Daniel Goldman: Biography
Daniel Goldman is an American Democratic politician and attorney who has represented New York's 10th Congressional District, covering Lower Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn, since 2023.
A former federal prosecutor and the lead counsel in the first impeachment of President Donald Trump, he won a crowded 2022 primary and was re-elected in 2024 before losing re-nomination in the June 2026 Democratic primary to former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander. This biography covers his origins, education, career, and rise, with citations to primary or strong secondary sources.
Early life and family
Daniel Sachs Goldman was born on February 26, 1976, in Washington, D.C., and was raised there 1,2.
Daniel Sachs Goldman was born on February 26, 1976, in Washington, D.C., and was raised there 1,2. He comes from a prominent family: His grandfather was an heir to the Levi Strauss fortune, and the family has a long tradition of philanthropy 1. Goldman is Jewish, and his Jewish identity has been a notable element of his public life and his congressional work on antisemitism 3. His privileged background and personal wealth became recurring themes in his campaigns, detailed in the controversies section of this series.
Education
Goldman earned a bachelor's degree from Yale University and a Juris Doctor from Stanford Law School in 2005 1,4.
Goldman earned a bachelor's degree from Yale University and a Juris Doctor from Stanford Law School in 2005 1,4. At Stanford, he was a research assistant for the legal scholar Michelle Alexander, contributing to her seminal book on criminal-justice reform 5. His education preceded a distinguished prosecutorial career.
Federal prosecutor
Goldman spent a decade as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York under U.S.
Goldman spent a decade as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York under U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, focusing on organized crime and white-collar prosecutions 5,6. He served as Deputy Chief of the Organized Crime Unit from 2012 to 2014 and as Senior Trial Counsel in the Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force from 2014 to 2017, prosecuting high-profile cases involving racketeering, murder, securities fraud, and other offenses 5. This prosecutorial background formed the foundation of his professional reputation.
Legal commentator
After leaving the SDNY, Goldman worked as a paid legal analyst for NBC News and MSNBC and as a fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice, building a public profile on legal and constitutional issues 4,5.
After leaving the SDNY, Goldman worked as a paid legal analyst for NBC News and MSNBC and as a fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice, building a public profile on legal and constitutional issues 4,5. This media presence preceded his impeachment role.
Lead impeachment counsel
Goldman's highest-profile role before Congress was as lead counsel for the first impeachment inquiry of President Trump.
Goldman's highest-profile role before Congress was as lead counsel for the first impeachment inquiry of President Trump. Hired as Senior Advisor and Director of Investigations for the House Intelligence Committee in 2019, he directed the investigation's strategy, led the questioning of witnesses during public hearings, oversaw the drafting of the committee's 300-page report, and served as lead counsel for the House Managers during the Senate trial 5,1. The role made him a nationally recognized figure.
Personal life
Goldman lives in Tribeca, Manhattan, with his wife, Corinne, a lawyer, and their five children 4,7.
Goldman lives in Tribeca, Manhattan, with his wife, Corinne, a lawyer, and their five children 4,7. He is Jewish and has been a leader on antisemitism issues in Congress, co-introducing bipartisan legislation to strengthen federal efforts against antisemitism 8. His personal wealth, derived in part from his family's Levi Strauss connections, has been a topic of public scrutiny, detailed in the controversies section of this series. Net worth figures were not reliably pinned to a single number in the research underlying this piece.
Election to Congress
In 2022, Goldman entered the Democratic primary for New York's 10th Congressional District, a newly drawn Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn seat, in a crowded 13-candidate field 1.
In 2022, Goldman entered the Democratic primary for New York's 10th Congressional District, a newly drawn Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn seat, in a crowded 13-candidate field 1. He won with a 25.4-percent plurality, edging out progressive candidates including Assemblywoman Yuh-Line Niou and Council Member Carlina Rivera, and won the general election comfortably 1. He was re-elected in 2024 9. His campaigns are detailed in the campaigns section of this series.
In Congress
In Congress, Goldman serves on the Homeland Security and Oversight committees and has focused on democracy, accountability, antisemitism legislation, and consumer protections 8,10.
In Congress, Goldman serves on the Homeland Security and Oversight committees and has focused on democracy, accountability, antisemitism legislation, and consumer protections 8,10. He has continued to position himself as a defender of democratic institutions and a Trump critic. His record is detailed in the legislative and policy sections of this series.
The 2026 primary loss
On June 23, 2026, Goldman lost the Democratic primary for his seat to former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who ran a left-wing challenge with the backing of Mayor Zohran Mamdani 1,11.
On June 23, 2026, Goldman lost the Democratic primary for his seat to former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who ran a left-wing challenge with the backing of Mayor Zohran Mamdani 1,11. The loss ended his congressional career after two terms. The race is detailed in the campaigns section of this series.
Place in American politics
Daniel Goldman's biography is that of a privileged Washingtonian who became a nationally known federal prosecutor and Trump impeachment counsel before winning a crowded congressional primary and serving two terms in the House.
Daniel Goldman's biography is that of a privileged Washingtonian who became a nationally known federal prosecutor and Trump impeachment counsel before winning a crowded congressional primary and serving two terms in the House. His combination of elite legal credentials, personal wealth, impeachment fame, and a contested relationship with the progressive wing of his party defines a distinctive, if brief, congressional career, as explored across the other sections of this series.