Professor Douglas W. Kmiec, former constitutional legal counsel to President Ronald Reagan, and former Congressman David McIntosh who co-founded the Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies.

Making today's announcement, Governor Romney said, "Throughout his distinguished legal career, including his 18 years of service as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York, during which he led the fight against radical jihadists, Andrew McCarthy has been a champion for protecting the American people. With his experience, Andy's counsel on national security and related legal matters will be invaluable in my campaign for our nation's highest office. I am greatly honored to have his wise counsel and deep experience in my campaign."

With today's announcement, McCarthy said, "Governor Mitt Romney embodies the American ideal: success through talent, hard work and faith. He's a committed conservative. As president, I believe he'll bring out the best of America, which means Americans, not government. He'll unite us, not divide us with class-warfare rhetoric that scorns the American dream of self-reliance and value creation – as if it were somehow different from patriotism rather than the engine of patriotism. Mitt understands how the economy works because he's worked in it, not just regulated it from Washington down to the last light-bulb. He understands we're in a global war that demands not just a strategy for Iraq but a strategy for repelling jihadism. He'll push to give our agents the tools they need to gather the intelligence vital to protecting American lives. And he can be trusted to appoint solid judges who will interpret the law – not re-invent it in a way that narrows fundamental rights like political speech while expanding the lawfare rights of terrorists.

"I supported, Rudy Giuliani, who hired me as a young prosecutor, because of his intelligence, executive competence, and commitment to our national security. I see in Governor Romney those same qualities. They are the qualities we need to face our nation's challenges, and they are why I am so proud to support him."

Background On Andrew C. McCarthy:

Andrew C. McCarthy Directs The Center For Law & Counterterrorism At The Foundation For Defense Of Democracies. He is also a contributing editor at National Review Online and a member of the Committee on the Present Danger. His book, Willful Blindness: A Memoir of the Jihad, will be released on March 10 by Encounter Books.

For 18 years, Mr. McCarthy was an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York. From 1993 through 1995, he led the terrorism prosecution against Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman and eleven othersin connection with the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and a plot to bomb New York City landmarks. He served for several years as the Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District's satellite office in White Plains, and, following the 9/11 attacks, supervised the Office's Command Post near Ground Zero in New York City.

In 2004, Mr. McCarthy served at the Pentagon as a Special Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of Defense. He has also been an Adjunct Professor at both Fordham University's School of Law and New York Law School, as well as a Deputy United States Marshal in the federal Witness Protection Program.

Mr. McCarthy is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Justice Department's highest honors: the Attorney General's Exceptional Service Award (1996) and Distinguished Service Award (1988). In addition to being featured regularly in National Review, Mr. McCarthy's articles have also appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Commentary, The New Criterion, The Weekly Standard, USA Today and many other publications. He is frequently featured as a commentator on television and nationally syndicated radio broadcasts.

FDD is a non-partisan, non-profit think-tank in Washington. It does not endorse political candidates. Mr. McCarthy's endorsement is in his personal capacity.