Topic: Steve Cooley

Stephen Lawrence "Steve" Cooley (born May 1, 1947) is an American politician. As a Republican, he has been a prosecutor for 27 years and has been the Los Angeles County District Attorney since his election in 2000, in which he defeated incumbent two-term District Attorney Gil Garcetti, a Democrat. Cooley was re-elected in 2004 and 2008.

Cooley won the Republican nomination for Attorney General against John Eastman and Tom Harman in the June 8 primary election. Cooley ran against and lost to the Democratic nominee, San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris, in the November 2 general election. On November 24, 2010, Cooley conceded the election to Harris.

The second of five children, Cooley was born at St. Vincent's Hospital (now St. Vincent's Medical Center) in Los Angeles. His father was an FBI agent and his mother a homemaker. Cooley attended Pater Noster High School in Los Angeles. At California State University, Los Angeles, Cooley served two terms as Student Body President and was selected for membership in Phi Kappa Phi. He was also a member of Zeta Beta Tau fraternity. In 1970, he was commencement speaker for his graduating class. Cooley entered the University of Southern California Law School and received his Juris Doctor in 1973. That same year he joined the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.