{{short description|American lawyer and diplomat (born 1956)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2012}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Howard Gutman | image = Howard W. Gutman.jpg | image_size = | caption = Gutman in 2009 | ambassador_from = United States | country = Belgium | order = 33rd | term_start = August 14, 2009 | term_end = July 23, 2013 | predecessor = [[Sam Fox]] | successor = [[Denise Bauer]] | president = [[Barack Obama]] | party = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] | birth_name = Howard William Gutman | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1956|7|8}}<ref name="AllGov.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.allgov.com/ViewNews/Ambassador_to_Belgium__Who_is_Howard_Gutman_908031956|title=Ambassador to Belgium: Who is Howard Gutman?|last=Brinkerhoff|first=Noel|publisher=AllGov.com|access-date=2009-10-12}}</ref> | birth_place = [[New York City]], U.S. | occupation = {{Hlist|[[Ambassador]]|[[actor]]|[[attorney at law (United States)|attorney]]}} | education = {{ubl|[[Columbia University]]|[[Harvard Law School]]}} | spouse = Michelle Phyllis Loewinger }}
'''Howard William Gutman''' (born July 8, 1956) is a [[attorney at law (United States)|lawyer]], actor and former [[United States Ambassador to Belgium]] under [[Barack Obama]] from 2009 to 2013.<ref name="usds" /><ref name="NYT"/>
==Early life and education== Gutman is the son of Polish immigrant and Holocaust survivor Max Gutman, who worked in New York's garment district. He attended public elementary schools and then the [[Bronx High School of Science]] in New York. Gutman is a ''[[summa cum laude]]'' graduate of [[Columbia University]] (1977) and a ''[[magna cum laude]]'' graduate of [[Harvard Law School]] (1980).
==Career==
===Lawyer=== Gutman clerked for Judge [[Irving Loeb Goldberg]] on the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit]] (1980–1981). After that, he joined the law firm of [[Cravath, Swaine & Moore]]. He left the firm to clerk for Justice [[Potter Stewart]] on the United States Supreme Court.
After clerking, in 1982, Gutman joined the Washington, D.C., law firm of [[Williams & Connolly LLP]]. He left the firm in 1985 to become Special Assistant to F.B.I. Director [[William H. Webster]], focusing on counter-intelligence and counter-terrorism.<ref name="NYT">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/10/04/style/dr-loewinger-is-bride-of-howard-w-gutman.html|title=Dr. Loewinger Is Bride Of Howard W. Gutman|date=October 4, 1981|work=New York Times|access-date=2009-10-12}}</ref> Gutman rejoined [[Williams & Connolly]] in 1986, and in 1988, Gutman became a partner at the firm, where he focused on commercial litigation, including securities, contracts, antitrust, labor, banking, real estate, intellectual property, insurance coverage, international law, and partnership disputes.
Gutman represented a wide variety of clients during his 25-year career, including acting Secretary of State [[Lawrence Eagleburger]] and many states' attorneys general in suits against Microsoft Corporation. Gutman also once represented [[Susan Rosenberg]], a former member of the [[Weather Underground]] accused, but never indicted or convicted, in the 1981 Brinks robbery in post-conviction, constitutional litigation. Gutman also provided representation to [[Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada]], a former Bolivian president, and [[José Carlos Sánchez Berzain]], a defense minister, who were sued in American courts by Bolivians following an attempted coup in Bolivia. The United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit recently dismissed the case against Sánchez de Lozada and Sánchez Berzain.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://interamericansecuritywatch.com/eleventh-circuit-dismisses-ats-suit-against-senior-bolivian-officials/|title=Eleventh Circuit Dismisses ATS Suit Against Senior Bolivian Officials|date=September 2, 2011|publisher=InterAmerican Security Watch|access-date=2011-10-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120328033747/http://interamericansecuritywatch.com/eleventh-circuit-dismisses-ats-suit-against-senior-bolivian-officials/|archive-date=March 28, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>
===Politics===
Gutman has long been active in Democratic politics, working on policy issues, speech writing, constituency work, legal representation, and media. He also has helped raise money for Democratic presidential, gubernatorial, and congressional candidates, including [[Al Gore]]'s presidential campaign in 2000. Gutman served on the legal team representing Gore in the Supreme Court case Bush v. Gore.
According to [[OpenSecrets.org]], in 2008, Gutman was part of the Obama National Finance Committee and later a trustee on the Presidential Inauguration Committee. Gutman and his wife, Michelle Loewinger, have contributed at least $86,150 to Democratic candidates, parties and committees since 1989. Gutman contributed the legal maximum of $2300 to [[Bill Clinton]]'s presidential bid. Both he and his wife contributed the legal maximum of $4600 a piece to Obama's presidential run. Gutman [[Bundler (campaigning)#Bundling|bundled]] at least half a million for Obama's campaign committee and another $275,000 for his inauguration.<ref>{{cite news |title=Obama's New Ambassador Nominees Gave Big -- and Bundled Bigger |author=Michael Beckel |newspaper=Open Secrets |date=June 18, 2009 }}</ref>
===Ambassadorship to Belgium===
Gutman has been dubbed by one Belgian newspaper as "the most popular ambassador ever in Belgium"<ref>{{cite news |title=Belgium is a Strong Brand |author=Hans Vandeweghe |author-link=:nl:Hans Vandeweghe|newspaper=[[Het Nieuwsblad]] |date=December 23, 2010}}</ref> and is the second longest serving U.S. Ambassador to Belgium in the last 35 years.<ref name="thepolitic.org">{{cite news|title=Lessons from Belgium's Favorite American Ambassador|url=http://thepolitic.org/an-online-exclusive-lessons-from-belgiums-favorite-american-ambassador/|access-date=13 December 2012|newspaper=[[The Politic]]}}</ref> The [[Flanders|Flemish]] municipality of [[Buggenhout]] erected a monument marking the ambassador's visit to the municipality. U.S. Senator [[Patrick Leahy]] (D-Vt) placed Gutman's poem, given on [[Memorial Day]] at [[Flanders Field American Cemetery and Memorial|Flanders Field]], into the [[Congressional Record]].<ref>{{cite news |title=NEVER TO FORGET | newspaper= Congressional Record |publisher=United States Congress |url=https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record/2011/06/07/senate-section/article/S3537-1? |page=S3537|date=June 7, 2011}}</ref> Among his 100+ television appearances in Belgium,<ref name="thepolitic.org"/> Gutman was chosen to present the final award at the [[Belgian Music Industry Awards]]. On September 7, 2011, ''[[Le Soir]]'', a leading Belgian newspaper, ran a major profile entitled: "The Ambassador Who Makes Us Love America Again."<ref>''Le Soir Magazine'', September 7, 2011</ref> Noting the change in [[Belgian-American relations]], one Belgian newspaper stated that "there is no doubt that [Ambassador Gutman] would be elected if he were to run at a [Belgian] election."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.lalibre.be/archives/divers/article/782237/howard-gutman.html|title=Howard Gutman|access-date=16 December 2012|newspaper=[[La Libre]]}}</ref>
He also had the goal of visiting each of the 589 [[municipalities in Belgium]]. His intention was not only to visit managers and politicians, but also ordinary citizens and employees. On May 5, 2013, he completed his tour when he visited the last municipality on his list, [[Voeren]]. Gutman left his post as ambassador on July 23, 2013.<ref>{{cite news|title=Gutman beëindigt Belgische tournee|url=http://www.standaard.be/cnt/DMF20130505_00567757|language=nl|access-date=6 May 2013|newspaper=[[De Standaard]]}}</ref>
=== Antisemitism speech === Speaking at a legal conference on [[antisemitism]] organized by the [[European Jewish Union]] on November 30, 2011, Gutman talked about historic antisemitism, as well as a trend he described as "a tension and perhaps hatred largely born of and reflecting the tension ... in the Middle East over the continuing Israeli-Palestinian problem". He added that "an Israeli-Palestinian peace treaty will significantly diminish Muslim anti-Semitism."<ref>{{cite news |title=Jew-hate stems from conflict |author=Menachem Gantz |url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4156355,00.html |newspaper=YnetNews |date=December 3, 2011 |access-date=December 3, 2011}}</ref> The comments were then misquoted in what ''[[Salon (website)|Salon]]'', ''[[The Economist]]'' and ''[[Mother Jones (magazine)|Mother Jones]]'' then demonstrated was a "woefully inaccurate account of his remarks."<ref name="An Ambassador Smeared">{{cite web|last1=Elliot|first1=Justin|title=An Ambassador Smeared|url=http://www.salon.com/2011/12/06/an_ambassador_smeared/|website=Salon.com|date=December 6, 2011|access-date=26 January 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Serwer|first1=Adam|title=Republicans Go After...Obama's Ambassador to Belgium?|url=https://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2011/12/republicans-target-ambassador-belgium-howard-gutman|website=MotherJones.com|access-date=26 January 2015}}</ref><ref name="Prejudice and Politics">{{cite news|title=Prejudice and Politics|url=https://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2011/12/anti-semitism|website=Economist.com|access-date=26 January 2015|date=December 6, 2011}}</ref> Reliance on the misquotes led to high-profile criticism from a number of rival politicians, including Republican presidential candidates [[Newt Gingrich]], [[Mitt Romney]] and [[Rick Perry]]<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/quote-on-anti-semitism-misattributed-to-u-s-ambassador-doesnt-ease-criticism |title=Quote on Anti-Semitism Misattributed to U.S. Ambassador Doesn't Ease Criticism |website=[[Fox News]]|publisher=[[News Corporation (1980–2013)|News Corp.]]|location=New York City|date= December 6, 2011}}</ref> as well as [[Abraham Foxman]] of the [[Anti-Defamation League]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Danna|last=Harman|url=https://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/jewish-groups-demand-obama-action-over-belgium-envoy-s-anti-semitism-remarks-1.399460|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111205013729/http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/jewish-groups-demand-obama-action-over-belgium-envoy-s-anti-semitism-remarks-1.399460|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 5, 2011|title=Jewish groups demand Obama action over Belgium envoy's anti-Semitism remarks|newspaper=[[Haaretz]]|publisher=[[Schocken Family]]|location=Tel Aviv, Israel|date=December 4, 2011|access-date=October 15, 2018}}</ref> Gutman issued a statement saying, "I deeply regret if my comments were taken the wrong way", highlighting his history of condemning and combating anti-semitism, and making reference to his background as the son of a Holocaust survivor.<ref>{{cite web|last=U.S. Embassy Brussels|title=Press Release|url=http://belgium.usembassy.gov/pr-120311.html|work=Statement by Ambassador Howard Gutman|access-date=December 4, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120108235612/http://belgium.usembassy.gov/pr-120311.html|archive-date=January 8, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> The subsequent press demonstrated both that Ambassador Gutman had been misquoted and the accuracy of his speech.<ref name="An Ambassador Smeared"/><ref name="Prejudice and Politics"/><ref>{{cite web|last1=Server|first1=Adam|title=Republicas Go After...Obama's Ambassador to Belgium?|url=https://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2011/12/republicans-target-ambassador-belgium-howard-gutman|website=Motherjones.com|access-date=26 January 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Berenbaum|first1=Dr. Michael|title=Was Howard Gutman Right?: Israel and Antisemitism, What Do We Know|url=http://www.jewishjournal.com/a_jew/item/was_howard_gutman_right_israel_and_antisemitism_what_do_we_know_39111206/|website=Jewishjournal.com|access-date=26 January 2015}}</ref> Lubavitch Chabad leader Rabbi Levi Shemtov also came to the defense of Ambassador Gutman, citing his service to the Jewish community and noting that calling Ambassador Gutman an "anti-Semite" was like calling Rabbi Shemtov an "astronaut." At the end of his ambassadorship, Ambassador Gutman won the European Jewish Union Building's Prize for Friendship and Service to the Jewish Community. Currently, Howard Gutman is on the Regional Board of the American Jewish Committee Washington D.C.<ref>{{cite web|title=AJC Washington Regional Office Roster 2015 - 2016|url=http://www.ajcwashington.org/site/c.gpLLJOOtHmE/b.9297647/k.822B/2015__2016_Washington_Regional_Office_Roster/apps/s/link.asp|website=American Jewish Committee Washington D.C.|access-date=27 July 2015}}</ref>
=== Allegations of sexual misconduct === An alleged State Department [[whistleblower]] alleged that an Inspector General's report accused Gutman of soliciting prostitutes and minors for sex while serving as ambassador, but that Undersecretary of State [[Patrick F. Kennedy]] ordered it removed from the report.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/hillary_sorry_state_of_affairs_YVapkHqM3mz6CVjehZOh7K |title=Hillary's sorry state of affairs; Probes into her department's sex scandals were quashed, memo says |publisher=NYPost.com |date= June 11, 2013 |first=S.A. |last=Miller}}</ref> Gutman denied the accusations as "baseless" and the State Department adamantly denied that any allegations of questionable or illegal behavior by diplomats have been covered up, and that any proven wrongdoing would be punished administratively or prosecuted criminally.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/u-s-ambassador-accused-meeting-hookers-public-park-outed-howard-gutman-report-article-1.1369202 |title=U.S. ambassador Howard Gutman slams park prostitution allegations |publisher=nydailynews.com|date= June 11, 2013 |location=New York}}</ref> On June 11, 2013, White House Press Secretary [[Jay Carney]] confirmed that the allegations were under active investigation by an independent inspector general.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2013/06/11/press-briefing-press-secretary-jay-carney-6112013|work=[[whitehouse.gov]]|title=Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney, 6/11/2013|via=[[NARA|National Archives]]|date=June 11, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/new-us-amb-belgium-announced-after-accusations-soliciting-underage-prostitutes_736922.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130624043304/http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/new-us-amb-belgium-announced-after-accusations-soliciting-underage-prostitutes_736922.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 24, 2013|title=New U.S. Amb. to Belgium Announced After Accusations of Soliciting Underage Prostitutes|date=June 21, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/hillary_sorry_state_of_affairs_YVapkHqM3mz6CVjehZOh7K | work=New York Post | first=S.A. | last=Miller | title=Officials at Hillary Clinton's State Dept. accused of covering up sexual misconduct - NYPOST.com | date=June 11, 2013}}</ref> Despite these allegations, Gutman served his full term, including representing the United States at the invocation of the new Belgian King on July 21, 2013.<ref name="deredactie.be">{{cite AV media | people=Gutman, Howard | date=March 27, 2014 | title=Gutman: "In Belgium you make friends for life" | medium=Television production | location=Belgium | url=http://deredactie.be/permalink/1.1922814 | time=4:11}}</ref> On June 21, 2013, the White House announced Denise Bauer as the new nominee to be the next U.S. ambassador to Belgium.
After his completion of service, when he was free to talk, Gutman appeared on a popular Belgian talk show, ''{{Interlanguage link|Reyers Laat|nl}}'', and addressed the allegations - calling them "nonsense" - towards the end of his ambassadorship and explained his recollection of the events in question.<ref name="deredactie.be"/> Finally, in October 2014, the State Department investigation cleared Gutman and issued the following Statement in apology: "The Inspector General's report makes clear there was no wrongdoing and that the allegations wrongfully leaked from internal [[Office of Inspector General (United States)|OIG]] documents were in fact unsubstantiated. It can't erase the pain these leaks caused those [[public servant]]s who were falsely accused, but it does vindicate them and puts an end to a painful chapter for many. Most importantly, the report concludes there is 'no systemic problem' in the Department's investigations. The irresponsible leaks did not occur on the watch of this Inspector General, but we appreciate that he has brought this difficult story to a conclusion."<ref>{{cite web|title=The Nelson Report|url=http://samuelsinternationalassociates.com/services/the_nelson_report|publisher=Samuels International Associates, Inc.|access-date=24 October 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Ex-ambassadeur Gutman krijgt excuses na seksschandaal|url=http://www.nieuwsblad.be/article/detail.aspx?articleid=dmf20141023_01338657|access-date=24 October 2014|publisher=Nieuwsblad.be|date=October 24, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Gutman krijgt excuses van Buitenlandse Zaken|url=http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20141024_01339256|access-date=24 October 2014|publisher=De Standaard|date=24 October 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://deredactie.be/permalink/1.2128439|title=State Department apologises to Gutman|date=October 24, 2014}}</ref>
== Honors == * {{flag|Belgium}}: Knight Grand Cross in the [[Order of the Crown (Belgium)|Order of the Crown]], by RD of King Philippe.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rtbf.be/info/belgique/detail_l-ancien-ambassadeur-americain-howard-gutman-decore-de-l-ordre-de-la-couronne?id=9600855|title=L'ancien ambassadeur américain Howard Gutman décoré de l'Ordre de la Couronne|date=May 8, 2017}}</ref>
==Post Ambassadorship==
Gutman is currently the Managing Director of The Gutman Group, a consulting, advisory and investment firm focused on resolving corporate issues, fostering cross-border investment, market access, venture capital, international relations and more. The Gutman Group focuses largely on the U.S., Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Gutman also serves on the boards of several companies, including [[Exmar Shipmanagement|Exmar]], a publicly traded LNG/LPG shipper and liquefactor, a DTH Capital, a New York real estate company largely owned by [[Ageas|Ageas Insurance]] as well as several senior advisor positions for both US and European based companies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://howardgutman.net/|title=Howard Gutman Official Homepage|access-date=16 November 2015}}</ref> Gutman is a frequent speaker including at recent investor conferences in London and Copenhagen; delivered the keynote speech at the Brussels Sustainable Development Summit in October 2015 and speaks often at annual foundation and organization meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.londonspeakerbureau.com/speakers/howard_g|website=London Speaker Bureau|title=Howard Gutman|access-date=16 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117134205/http://www.londonspeakerbureau.com/speakers/howard_g|archive-date=November 17, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> He has appeared several times recently on the [[Fox Network]] and on Belgian television providing commentary about the [[U.S. presidential election, 2016|2016 election]]. Gutman has been awarded the "Grand-Cross in the [[Order of the Crown (Belgium)|Order of the Crown]]", the second highest civilian medal awarded by Belgium.
==Popular culture==
===In the press=== Gutman wrote a first-person account of the time in Belgium, reviewing the successes and the difficulties of public service in the age of bloggers.<ref name="auto">{{cite news|first1=Howard|last1=Gutman|title=The ambassador's tale: Lessons I learned about success and scandal|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/the-ambassadors-tale-lessons-i-learned-about-success-and-scandal/2015/07/13/6f0bd038-bb76-11e4-bdfa-b8e8f594e6ee_story.html|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=28 July 2015|date=July 16, 2015}}</ref> The story was covered in the [[Washington Post#Sunday magazine|''Washington Post'' Sunday magazine]] on July 19, 2015.<ref name="auto"/> In the article, Gutman revealed that during the flotilla dispute between Israel and Turkey, President of Turkey [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]] secretly sent a Turkish Minister to Belgium to ask him to open a back-channel negotiation between Turkey and Israel.
===Media appearances=== Among the media work Gutman performed during the [[U.S. presidential election, 2008|2008 U.S. presidential campaign]], Gutman was a frequent contributor to [[Fox News]]. Gutman also acted in several episodes of the [[HBO]] series ''[[K Street (TV series)|K Street]]'', [[Tim Robbins]]' film ''[[Noise (2007 U.S. film)|Noise]]'' and the 2009 film ''[[Fame (2009 film)|Fame]]''.<ref name="usds">{{cite web|url=https://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/128684.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091017053335/http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/128684.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 17, 2009|title=Biography:Howard W. Gutman|publisher=U.S. Department of State|access-date=October 12, 2009}}</ref><ref name="IMDB">{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1496215/|title=Howard Gutman|publisher=IMDB|access-date=October 12, 2009}}</ref> Gutman has also been heard on "The Kevin Sheehan Show" Podcast as a legal analyst.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thekevinsheehanshow.com/podcast-archive/|title=Past Episodes}}</ref>
== See also == * [[List of law clerks of the Supreme Court of the United States (Seat 8)]]
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{StateDept|url=https://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/128684.htm|title=Biography:Howard W. Gutman}}
== External links == {{commons category-inline|Howard W. Gutman|Howard Gutman}}
{{s-start}} {{s-dip}} {{succession box|title=[[United States Ambassador to Belgium]]|before=[[Wayne Bush]]|after=[[Denise Bauer]]|years=2009–2013}} {{s-end}}
{{US Ambassadors to Belgium}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gutman, Howard W.}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Ambassadors of the United States to Belgium]] [[Category:Harvard Law School alumni]] [[Category:Grand Crosses of the Order of the Crown (Belgium)]] [[Category:Law clerks of the Supreme Court of the United States]] [[Category:American male actors]] [[Category:Columbia University alumni]] [[Category:1956 births]] [[Category:People from the Bronx]] [[Category:American people of Polish-Jewish descent]] [[Category:American lawyers]] [[Category:False allegations of sex crimes in the United States]] [[Category:Cravath, Swaine & Moore people]] [[Category:The Bronx High School of Science alumni]]