---
category: Law Enforcement & Legal
summary: Margolis was the chief of the Organized Crime Strike Force at the DOJ.
tags:
- Person
- Lawyer
- LawEnforcement
---

[David Margolis](/people/david-margolis/) is a long-serving official within the [Justice Department](/organizations/department-of-justice/), described as its highest-ranking career official. He has served under 18 attorneys general and navigated sensitive cases throughout his tenure. His career history includes serving as Deputy Assistant Attorney General (1990-1993) and Senior official, Organized Crime Section, Criminal Division (1976-1990).[^1]

### Involvement in MCA Investigation

Margolis was the chief of the Organized Crime Strike Force at the [DOJ](/organizations/department-of-justice/). He, along with his deputy [Michael DeFeo](/people/michael-defeo/), reportedly called [Marvin Rudnick](/people/marvin-rudnick/), a Los Angeles prosecutor, to Washington D.C. and instructed him to eliminate [MCA](/organizations/music-corporation-of-america/) from his investigation into [Sal Pisello](/people/sal-pisello/). Rudnick was told he could pursue a tax case against Pisello but could not call [MCA](/organizations/music-corporation-of-america/) executives as witnesses or determine the exact nature of Pisello's relationship with [MCA](/organizations/music-corporation-of-america/).[^1]

[William Hundley](/people/william-hundley/), retained by [MCA](/organizations/music-corporation-of-america/), confirmed meeting with Margolis and DeFeo to convey [MCA](/organizations/music-corporation-of-america/)'s willingness to cooperate in any organized crime investigation. Margolis, along with DeFeo, was accused by [Marvin Rudnick](/people/marvin-rudnick/) of having an agenda to obstruct justice in the [MCA](/organizations/music-corporation-of-america/) investigation. [Richard Stavin](/people/richard-stavin/) confirmed that the [FBI](/organizations/federal-bureau-of-investigation/) wiretap revealed a conversation in which [Eugene Giaquinto](/people/eugene-giaquinto/) told [Martin Bacow](/people/martin-bacow/) that he would call [Edwin Meese](/people/edwin-meese/) and have the [FBI](/organizations/federal-bureau-of-investigation/)'s investigation of [MCA](/organizations/music-corporation-of-america/) stopped. This investigation was indeed shut down afterward by the [DOJ](/organizations/department-of-justice/).[^1]

### Later Career and Controversies

Margolis figured prominently in the Whitewater investigation during the [Bill Clinton](/people/bill-clinton/) administration and the U.S. attorney scandal under President [George W. Bush](/people/george-w-bush/). In 2010, he drew scrutiny for his decision to spare from punishment two Bush administration lawyers who authored memos justifying the use of enhanced interrogation methods on suspected terrorists. He was defended by 17 former top [Justice Department](/organizations/department-of-justice/) officials, including attorneys general from both political parties.[^1]

As Associate Deputy Attorney General, Margolis serves as a key adviser to the department's senior political appointees. He also oversees the interview process for potential U.S. attorneys, disciplines federal prosecutors, and vets [FBI](/organizations/federal-bureau-of-investigation/) officials. He once described his "eclectic" role as being the department's "cleaner," cleaning up messes.[^1]

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[^1]: Seymour, Cheri. *The Last Circle: Danny Casolaro’s Investigation into the Octopus and the PROMIS Software Scandal*. First Edition. TrineDay, 2010.