Sarah Isgur

Sarah Isgur (born November 9, 1982) is an American attorney, political commentator, and former Trump administration spokesperson at the United States Department of Justice.

Sarah Isgur
Born (1982-11-09) November 9, 1982
Houston, Texas, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Other namesSarah Isgur Flores
Education
Occupation(s)Journalist and political analyst
Employer
Political partyRepublican (until 2018)[1]
Spouses
  • Chad Flores
    ​
    ​
    (m. 2011, divorced)​
  • ​
    (m. 2019)​

In 2016, Isgur was a fellow at the Harvard Institute of Politics.[2] Isgur was the deputy campaign manager for the Carly Fiorina 2016 presidential campaign. Prior to that, she worked for the Mitt Romney 2012 presidential campaign.

She hosts a podcast, Advisory Opinions, for The Dispatch, a conservative media outlet.[3][4][5]

While serving in the department, Isgur defended the Trump administration's family separation policy,[6][7] as well as Executive Order 13769 (known as the "Trump travel ban").[8][9][10]

Early life and education

Isgur was born on November 9, 1982.[11][12] Her father is U.S. bankruptcy judge Marvin Isgur.[13] She was raised in Texas.[14][2][15] Her family took birding vacations to Africa and South America.[2]

In 2004, Isgur received a Bachelor of Arts from Northwestern University in history and political science.[4] She began as a math major, but after being placed in a senior level political science seminar due to a scheduling error, changed her major to political science.[15]

Isgur received a Juris Doctor in 2008 from Harvard Law School.[4][16] During her time at Harvard Law School, Isgur was the president of the Harvard Federalist Society and a staffer on the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy.[2][17][14] Isgur also attended the London School of Economics and participated in their certificate program.[14][18]

While in law school, she worked as a clerk for several law firms, including the Office of Legal Policy, Cooper and Kirk, and Wiley Rein. She worked on Mitt Romney's 2008 presidential political action committee and Mitt Romney's 2008 presidential campaign.[19]

Career

Following law school, Isgur worked at the National Republican Senatorial Committee as legal counsel. She clerked for Judge Edith H. Jones of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in New Orleans.[4][17] Isgur was the political director for Texans for Ted Cruz, Ted Cruz's 2010 campaign for Texas State Attorney General.[2][16] In 2010, Isgur endorsed the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan despite disagreeing with Kagan on most policy issues.[20]

Isgur worked for the Mitt Romney 2012 presidential campaign.[2][16] She worked for the Republican National Committee as Deputy Communications Director from 2013 until 2015.[16][21] In that role, she promoted the party's anti-abortion position.[21]

She was a research fellow at Baylor University.[22] In 2016, she was a fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School's Harvard Institute of Politics.[2][23] Ann Compton has served as a mentor to Isgur.[24]

In January 2015, Isgur began working for Carly Fiorina's political action committee.[16][25] After Fiorina decided to run for president, Isgur transitioned to the position of Deputy Campaign Manager for Carly Fiorina's 2016 presidential campaign.[16][26][27] In 2016, Isgur Flores was on the national board of the Maverick PAC, a Texas-based political action committee.[28]

After Fiorina ended her presidential campaign, Isgur criticized Donald Trump, stating on Twitter that, "Saying you will criminally prosecute your political opponent when you win is a scary and dangerous threat."[29][30] Isgur also stated that she would not vote for Trump in the election, but that she could not vote for the Democratic Party candidates either.[31]

At a Harvard University post-election panel, Isgur criticized CNN and other mainstream media organizations over their coverage of the 2016 Republican Party presidential primaries, stating that she did not remember getting invited to call into the networks, despite the fact that Trump participated in phone interviews with the networks.[32][33][34]

Trump administration

In December 2016, Isgur joined the Trump administration, serving first as part of Trump attorney general appointee Jeff Sessions's confirmation team. During an interview with Politico, she praised Donald Trump's selection of Sessions as Attorney General.[17] Isgur began working with Sessions prior to his confirmation hearing and was his spokesperson throughout the confirmation process.[29][35] She also ran Sessions through mock confirmation hearings.[17]

Following the announcement of Jeff Sessions as attorney general, Isgur became spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Justice from March 2017 onwards.[36] As a critic of Trump's campaign for presidency, Isgur had to overcome hesitancy from the President before working in the DOJ.[17] While at the DOJ, she worked as the Director of the Office of Public Affairs. During the Mueller Investigation, she served as senior counsel to the Deputy Attorney General, Rod Rosenstein.[4][29][37][38]

While at the Department of Justice, Isgur dealt with a number of different immigration-related proposals from the Trump administration. This began with the criticism of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which was initially created by the Obama administration.[39] After President Trump issued Executive Order 13769, commonly referred to as "Trump's travel ban", Isgur was quoted on numerous occasions regarding the legal fallout in the weeks following the executive order. On March 24, 2017, Isgur said, "the President's executive order falls well within his authority to safeguard the nation's security."[40][41]

Isgur defended the Trump administration's family separation policy.[6][7] She also worked on additional issues impacting President Trump, including his claim that President Barack Obama wiretapped Trump Tower in the run-up to the 2016 election.[42]

CNN

Following her employment with the Trump administration's Justice Department, Isgur explored employment with CNN and MSNBC, with sources claiming she pitched her knowledge of the Mueller Investigation as a selling point when inquiring about employment.[37][43]

In February 2019, CNN announced that it had hired Isgur to help oversee the network's coverage of the 2020 United States presidential election.[37] Isgur was first hired as a politics editor, but CNN later changed her to political analyst following pushback.[37][44][45] After CNN announced her hiring, the network received backlash from its own reporters as well as the Democratic National Committee due to a lack of journalism experience and her recent involvement with the Republican Party.[37][43] Isgur had previously criticized CNN and other mainstream media organizations regarding their coverage of the 2016 Republican Party presidential primaries.[46][32][47]

The Democratic National Committee expressed reservations over Isgur's conservative political history and her alleged connections to a retracted Fox News story on the debunked Seth Rich conspiracy theory.[37] In response, Isgur denied involvement in the conspiracy theory, stating "I have not spoken about the death of Seth Rich with or to anyone except in response to questions pertaining to this lawsuit. I have not been contacted by either party or their counsel in reference to this case. There is a legitimate discussion that can be had around my future employment, but this is not part of it."[37] CNN later assured the Democratic National Committee that Isgur would not be involved in the station's coverage of the Democratic debates.[37][44] Isgur never joined CNN full time, but remained a CNN analyst after beginning a position at The Dispatch.[48][49]

The Dispatch

In November 2019, Isgur began working for The Dispatch as a full-time staff writer.[48] The Dispatch was co-founded by Isgur's friend Toby Stock, alongside Jonah Goldberg and Steve Hayes.[48] Isgur joined The Dispatch after Stock sent out an email to his close friends in early 2019 asking for naming ideas for their new media company.[48] Isgur received the email and met with Stock discuss her potentially joining The Dispatch.[48] Isgur hosts the news organization's self-titled podcast, which features Goldberg, Hayes, and David French.[50] Alongside French, Isgur also hosts the news organization's podcast, Advisory Opinions, which discusses law, culture, and religion.[51][52] Isgur occasionally appears as a guest on Goldberg's podcast, The Remnant.[53] Additionally, Isgur writes a newsletter for The Dispatch titled The Sweep.

ABC News

On April 4, 2021, during an appearance on This Week, George Stephanopoulos announced that Isgur had joined ABC News as an analyst.[3]

Personal life

In 2011, Isgur married Chad Flores. They later divorced.[54] Isgur married Scott A. Keller, a former Solicitor General of Texas, in a private ceremony at the Supreme Court.[48] She gave birth to a son in 2020.[55]

References
  1. "No Such Thing as Rock Bottom".
  2. "Fall 2016 Fellows: Sarah Isgur Flores". Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
  3. "'This Week' Transcript 4-4-21: Lt. Gen. Russel Honoré (Ret.), Sen. Roy Blunt, Sec. Pete Buttigieg". ABC News. April 4, 2021. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  4. "Sarah Isgur, Contributor". The Federalist Society. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
  5. "Sarah Isgur". The Dispatch. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
  6. "The Latest: Justice: No change to 'zero tolerance' policy". AP NEWS. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
  7. "Mother who was separated from her daughter: "I am desperate. I want to see her."". CNN. June 18, 2018. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
  8. Marcetic, Branko (February 2019). "The Most Suspect Name in News". Jacobin. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  9. Gerstein, Josh (March 24, 2017). "Virginia judge backs Trump on travel ban". Politico. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  10. Gerstein, Josh (June 1, 2017). "Trump administration asks Supreme Court to reinstate travel ban". Politico. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  11. Allen, Mike; Lippman, Daniel (November 9, 2015). "POLITICO Playbook, presented by JPMorgan Chase & Co. – 365 DAYS to election – HOW FOX will try to shame CNBC – POLITICO's booming Europe arm expands: financial services vertical, bigger London bureau, top hire from WSJ – B'DAY: John Harris, Sarah Flores". Politico. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  12. Palmer, Anna; Sherman, Jake. "POLITICO Playbook: The post-Trump era begins". Politico. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  13. "Attorney General Jeff Sessions in Houston, touts crackdown on immigrants suspected in crimes". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
  14. "Sarah Isgur Flores". GOP. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
  15. Pate, Sadie C.; Pendergrass, Drew C. (October 20, 2016). "Back to Her Roots". The Harvard Crimson. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  16. Moody, Chris (January 2, 2015). "With eye on a presidential bid, Carly Fiorina hires Republican Party spokeswoman". CNN. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
  17. Goldmacher, Shane (December 30, 2016). "Former Fiorina strategist joins Sessions AG confirmation team". Politico. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  18. "A Chat with Mo Elleithee and Sarah Isgur about Ethics in Political Communication". Ethics in Political Communication. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  19. "Romney Offers Student Fundraisers A Cut". CBS News. March 27, 2007. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
  20. Marr, Kendra (May 27, 2010). "W.H. rolls out Kagan narrative". Politico. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  21. "RNC embraces reputation as the 'pro-life party'". Washington Examiner. January 23, 2014. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
  22. Hignett, Katherine (February 20, 2019). "Who Is Sarah Isgur Flores? Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Slams CNN for Hiring Ex-Trump Official as Political Editor". Newsweek. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  23. Palmer, Anna (November 9, 2016). "WE WERE ALL WRONG – What D.C. should expect – TRUMP to Clinton: 'I respect you' – NEW POWER PLAYERS in ALL RED WASHINGTON – B'DAY: John Harris". Politico. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  24. Sherman, Jake (May 3, 2017). "THE NEVER-ENDING CAMPAIGN: Trump slams Clinton in late-night tweets – FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Moderate Republican gets blasted on healthcare – DAVID BROOKS wedding – B'DAY: Ben Ginsberg". Politico. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  25. Shepard, Steven (January 2, 2015). "Fiorina snags RNC staffer, Club's Keller joins Jamestown". Politico. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  26. Lee, MJ (May 5, 2015). "Carly Fiorina's HP record clouds her campaign launch". CNN. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
  27. Linkins, Jason (August 26, 2015). "Carly Fiorina Is Hopping Mad At CNN Over Looming Debate Snub". Huffington Post. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
  28. Allen, Mike; Lippman, Daniel (April 12, 2016). "97 DAYS TO CLEVELAND: 'Bidding war for delegates' could include plane rides, luxury lodging, golf-course briefings – VEEP OPPO WARS: Progressives target Julián Castro – WASHPOST plans Trump book". Politico. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  29. Johnson, Eliana; Calderone, Michael (February 19, 2019). "Ex-Sessions spokeswoman to join CNN as political editor". Politico. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
  30. Atkinson, Claire (February 20, 2019). "CNN draws fire for hiring former DOJ spokesperson Sarah Isgur Flores". NBC. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  31. Gass, Nick (March 2, 2016). "Former top Fiorina aide won't vote for Trump". Politico. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  32. Tani, Maxwell (February 20, 2019). "CNN Staffers 'Demoralized' by Hiring of GOP Operative Sarah Isgur to Edit 2020 Coverage". The Daily Beast. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
  33. Gold, Hadas; Debenedetti, Gabriel (December 1, 2016). "Campaign operatives blast Jeff Zucker over CNN coverage at Harvard event". Politico. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  34. Grynbaum, Michael M. (March 8, 2019). "After Outcry, Jeff Sessions's Former Spokeswoman Drops Editing Role at CNN". The New York Times. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  35. Sherman, Jake; Palmer, Anna; Lippman, Daniel (December 30, 2016). "BEHIND-THE-SCENES look at inaugural committee – FAHRENTHOLD's Trump opus – SARAH FLORES to help Sessions – CHRISTINA BELLANTONI welcomes a boy – TYRONE GAYLE engaged – B'DAY: Tammy Haddad". Politico. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  36. "Trump Attorney General Jeff Sessions under fire over Russia meetings". BBC News. March 2, 2017. Archived from the original on March 2, 2017.
  37. Tani, Maxwell (February 21, 2019). "CNN in Damage-Control Mode Over GOP Operative Hire Sarah Isgur". The Daily Beast. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
  38. Ring, Trudy (December 5, 2018). "New Justice Department Spokeswoman Comes From Anti-LGBTQ Hate Group". Advocate. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  39. Nelson, Louis (September 6, 2017). "Trump administration officials try to clarify president's 'revisit' DACA tweet". Politico. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  40. Jarrett, Laura (March 24, 2017). "Federal judge sides with Trump administration in travel ban case". CNN.
  41. @whignewtons (January 28, 2017). "@ckerstiens @JasonKander For starters, Several terrorist attacks by fake refugees in France and Germany?" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  42. Wright, Austin (March 13, 2017). "DOJ asks for more time to address Trump's wiretapping claim". Politico. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  43. Pompeo, Joe (February 20, 2019). ""SHE WAS PITCHING HER INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE OF THE MUELLER PROBE": SARAH ISGUR FLORES, FORMER TRUMPER, TALKED TO MSNBC BEFORE SIGNING WITH CNN". Vanity Fair. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
  44. Choi, Matthew (March 8, 2019). "Ex-Sessions spokeswoman will be political analyst, not editor". Politico. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  45. McNamara, Audrey (March 8, 2019). "GOP Operative Sarah Isgur No Longer CNN Politics Editor After Backlash". The Daily Beast. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
  46. Glueck, Katie (September 1, 2017). "Carly Fiorina just scored the lifeline she needed". Politico. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  47. Miller, Katherine (December 1, 2016). "If You Wanted An Epic Media Reckoning Over Trump And The GOP Primary, It Happened". Buzzfeed. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
  48. Lippman, Daniel (November 19, 2019). "Sarah Isgur joins conservative media startup as staff writer". Politico. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  49. "Yes, We Just Saw the Future of Conventions". Politico. August 28, 2020. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  50. Coppins, McKay (January 31, 2020). "The Conservatives Trying to Ditch Fake News". The Atlantic. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  51. Travis, Kari (March 17, 2020). "Legal experts debate constitutionality of Cooper's ban on mass gatherings". Carolina Journal. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  52. Larimore, Rachael (March 27, 2021). "Our Best Stuff From the First Full Week of Spring". The Dispatch. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  53. Goldberg, Jonah (December 8, 2020). "57 Commas". The Dispatch. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  54. Sherman, Jake (March 14, 2018). "Playbook: Why Conor Lamb's narrow lead is an 'ominous sign' for Republicans". Politico. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  55. Durkin, Erin; Gronewold, Anna; Bocanegra, Michelle (July 21, 2020). "Silver sentenced to 6.5 years — Phase 4 underway without indoor reopening timeline — Cuomo went to Georgia — Trump's threats". Politico. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
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