Following the events of July 13, 2024, President Joe Biden directed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to conduct an independent security review of the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas is naming a bipartisan panel with extensive law enforcement and security experience to conduct a 45-day independent review of the planning for and actions taken by the U.S. Secret Service and state and local authorities before, during, and after the rally, and the U.S. Secret Service governing policies and procedures. The independent review panel of experts from outside of government will be comprised of former DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano; Ms. Frances Townsend, former Homeland Security Advisor to President George W. Bush; the Hon. Mark Filip, a former federal judge and Deputy Attorney General to President George W. Bush; and Chief David Mitchell, the former superintendent of Maryland State Police and former Secretary of the Department of Public Safety and Homeland Security for the State of Delaware. Secretary Mayorkas could invite additional experts to join the panel in the coming days.
Mark Filip
Mark Filip is a partner in the Chicago and Washington, D.C. offices of Kirkland & Ellis LLP and serves on the firm’s global executive committee. Prior to joining Kirkland, Mr. Filip worked at the U.S. Department of Justice, where he served as Deputy Attorney General of the United States following his nomination by President George W. Bush, and after being unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate. As Deputy Attorney General, Mr. Filip oversaw all of the DOJ’s criminal and civil enforcement efforts worldwide. He also represented the Justice Department in its interactions with Congress, the White House, other cabinet-level Departments, and numerous foreign governments.
From 2004-2008, Mr. Filip served as a federal judge on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois after being confirmed 96–0 by the U.S. Senate. Early in his career, Mark served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Chicago, where he prosecuted a variety of criminal cases, including political, judicial, and police corruption, and financial and tax fraud. He served as a law clerk to Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia (1993–1994) and Judge Stephen F. Williams of United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (1992–1993).
In 2014, Mr. Filip served on the bi-partisan United States Secret Service Protective Mission Panel to review and recommend reforms to the Secret Service.
Mr. Filip is graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School, where he served as an editor of the Harvard Law Review. He also holds a B.A. in Jurisprudence from the University of Oxford where he was a Marshall Scholar Recipient, and in Economics and history from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is a fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers.
David B. Mitchell, JD
The law enforcement career of David B. Mitchell spans five decades. His career began in 1971 as a Police Officer in Prince George’s County Maryland. He worked his way up the ranks and in 1990 was appointed Chief of Police. For the next five years he led the 38th largest police department in the nation serving a population of over 750,000 people. In 1995, Governor Parris Glendening appointed Dave to his Cabinet as the Superintendent of the Maryland State Police. As Superintendent, he led the seventh largest state police department in the nation for eight years including during the 9-11 attacks in 2001 and the D.C. Sniper case in 2002.
After retiring from the State Police, Delaware Governor Ruth Ann Minner appointed Dave as the Secretary of the Department of Safety and Homeland Security in 2004. For the next six years he led a Department of over 1000 employees to provide for the safety and security of Delaware’s citizens and property using an “All Hazards and All Citizens Approach”.
Today Dave is the Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police for the University of Maryland, College Park Campus, the 26th largest in the United States. He leads a Department of over 200 personnel serving a population of 60,000 students, faculty, and staff at the University’s Flagship Campus.
In 1981, Dave graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s Degree in Technology and Management from the University of Maryland, University College. In 1986 he earned his Master’s Degree in Public Policy Magna Cum Laude from the University of Maryland School of Public Policy. Dave is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy (154th Session) and the FBI National Executive Institute (1991).
In 1996 Dave earned his Juris Doctor Cum Laude degree from the University of Maryland School of Law. He is admitted to the Maryland and District of Columbia Bar Associations. As an attorney he specializes in representing the families of police officers killed in the line of duty, all Pro Bono.
Dave is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Maryland, The Johns Hopkins University, Division of Public Safety Leadership, and the University of Maryland, University College. He has previously taught at the Prince George’s Community College, and the University of Baltimore.
He attended the USSS Protective Operations Briefing training for local police officials taking part in protective operations. Subsequently, Dave worked protection details with the USSS for Presidents Nixon, Ford, Carter, Bush 41, Bush 43, Clinton, Obama, and VP Biden. He also handled operations for Pope John Paul II, World leaders Sadat, Begin, King Juan Carlos of Spain, and Hussein of Jordan. Gorbachev.
Dave’s media appearances include 60 Minutes, CNN’s Crossfire, Nightline, Bill O’Reilly/Fox News, Johnny Cochran, and a host of print, television, and radio interviews.
Janet Napolitano
Janet Napolitano is the Founder of the Center for Security in Politics at UC Berkeley. A distinguished public servant, Napolitano served as the president of the University of California from 2013 to 2020, as the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security from 2009 to 2013, as Governor of Arizona from 2003 to 2009, as Attorney General of Arizona from 1998 to 2003, and as U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona from 1993 to 1997. She earned her B.S. degree (summa cum laude in Political Science) in 1979 from Santa Clara University, where she was a Truman Scholar and the university’s first female valedictorian. She received her law degree in 1983 from the University of Virginia School of Law.
As Secretary of Homeland Security, she led the nation’s efforts to prevent terrorist attacks, secure its borders, respond to natural disasters, and build domestic resiliency. She oversaw critical enhancements to aviation security, including initiatives like the creation of TSA Pre✓® that bolster security while improving the travel experience. Through the expansion of programs like Global Entry and pre-clearance, the Department expanded our borders, helping to identify threats before they depart for the U.S. The Department also significantly enhanced its readiness to meet and combat evolving cyber threats. During her time as Secretary, she spearheaded the creation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative, creating hope and relief for thousands of undocumented young people across the nation. Napolitano was the first woman and to date the longest-serving Secretary of Homeland Security. Under her leadership, the Department transformed its security capabilities, becoming a more efficient, cohesive, and effective organization.
As UC President, she was a steadfast advocate for California students, working to stabilize in-state tuition and to enroll historic numbers of California undergraduates. In 2017, under Napolitano’s leadership, the University of California was the first university in the country to file a lawsuit to stop the federal government’s rescission of the DACA program. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the injunctions received by the University prohibiting the rescission of DACA. Napolitano continued the University’s legacy of leadership on global climate action, putting UC on a path to 100 percent reliance on clean electricity across all campuses and medical centers by 2025. In 2017 Napolitano spearheaded the formation of the University Climate Change Coalition, or UC3, a group of 18 leading North American research universities and systems working to transition to a low-carbon future.
As Governor of Arizona, Napolitano balanced the state budget while also increasing the state’s rainy-day fund. She created a universal all-day kindergarten for Arizona children, established the Science Foundation Arizona, and led the construction of a new medical school in Phoenix. In 2007 she was elected by her peers to serve as Chair to the National Governors Association.
Napolitano is the recipient of nine honorary degrees including the University of Virginia’s highest honor, the Jefferson Medal. In 2015, Napolitano was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and in 2017 elected to the American Philosophical Society. In 2022, Napolitano was named the President of the Truman Scholarship Foundation, succeeding the Hon. Madeleine Albright. Napolitano serves as a board member for RAND Corporation, VIR Biotechnologies, Zoom, the International Rescue Committee, and the Council on Foreign Relations. She also serves on the Council of the American Law Institute. In 2022, President Biden appointed Napolitano to the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board.
Napolitano currently serves as a professor of public policy at the Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley. In March of 2019, Napolitano published How Safe Are We: Homeland Security Since 9/11.
Frances F. Townsend
Frances Fragos Townsend runs her own independent consulting business. She most recently served as the EVP of Corporate Affairs, Chief Compliance Officer and Corporate Secretary at Activision Blizzard. Prior to that, she was Vice Chairman, General Counsel and Chief Administrative Officer at MacAndrews & Forbes, Inc. In her ten years there, she focused internally on financial, legal and personnel issues, as well as international, compliance and business development across MacAndrews’ portfolio companies. Before her tenure at MacAndrews, she was a corporate partner with the law firm of Baker Botts, LLP. From 2004 to 2008, Ms. Townsend served as Assistant to President George W. Bush for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism and chaired the Homeland Security Council. She also served as Deputy National Security Advisor for Combatting Terrorism from May 2003 to May 2004. During her White House tenure, Ms. Townsend was responsible for the drafting and implementation of the Intelligence Reform and Preventing Terrorism Act, as well as, review and enactment of the Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission recommendations. At President Bush’s direction, Ms. Townsend authored the Katrina Lessons Learned review and wrote the first national cybersecurity Presidential Executive Order. She has received numerous awards for her public service accomplishments.
Ms. Townsend is a Director on the Board of three public companies: Chubb, Freeport McMoRan and Leonardo DRS, where she chairs or serves on: compliance, compensation, governance, corporate social responsibility, and executive committees. She previously served on the Boards at Scientific Games, SciPlay, SIGA and Western Union. Ms. Townsend also serves on multiple private company Boards where she is Chairwoman of one and chairs all the compensation committees. Ms. Townsend advises various corporate Boards on regulatory and cyber issues that enable them to operate more securely. She also serves and has served on several government advisory and nonprofit boards. Ms. Townsend previously served on the CIA External Advisory Board, the DNI’s Senior Advisory Group, and the U.S. President’s Intelligence Advisory Board. Ms. Townsend is a trustee on the Board of the Atlantic Council, CSIS, the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum and the McCain Institute. She also serves on the Board at the Council on Foreign Relations, the International Republican Institute and on the Executive Committee of the Trilateral Commission. She is a member of the Aspen Strategy Group.
Ms. Townsend was an on air senior national security analyst for CBS News for five years and, before that, she was at CNN for seven years. She regularly appears on network and cable television as a foreign policy, counterterrorism, national and homeland security expert.
Ms. Townsend came to the White House from the U. S. Coast Guard, where she served as the first Assistant Commandant for Intelligence.
Prior to that, Ms. Townsend spent 13 years at the U. S. Department of Justice under the administrations of President H.W. Bush, President Bill Clinton, and President George W. Bush. She served in a variety of senior positions including Counsel to the Attorney General for Intelligence Policy. Ms. Townsend began her prosecutorial career in 1985, serving as an Assistant District Attorney in Brooklyn, New York.
In 1988, she joined the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York where she focused on international organized crime and white-collar crime cases. In 1991, she worked in the Office of the Attorney General to assist in establishing the newly created Office of International Programs, the predecessor to the Executive Office for National Security. In December 1993, she joined the Criminal Division where she served as Chief of Staff to the Assistant Attorney General and played a critical part in establishing the Division's international training and rule of law programs.
From November of 1995 to November of 1997, Ms. Townsend was Director of the Office of International Affairs in the Criminal Division, which serves as the U. S. Central Authority for extradition and mutual legal assistance, and works with the Department of State in the negotiation of international law enforcement treaties. In November of 1997, Ms. Townsend was appointed as Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Division, where she oversaw international law enforcement and training matters in the Criminal Division, and acted as an advisor to the Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General on international law enforcement policy.
In March of 1998, Ms. Townsend was appointed Counsel for Intelligence Policy, managing matters related to national security policy and operations for the Department of Justice. In this capacity she headed the office of Intelligence Policy and Review, an office that provides legal advice and recommendations to the Attorney General and the Department of Justice regarding national security matters, reviews executive orders, directives and procedures relating to the intelligence community, and approves certain intelligence-gathering activities, especially those matters related to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
After three years of study, Ms. Townsend graduated cum laude from the American University in 1982 where she received a B.A. in Political Science and a B.S. in Psychology. After accelerated study, Ms. Townsend completed her J.D. from the University of San Diego School of Law in December of 1984. In 1986, she attended the Institute on International and Comparative Law in London, England. In 2001, she attended the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University where she completed the Senior Managers in Government course. Ms. Townsend has taught trial advocacy at Harvard Law School and Pace University Law School.
She lives in the New York City area.