A new biography titled "American Scoundrel: Roy Cohn’s Dark Journey from Joe McCarthy to Donald Trump," authored by Kai Bird with Susan Goldmark, offers a detailed examination of the late lawyer Roy Cohn. The book, published by Scribner, is the first in-depth look at Cohn’s life since the beginning of the Trump era. It explores Cohn’s role as a fixer for two of the most polarizing figures in modern American politics: Senator Joseph McCarthy and President Donald Trump.
The biography highlights Cohn’s death in 1986 and his subsequent financial legacy, noting that he left behind $7 million in unpaid taxes. The Internal Revenue Service collected this debt from Cohn’s estate after negotiations with his executors. The book also details Cohn’s early life, his rise through New York’s legal and social circles, and his strategic approach to litigation, which often involved aggressive counter-suits rather than settlement.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive critics and historians cited in the review view Cohn’s career as a case study in the weaponization of legal and political power. The book’s interpretation of the McCarthy era is described by some reviewers as conventional, framing Cohn’s role in the Red Scare as opportunistic and paranoid. Critics argue that Cohn’s influence on Donald Trump established a template for political behavior that prioritizes attack over policy, a dynamic that continues to shape Democratic opposition to the current administration.
The review notes that the book contains "eye-roll-inducing jabs" at the incumbent commander in chief, suggesting that Bird’s narrative is partially motivated by a desire to indict Trump through his association with Cohn. For these observers, Cohn’s legacy is defined by his involvement in the Rosenberg espionage convictions, with Cohn himself stating he "would have pulled the lever myself" regarding their executions. This perspective emphasizes the moral and legal controversies surrounding Cohn’s methods as detrimental to democratic norms.
What the Right Is Saying
Conservative commentators and supporters of Donald Trump often view Cohn as a brilliant and effective strategist who was unfairly vilified by the liberal establishment. The review notes that while the book attempts to be a critical biography, it acknowledges Cohn’s charm, wit, and utility. Supporters argue that Cohn’s aggressive litigation tactics, such as the countersuit against the Justice Department in 1973, were necessary defenses against a biased legal system. They see Cohn not as a villain, but as a loyal advocate who helped clients navigate complex and often hostile political landscapes.
The biography’s depiction of Cohn’s relationship with Trump is viewed by some right-leaning readers as an attempt to tarnish Trump’s reputation by association. However, the review observes that Trump valued Cohn because he was "brilliant, extremely useful, and very charming." From this perspective, Cohn’s ability to cultivate relationships with media figures like Rupert Murdoch and William F. Buckley, as well as business leaders like George Steinbrenner, demonstrates a savvy understanding of power networks that remains relevant in conservative political strategy.
What the Numbers Show
Roy Cohn died in 1986, leaving an estate with $7 million in unpaid taxes. The biography spans 528 pages and is priced at $32. It covers Cohn’s birth in 1927 and his entry into the legal field at age 21 as an assistant United States attorney. A key data point in the book is the 1973 civil rights suit against the Trump Organization, where Cohn and Trump countersued the Justice Department for $100 million in damages for defamation. The suit was ultimately lost, and the parties settled, but the $100 million figure illustrates the scale of Cohn’s aggressive legal strategy.
The review notes that Cohn had no children and left few physical traces of his life, such as private papers or correspondence. His social network included figures like S.I. Newhouse and Generoso Pope Jr., with Pope’s influence described as "critical" to Cohn’s development. In 1952, when Pope needed funds to buy the National Enquirer, half came from mob associate Frank Costello and the other half from Cohn. This financial data underscores the intersection of organized crime, media, and law in Cohn’s early career.
The Bottom Line
The publication of "American Scoundrel" provides a renewed focus on Roy Cohn’s influence on American political history, particularly regarding the continuity between the McCarthy era and the Trump presidency. The book serves as a primary source for understanding how personal networks and aggressive legal tactics were used to navigate political and judicial challenges in the 20th century. Readers are encouraged to examine the biographical details provided by Bird and Goldmark to assess Cohn’s role independently of contemporary political biases.
Future discussions on Cohn’s legacy may hinge on how historians weigh his professional effectiveness against his personal and ethical controversies. The book’s reception will likely reflect broader societal debates about the nature of political loyalty, the use of law as a political tool, and the historical impact of the McCarthy era on modern governance. No new policy changes are anticipated from the book’s release, but it may influence academic and public discourse on political strategy and accountability.