Steve Ricchetti

Steven John Ricchetti ( ; born ) is an American political aide who last served as a Counselor to the President under President Joe Biden. He was the chairman of Joe Biden's 2020 presidential campaign. Ricchetti previously served as Chief of Staff to Vice President Biden during the Obama administration and Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations under President Bill Clinton. In between stints in Democratic administrations, Ricchetti has worked as a lobbyist.

Early life and education Steven J. Ricchetti grew up in Westlake, Ohio and graduated from Westlake High School.

He received his undergraduate degree from Miami University in Ohio (where he served as student body president ) in 1979, and his Juris Doctor from the George Mason University School of Law.

Career

Ricchetti led the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association's political department from 1987 to 1989 and was executive director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee from 1990 to 1992.

From January 1993 to February 1996, he was a White House staffer in the Clinton administration, holding the title of Deputy Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs. In this role, Ricchetti was President Clinton's principal liaison to the Senate. In September 1998, he returned to the White House, where he was tasked with handling relations with congressional Democrats amidst the impeachment proceedings against Clinton. and coordinated with leaders of major U.S. corporations, such as Boeing, American Online and Intel to "sell the benefits of the trade accord to Congress and the public.”

In January 2001, Ricchetti founded and ran Ricchetti, Inc., a government relations (lobbying) and political consulting firm, with his brother Jeff Ricchetti. Over the following years, Ricchetti's firm represented a number of clients, including AT&T, Eli Lilly & Co., the American Hospital Association, United Technologies, the American Council of Life Insurers and the American Bankers Association.

In March 2012 he was appointed to be counselor to Vice President Joe Biden. and his issuance of "a tough new ethics policy meant to curb the revolving door between his administration and K street." The Washington Post reported Ricchetti earned $1.8 million from his firm, Ricchetti Inc., the year before his appointment, and was owed another $217,000 from work he completed the same year as his appointment.

Ricchetti was the chief planner for a possible Biden run in the 2016 presidential election. (Biden ultimately decided not to run.)

Ricchetti was the chairman of Biden's presidential campaign in the 2020 elections, leading the campaign's efforts to raise funds from Wall Street financiers.

On November 16, 2020, it was announced that Ricchetti would become a Counselor to the President in the incoming Biden administration.

Ricchetti, along with Shalanda Young and Louisa Terrell, was tapped to lead the Democratic side in negotiations over the 2023 United States debt-ceiling crisis. Representative Garret Graves, a key Kevin McCarthy ally and point person on debt and budget issues, was tapped to lead the Republican side.

In July 2024 he coordinated informing White House staff that Biden was withdrawing from the 2024 United States presidential election.

Other activities Ricchetti is on the board of advisors of the Center for Congress at Indiana University.