Daniel Sachs Goldman is a prominent American politician and lawyer who is currently serving as the member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York’s 10th congressional district. He is also known for his role as the lead majority counsel in the first impeachment inquiry against former President Donald Trump and the lead counsel to House Managers in Trump’s subsequent impeachment trial. But is he related to the famous investment bank Goldman Sachs? The answer is not as straightforward as it may seem.
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The Goldman-Sachs Family Tree
The Goldman-Sachs family is a wealthy and influential family of Ashkenazi Jewish descent that traces its roots to Germany. The founder of the family business, Marcus Goldman, was born in 1821 in Würzburg, Bavaria. He immigrated to the United States in 1848 and started a small banking firm in 1869. He later invited his son-in-law, Samuel Sachs, to join him in 1882 and changed the firm’s name to M. Goldman and Sachs. Samuel Sachs was also a German immigrant from Lower Franconia, Bavaria, and a lifelong friend of Marcus Goldman. They were both members of the same synagogue in Würzburg.
The Goldman-Sachs family expanded its business and influence over the years, becoming one of the leading investment banks in the world. For almost fifty years, all the partners of the firm came from the extended family. Some of the notable members of the family include:
– Henry Goldman (1857-1937), banker and financier, who helped establish the modern system of initial public offerings and corporate finance.
– Paul J. Sachs (1878-1965), art historian and museum director, who was a major patron of modern art and a professor at Harvard University.
– Walter E. Sachs (1880-1980), banker and philanthropist, who was a partner at Goldman Sachs from 1928 to 1959 and a trustee of several cultural and educational institutions.
– Arthur Sachs (1880-1975), banker and art collector, who owned a famous mansion in Paris that hosted many celebrities and artists.
– Ernest Sachs (1879-1958), physician and neurosurgeon, who was one of the pioneers of brain surgery and a professor at Washington University School of Medicine.
– Hetty Goldman (1881-1972), archaeologist and academic, who was one of the first female professors at Princeton University and a pioneer of excavations in Turkey and Greece.
Daniel Sachs Goldman’s Connection to the Family
Daniel Sachs Goldman was born in 1976 in Washington, D.C., to Susan (née Sachs) and Richard W. Goldman. His father was a federal prosecutor who died when Daniel was a child. His paternal grandparents were Rhoda Haas Goldman and Richard Goldman, who were both prominent philanthropists and environmentalists in San Francisco. His great-grandfather was Walter A. Haas, president of Levi Strauss & Co., and his great-great-grandfather was Abraham Haas, the founder of the Smart & Final chain of food stores.
Daniel Sachs Goldman is an heir to the Levi Strauss & Co. fortune, which is estimated to be worth billions of dollars. He is also related to the Goldman-Sachs family through his maternal grandmother, Ella Sachs Plotz, who was a cousin of Samuel Sachs. However, he is not a direct descendant of Marcus Goldman or Samuel Sachs, nor does he have any involvement with the Goldman Sachs firm.
Daniel Sachs Goldman attended Sidwell Friends School in Washington, where his mother previously served as chair of the board. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Yale University in 1998 and a Juris Doctor degree with distinction from Stanford Law School in 2005. He worked as a clerk for two federal judges before becoming an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York under Preet Bharara from 2007 to 2017. He prosecuted various cases involving organized crime, white-collar crime, and securities fraud.
In 2019, Daniel Sachs Goldman was hired by Adam Schiff, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, as the director of investigations and lead majority counsel for the impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump. He questioned several witnesses during the public hearings and presented evidence to support the charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress against Trump. He also served as lead counsel to House Managers during Trump’s impeachment trial in 2020.
In 2023, Daniel Sachs Goldman ran for Congress as a Democrat in New York’s 10th congressional district, which covers parts of Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn. He won the election with 68% of the vote, succeeding Jerry Nadler, who retired after redistricting. He is currently serving his first term as a representative.
Conclusion
Daniel Sachs Goldman is a distant relative of the Goldman-Sachs family through his maternal grandmother, but he is not a direct descendant of the founders of the Goldman Sachs firm. He is also an heir to the Levi Strauss & Co. fortune through his paternal grandfather. He is a successful lawyer and politician who played a key role in the impeachment of Donald Trump and is now a member of Congress.
According to Wikipedia, Daniel Sachs Goldman is among the wealthiest members of Congress, with an estimated personal net worth of up to $253 million according to financial disclosure forms. He is married to Corinne Levy and has five children. He is a member of the Democratic Party and a supporter of progressive causes such as health care reform, gun control, climate action, and criminal justice reform.
