Michael Scionti
| Michael J. Scionti | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 2, 1968 Tampa, Florida |
| Occupation | American Attorney and Counselor at Law |
Biography
Michael Scionti was born on October 2, 1968 in Tampa, Florida. He is a lifelong resident of Hillsborough County. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Florida State University in 1990 and his Juris Doctor from South Texas College of Law in 1996. He has been a member of the Florida Bar since 1996 and is licensed to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the United States District Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces. Scionti is an experienced trial and appellate attorney having litigated hundreds of cases before both judges and juries in Florida's county, circuit and appellate courts.
Appointed to the United States Department of State in 2011, Scionti served as the Senior Diplomat and Foreign Policy Advisor for Rule of Law and Law Enforcement in support of the U.S. mission in Afghanistan. As a senior U.S. Diplomat, Scionti oversaw the implementation of rule of law advancements, anti-corruption initiatives and counterterrorism prosecutions in support of security, stability and governance in Afghanistan. Prior to this assignment, in 2009, Scionti was appointed to the United States Department of Defense where he served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Homeland Defense and Intergovernmental Affairs. As a Deputy Assistant Secretary, Scionti oversaw the development of legislative strategies and priorities for domestic policies, programs and goals relating to matters of national security and homeland defense.
Elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2006, and again in 2008, Scionti served as the State Representative for Legislative District 58 (Tampa). As a State Representative, Scionti served on Florida’s Commission on Capital Punishment and on various Legislative Councils and Committees most notably as Ranking Member on the House Public Safety and Security Council, Criminal and Civil Justice Committee, and Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee. Scionti also served as an Assistant Attorney General, Assistant State Attorney, and Assistant Statewide Prosecutor for the State of Florida from 1996 to 2006 successfully prosecuting violent felony offenders, white-collar corruption and organized crime.
Commissioned as an Officer in the United States Army Reserve Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps in 2000, Scionti served as a military prosecutor, military magistrate, rule of law advisor and legal counsel for military personnel in both civil and criminal law related matters. Scionti also served as legal counsel for disabled veterans who honorably served our nation and now suffer because of their military service. Currently, Scionti serves as Team Chief for the Trial and Litigation Section with the 174th Legal Operations Detachment, United States Army Reserve Legal Command.
Scionti volunteered for two tours of duty, one in Iraq from 2003 to 2004 and one in Afghanistan from 2007 to 2008, where he served as a military magistrate for the United States Army. As a military magistrate, Scionti presided over hundreds of military-commissioned war tribunals and detention hearings of suspected enemy prisoners of war, insurgents and terrorists. Scionti was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, both Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Presidential Unit Citation.