History of Jeanine Pirro in Timeline

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Jeanine Pirro

Jeanine Pirro is an American television host, author, and the interim United States attorney for the District of Columbia (since May 2025). Prior to her media career, Pirro served as a judge, prosecutor, and politician in New York, establishing a notable career in law and government before transitioning to television.

June 2, 1951: Jeanine Pirro's Birth

On June 2, 1951, Jeanine Ferris Pirro was born. She later became an American television host, author, judge, prosecutor, and politician.

Others born on this day/year

1975: Graduates Albany Law School

In 1975, Jeanine Pirro received her J.D. degree from Albany Law School, where she also served as an editor of the law review.

1975: Assistant District Attorney Appointment

In 1975, Jeanine Pirro was appointed by District Attorney Carl Vergari to the position of Assistant District Attorney of Westchester County in New York State.

1977: Advocates for Domestic Violence Bureau

In 1977, Jeanine Pirro requested that District Attorney Vergari apply for a federal grant to establish a bureau specializing in domestic violence, following changes in New York law.

1978: Chief of Domestic Violence Bureau

In 1978, Jeanine Pirro was appointed as the first chief of the new Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Bureau in Westchester County.

May 26, 1986: Announced as Running Mate

On May 26, 1986, Jeanine Pirro was announced as the running mate of Andrew O'Rourke for Lieutenant Governor of New York.

May 28, 1986: Withdrawal from Race

On May 28, 1986, Jeanine Pirro announced her withdrawal from the race for Lieutenant Governor due to potential conflicts of interest related to her husband's business dealings.

1988: Albert Pirro's tax evasion

Between 1988 and 1997, Albert Pirro hid over $1 million in personal income as business expenses.

June 1, 1990: Bedside Investigation of Maria Amaya

On June 1, 1990, Jeanine Pirro attracted widespread attention for rushing to conduct a bedside investigation of Maria Amaya, who was charged with the deaths of her four children, at the Intensive Care Unit of United Hospital in Port Chester.

November 1990: Election as County Court Judge

In November 1990, Jeanine Pirro was elected as a judge of the Westchester County Court, making her the first woman to serve in that role.

1990: Elected as Judge

In 1990, Jeanine Pirro was elected as a judge of the Westchester County Court in New York.

November 1993: Elected Westchester County District Attorney

In November 1993, Jeanine Pirro was elected as the Westchester County District Attorney, becoming the first woman to hold the position.

1993: Elected as District Attorney

In 1993, Jeanine Pirro was elected as the Westchester County district attorney, becoming the first woman to hold the position.

December 31, 1993: Anne Scripps Douglas Bludgeoned

On December 31, 1993, Anne Scripps Douglas was bludgeoned by her estranged husband, Scott Douglas. Pirro, as District Attorney, gained media attention during the case.

March 1994: Scott Douglas' Body Found

In March 1994, Scott Douglas's body washed ashore, marking the end of the search after he committed suicide. Pirro's profile increased due to media coverage of the case.

June 1994: Media Appearances as Analyst

In June 1994, Jeanine Pirro began appearing frequently on network and cable television news, including Nightline, Larry King Live, and Geraldo, as an analyst following O.J. Simpson's arrest.

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1997: Albert Pirro's tax evasion

Between 1988 and 1997, Albert Pirro hid over $1 million in personal income as business expenses.

1997: Pirro named one of People's "50 Most Beautiful People"

In 1997, Jeanine Pirro was named one of People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People".

1997: Re-elected District Attorney

In 1997, Jeanine Pirro was re-elected as Westchester County District Attorney.

1998: Albert Pirro ordered to pay child support

In 1998, after DNA testing confirmed Albert Pirro was the father of a child with a Florida woman, he was ordered to begin child support payments.

February 23, 1999: Pirro's husband indicted on multiple charges

On February 23, 1999, Pirro's husband, Albert Pirro, was indicted on multiple charges including conspiracy and tax evasion for hiding over $1 million in income.

June 23, 2000: Pirro's husband found guilty

On June 23, 2000, a jury found Jeanine Pirro's husband guilty of 23 of the charges brought against him and not guilty of 10 others and he was sentenced to prison.

2000: Pirro supports New York hate crimes law

In 2000, Pirro actively supported the passing of a New York hate crimes law which covered sexual orientation as a protected class.

2001: Re-elected District Attorney

In 2001, Jeanine Pirro was re-elected as Westchester County District Attorney for another term.

2003: Publishes To Punish and Protect

In 2003, Jeanine Pirro's first crime novel, To Punish and Protect: A DA's Fight Against a System That Coddles Criminals, was published.

To Punish and Protect: A DA's Fight Against a System That Coddles Criminals
To Punish and Protect: A DA's Fight Against a System That Coddles Criminals

2004: Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi released from custody

In 2004, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was released from custody under the Bush administration.

2004: Publishes To Punish and Protect: Against a System That Coddles Criminals

In 2004, Jeanine Pirro published her second crime novel, To Punish and Protect: Against a System That Coddles Criminals.

To Punish and Protect: A DA's Fight Against a System That Coddles Criminals
To Punish and Protect: A DA's Fight Against a System That Coddles Criminals

May 23, 2005: Announces No Re-election Bid

On May 23, 2005, Jeanine Pirro announced that she would not seek re-election to a fourth term as Westchester County District Attorney.

August 10, 2005: Announces Senate Candidacy

On August 10, 2005, Jeanine Pirro announced that she would seek the Republican nomination to challenge Hillary Clinton for U.S. Senator from New York in the 2006 election. Her campaign was marred by a publicized moment where she misplaced a page of her speech.

December 21, 2005: Drops Out of Senate Race

On December 21, 2005, Jeanine Pirro dropped out of the Senate race due to lagging fundraising and unfavorable poll results, stating her law enforcement background better qualified her for a race for New York State attorney general.

2005: Pirro describes her political positions

In 2005, during her campaign for the US Senate in New York, Pirro described her political positions as fiscally conservative but socially moderate, supporting abortion rights and taxpayer funding of abortion through Medicaid.

May 31, 2006: Nominated for Attorney General

On May 31, 2006, Jeanine Pirro was unopposed for the nomination and became the Republican Party's official candidate for Attorney General of New York. She later lost the general election to Andrew Cuomo.

2006: Senate Run and Attorney General Nomination

In 2006, Jeanine Pirro initially sought the Republican nomination for United States Senate but later dropped out to accept the nomination for New York Attorney General, ultimately losing the general election to Andrew Cuomo.

2006: Senate Candidacy

In 2006, Jeanine Pirro was running for U.S. Senator from New York.

2006: Pirro supports anti-discrimination protections for LGBT people

In 2006, Pirro supported anti-discrimination protections for LGBT people during her campaign for State Attorney General.

2007: Pirro and husband separate

In 2007, Pirro and her husband separated due to their tumultuous relationship.

May 5, 2008: The CW Announces Pirro's Television Show

On May 5, 2008, The CW Television Network announced that Jeanine Pirro would host a weekday television show named Judge Jeanine Pirro.

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2008: Hosts Judge Jeanine Pirro

In 2008, Jeanine Pirro began hosting a weekday television show entitled Judge Jeanine Pirro on The CW.

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2009: Judge Jeanine Pirro cleared for a second season

In 2009, Judge Jeanine Pirro's show was cleared for a second season beginning in the fall. Unlike the first season, the second season was not exclusive to CW affiliates.

2009: Pirro claims Obama released ISIL leader

In 2009, according to Pirro, President Obama released ISIL leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, which was false.

2010: Nomination for Outstanding Legal/Courtroom Program

In 2010, Judge Jeanine Pirro's show was nominated for Outstanding Legal/Courtroom Program at the 37th Daytime Emmy Awards.

January 2011: Premiere of Justice with Judge Jeanine

In January 2011, Jeanine Pirro began hosting Fox News' "Justice with Judge Jeanine", a program that airs on weekends and focuses on major legal stories.

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September 2011: Cancellation of Judge Jeanine Pirro's show

In September 2011, Judge Jeanine Pirro's show was canceled due to low ratings.

2011: Hosts Justice with Judge Jeanine

In 2011, Jeanine Pirro started hosting Justice with Judge Jeanine on Fox News Channel.

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2012: Publishes Sly Fox

In 2012, Jeanine Pirro, with the assistance of Pete Earley, wrote the novel Sly Fox, based on her experiences as an assistant district attorney.

2012: Pirro diagnosed with cancer

In 2012, Pirro was diagnosed with cancer.

2012: Benghazi attack

In 2014, Pirro called for the impeachment of Barack Obama over the 2012 Benghazi attack.

2013: Pirro's divorce finalized

In 2013, Pirro's divorce was finalized.

2014: Publishes Clever Fox: A Dani Fox Novel

In 2014, Jeanine Pirro published Clever Fox: A Dani Fox Novel, the second novel in the series.

Clever Fox: A Dani Fox Novel (Dani Fox Novels)
Clever Fox: A Dani Fox Novel (Dani Fox Novels)

2014: Pirro calls for Obama's impeachment

In 2014, Pirro called for the impeachment of Barack Obama over the 2012 Benghazi attack.

2014: Pirro claims Obama released ISIL leader

In 2014, Pirro claimed ISIL leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was "released by Obama in 2009", which was proven false.

December 2015: Pirro Comments on Gun Ownership

In December 2015, Pirro made comments regarding gun ownership.

2016: Pirro Encourages Trump's Provocative Agenda

In 2016, Jeanine Pirro steadfastly encouraged Trump to press harder on his agenda of disruption and provocation.

2016: Pirro supports Trump, defends him after Access Hollywood tape release

In 2016, Pirro supported Donald Trump in the presidential race and defended him after the release of the Access Hollywood tape, stating he has always been a gentleman.

2016: Russian interference in the 2016 election

In July 2018, after Trump was criticized for refusing to condemn Russian interference in the 2016 election while standing onstage with Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Pirro defended Trump.

November 2017: Pirro charged with speeding

In November 2017, Jeanine Pirro was charged with speeding for driving 119 miles per hour in upstate New York.

2017: Pirro calls for the arrest of individuals involved in Mueller's investigation

In 2017, Pirro called for the arrest of individuals cooperating with special counsel Robert S. Mueller III's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election in favor of Trump.

February 2018: False Assertion in Book

In February 2018, Jeanine Pirro's book "Liars, Leakers, and Liberals: The Case Against the Anti-Trump Conspiracy" falsely asserted that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein had announced the Russia collusion investigation was over.

Liars, Leakers, and Liberals: The Case Against the Anti-Trump Conspiracy
Liars, Leakers, and Liberals: The Case Against the Anti-Trump Conspiracy

February 2018: Pirro blames Obama's policies for Trump officials' domestic abuse scandals

In February 2018, after two senior Trump administration officials resigned due to domestic abuse allegations, Pirro suggested that Barack Obama's policies were to blame for the domestic abuse scandals.

April 2018: Trump Poses with Pirro's Book

In April 2018, Donald Trump posed with Jeanine Pirro and her book "Liars, Leakers, and Liberals: The Case Against the Anti-Trump Conspiracy" in the Oval Office.

Liars, Leakers, and Liberals: The Case Against the Anti-Trump Conspiracy
Liars, Leakers, and Liberals: The Case Against the Anti-Trump Conspiracy

May 2018: Pirro says Trump fulfilled a 'biblical prophecy'

In May 2018, Jeanine Pirro said that Donald Trump had "fulfilled" a "biblical prophecy" by moving the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

June 2018: Pirro defends Trump's pardon of Dinesh D'Souza

In June 2018, Pirro said Trump's pardon of conservative activist Dinesh D'Souza, who was convicted of "illegal campaign contributions", was "fantastic news".

July 2018: Pirro defends Trump's stance on Russian interference

In July 2018, after Trump received widespread criticism for not condemning Russian interference in the 2016 election while standing with Vladimir Putin, Pirro defended Trump by questioning what else he could have done.

2018: Publishes "Liars, Leakers, and Liberals"

In 2018, Jeanine Pirro authored the book "Liars, Leakers, and Liberals: The Case Against the Anti-Trump Conspiracy."

Liars, Leakers, and Liberals: The Case Against the Anti-Trump Conspiracy
Liars, Leakers, and Liberals: The Case Against the Anti-Trump Conspiracy

2018: Pirro reveals cancer diagnosis in book

In 2018, Pirro revealed her 2012 cancer diagnosis in her book, Liars, Leakers, and Liberals: The Case Against the Anti-Trump Conspiracy.

Liars, Leakers, and Liberals: The Case Against the Anti-Trump Conspiracy
Liars, Leakers, and Liberals: The Case Against the Anti-Trump Conspiracy

March 2019: Pirro Criticizes Ilhan Omar

In March 2019, on her show Justice with Judge Jeanine Pirro criticized Rep. Ilhan Omar for questioning the loyalty of American Jews to the US.

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March 16, 2019: Fox News Doesn't Air Pirro's Show

On March 16, 2019, Fox News decided not to air her show, replacing it with a rebroadcast of a Scandalous episode in its time slot.

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March 30, 2019: Justice with Judge Jeanine resumes airing

On March 30, 2019, Justice with Judge Jeanine resumed airing after being temporarily pulled.

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July 2019: Pirro joins the board of cannabis company HeavenlyRx

In July 2019, Pirro was named to the board of directors of the cannabis company HeavenlyRx, which manufactures CBD products, expressing curiosity and acknowledging the benefits of CBD.

November 2019: Pirro describes Trump as 'almost superhuman'

In November 2019, Jeanine Pirro described Donald Trump as "almost superhuman".

December 2019: Pirro suggests Trump made it possible to say 'Merry Christmas' again

In December 2019, Jeanine Pirro suggested that Trump had made it possible for people to say "Merry Christmas" again.

2019: Publishes Radicals, Resistance, and Revenge

In 2019, Jeanine Pirro published "Radicals, Resistance, and Revenge: The Left's Plot to Remake America."

Radicals, Resistance, and Revenge: The Left's Plot to Remake America
Radicals, Resistance, and Revenge: The Left's Plot to Remake America

February 2020: Pirro predicts Democrats will lose House majority due to impeachment

In February 2020, Pirro predicted that the impeachment of Donald Trump would be so unpopular that Democrats would lose their majority in the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2020 elections, a prediction later deemed spectacularly incorrect by Politico.

March 2020: Pirro hosts show from home amid speculations of inebriation

In March 2020, Jeanine Pirro hosted her show from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic and she appeared disheveled and slurring her speech, which caused speculation that she was inebriated.

September 23, 2020: Publishes Don't Lie to Me: and Stop Trying to Steal Our Freedom

On September 23, 2020, Jeanine Pirro's book "Don't Lie to Me: and Stop Trying to Steal Our Freedom" was published.

Don't Lie to Me: And Stop Trying to Steal Our Freedom
Don't Lie to Me: And Stop Trying to Steal Our Freedom

December 2020: Smartmatic demands retractions from Fox News

In December 2020, Smartmatic sent Fox News a letter demanding retractions due to baseless allegations of voting machine fraud promoted by Pirro, Lou Dobbs, and Maria Bartiromo.

2020: False Claims and New Book

In 2020, Jeanine Pirro made false claims of voting machine fraud following the presidential election.

January 20, 2021: Albert Pirro pardoned by President Trump

On January 20, 2021, Albert Pirro was pardoned by President Donald Trump shortly before Trump left office.

February 4, 2021: Smartmatic files defamation lawsuit against Fox Corporation

On February 4, 2021, Jeanine Pirro was named in a $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit filed by Smartmatic against Fox Corporation, alleging that Fox News' disinformation campaign had a direct and harmful impact on Smartmatic's business.

February 2021: Defamation Lawsuit

In February 2021, Jeanine Pirro was named as a defendant in a defamation lawsuit by Smartmatic and was also involved in the Dominion Voting Systems v. Fox News Network defamation lawsuit.

February 2021: Pirro named in Smartmatic defamation suit

In February 2021, Pirro was among Fox News employees named in Smartmatic's defamation suit regarding election fraud claims.

November 2021: Pirro attends Log Cabin Republicans' event

In November 2021, Pirro attended the Log Cabin Republicans' "Spirit of Lincoln Award" event.

January 12, 2022: Pirro Announced as Permanent Co-Host on The Five

On January 12, 2022, it was announced that Pirro would be a permanent co-host on The Five starting January 24, and ending Justice.

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March 2022: Pirro dismissed from Smartmatic defamation suit

In March 2022, a judge dismissed Jeanine Pirro from the Smartmatic defamation suit.

2022: Co-host of The Five

In 2022, Jeanine Pirro became a co-host of The Five and also made false claims of voting machine fraud following the 2020 election.

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February 2023: Pirro reinstated as defendant in Smartmatic defamation suit

In February 2023, an appeals court reinstated Jeanine Pirro as a defendant in the Smartmatic defamation suit.

May 8, 2025: Named Interim US Attorney

On May 8, 2025, Jeanine Pirro was named by President Donald Trump as the interim United States attorney for the District of Columbia, succeeding Ed Martin.

May 2025: Interim United States Attorney

In May 2025, Jeanine Pirro began her service as the interim United States attorney for the District of Columbia.

May 2025: Leaves The Five

In May 2025, Jeanine Pirro left her position as co-host of The Five.

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May 2025: Pirro leaves Fox News

In May 2025, Pirro left Fox News.

May 2025: Pirro named Acting United States Attorney

In May 2025, President Trump named Pirro as Acting United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, replacing Acting US Attorney Ed Martin.