Richard William Painter, born October 3, 1961, is a multifaceted American professional, encompassing the roles of lawyer, professor, and political candidate.
Between 2005 and 2007, Painter held the esteemed position of chief White House ethics lawyer within the administration of President George W. Bush.
Currently, he serves as the S. Walter Richey Professor of Corporate Law at the University of Minnesota, a prestigious academic institution.
Additionally, since 2016, Painter has taken on the role of vice-chair for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW),a prominent government watchdog group.
Throughout his career, Painter has been affiliated with the Republican Party, describing himself as a centrist.
In 2022, he announced his candidacy for the Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party endorsement in the Minnesota 1st congressional district special election, aimed at filling a vacancy left by the passing of Rep. Jim Hagedorn.
Although he finished in a distant third in the primary, Painter lost the nomination to businessman Jeffrey Ettinger, who ultimately lost the special election.
Prior to this, Painter had run for the 2018 Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party nomination for U.S. Senate, ultimately losing to Senator Tina Smith in a primary.
Painter has been involved with the Campaign Legal Center, a group known for its criticism of the Trump administration.
In 2017, he played a significant role in the CREW lawsuit against Trump, titled CREW v. Trump.
In March 2020, his book co-authored with Peter Golenbock, American Nero: The History of the Destruction of the Rule of Law, and Why Trump Is the Worst Offender, was published.
