Elan Carr

Elan Sherod Carr (born November 25, 1968) is an American attorney, appointed on February 5, 2019 by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to serve as the Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating anti-Semitism.[1][2][3][4]

Elan Carr
United States Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating anti-Semitism
In office
February 5, 2019  January 20, 2021
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byIra Forman (2017)
Succeeded byvacant
Personal details
Born
Elan Sherod Carr

(1968-11-25) November 25, 1968
Manhattan, New York, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Dahlia Carr
Children3
ResidenceLos Angeles, California, U.S.
Alma materUC Berkeley (B.A.)
Northwestern University (J.D.)
OccupationAttorney, diplomat
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army
Years of service1997-
Rank Major
Unit Judge Advocate General's Corps

Before that appointment, Carr was a deputy district attorney in the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office.[2][5] His work focused on prosecution of crimes committed by street gang members, and later, of crimes against special victims, including domestic violence, child molestation, and sexual assault, such as those allegedly committed by the bicoastal "Tinder serial killer" Danuel Drayton.[5][6][7][8][9]

Carr is also a JAG Corps officer in the U.S. Army Reserve and an Iraq War veteran.

Political candidacies

In 2014, Carr ran as a Republican to succeed retiring Congressman Henry Waxman, representing California's 33rd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives.[10] In the heavily Democratic district, his message centered on bipartisan solutions to the country's problems and he spoke about the support he was receiving from Democrats.[10]

In the June nonpartisan blanket primary, he placed first, receiving approximately 21% of the votes cast, defeating all Democratic candidates, who split the Democratic vote in the district.[11]

In the November general election, Carr faced Democratic state senator Ted Lieu.[12] Lieu defeated Carr, securing 59.2% of the vote to Carr's 40.8%.[13]

In 2016, Carr was a candidate to represent the 5th Supervisorial District on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.[14] Republican donor Sheldon Adelson contributed $100,000 to an independent expenditure political action committee in support of Carr's candidacy.[14] Carr failed to advance in the June primary.[15]

Personal

Carr speaking in 2019

Carr is of mixed Iraqi Jewish and Ashkenazi Jewish heritage.[16] His grandfather, a descendant of Baghdad religious leader Abdallah Somekh, was prosecuted during Iraqi show trials against Jewish community leaders during the time of the founding of the state of Israel.[16]

During Carr's Iraq War service, he led U.S soldiers in lighting a Hanukkah menorah in Saddam Hussein's presidential palace.[17][16]

Carr's mother and stepfather are immigrants to the United States. His mother fled from Iraq to Israel, while his stepfather fled from Nazi-occupied Bulgaria to pre-independence Israel. Both later immigrated to the United States.[8] His biological father is second generation Irish and Italian descent.

Carr earned his bachelor's degree in philosophy and political science at the University of California, Berkeley and his J.D. degree at Northwestern University.[9][16] He previously served as international president of the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity.[17][16]

He and his wife Dahlia, a physician, met when they were introduced by a mutual friend hosting a Jewish singles event.[10]

Diplomatic posts
Vacant
Title last held by
Ira Forman
United States Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating anti-Semitism
2019–
Most recent

References

  1. 118 Stat. 1282, 1284. "The head of the Office shall be the Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating anti-Semitism (in this section referred to as the ‘Special Envoy’)."
  2. Pompeo, Michael R. (February 5, 2019). "On the Appointment of Elan S. Carr as Special Envoy To Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism" (Remarks by the Secretary of State). Washington, DC: United States Department of State. Retrieved February 5, 2019.
  3. Kampeas, Ron (February 4, 2019). "Trump names prosecutor, former AEPi leader, Iraq war vet to be anti-Semitism monitor". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  4. "Trump to appoint Elan Carr Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism". JewishInsider. February 4, 2019. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  5. "Alpha Epsilon Pi Leader Named US Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism: Past International President Elan S. Carr to Lead United States' Government's Efforts Against Global Anti-Semitism" (Press release). Indianapolis, IN: Alpha Epsilon Pi. February 5, 2019. Retrieved February 5, 2019. A lifelong advocate for Jewish causes, Carr was previously a Deputy District Attorney for Los Angeles County (CA) where he prosecuted violent felony crimes for more than a decade. He has prosecuted murders, armed robberies, hate crimes, and some of Southern California’s most notorious criminal street gangs. Most recently as a special victim prosecutor, he focused on sexual assault, domestic violence, and child molestation cases.
  6. "Suspected serial killer Danueal Drayton found competent to stand trial in Los Angeles". New York Daily News. November 2, 2018. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  7. McDonell-Parry, Amelia (July 30, 2018). "Is Alleged 'Tinder Serial Killer' Responsible For as Many Murders as He Claims?". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  8. "Carr announces candidacy for 33rd Congressional District" (PDF). Beverly Hills Weekly (750). February 13, 2014. pp. 3–4. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  9. Daily, Krista (May 26, 2016). "Meet the Fifth District supervisor candidates for primary election". The Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
  10. Yeang, Nancy (July 10, 2014). "Who is Elan Carr? Straight talk with the Congressional candidate in a Weekly exclusive" (PDF). Beverly Hills Weekly (771). pp. 6–7. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  11. Daunt, Tina (June 4, 2014). "Republican Elan Carr Leads Wendy Greuel, Ted Lieu in Race for Henry Waxman's 33rd District Seat". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  12. Sumers, Brian. "Republican Elan Carr, Democrat Ted Lieu set for November general election battle". The Daily Breeze. Retrieved 2014-06-22.
  13. Sichel, Jared (March 12, 2015). "Former congressional candidate Elan Carr to run for county supervisor". The Jewish Journal. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  14. Sewell, Abby (June 6, 2016). "Casino mogul Sheldon Adelson gives $100,000 to support L.A. County supervisor candidate". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  15. Sewell, Abby; Zahniser, David; Walton, Alice (June 8, 2016). "Janice Hahn and Kathryn Barger face runoffs in L.A. County supervisor races". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  16. Frydberg, Tracy (January 6, 2013). "Iraqi past trails former frat boy to Israel, LA and Saddam's former palace: Now a prosecutor and the head of the world's largest Jewish fraternity, Elan Carr has drawn on his painful family history in each phase of life". The Times of Israel. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  17. Leibovich, Mark (April 24, 2014). "The Real House Candidates of Beverly Hills". The New York Times. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
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