Michael Sozan is a senior fellow at American Progress, where he focuses on democracy and government reform. From 2015 to 2017, Sozan was American Progress’ senior vice president for Government Affairs, managing the institution’s interactions with federal, state, and local policymakers. Sozan joined American Progress in 2015, after two decades of work in the federal government and the private sector.
From 2004 to 2015, Sozan served in increasingly senior positions on Capitol Hill, where he oversaw successful strategies to implement commonsense, progressive policies designed to help the middle class and to enhance national security.
Immediately before joining American Progress, Sozan worked for six years as chief of staff to former U.S. Sen. Mark Udall (D-CO). As Udall’s top adviser, he managed the senator’s policy, political, communications, and administrative teams, guiding them to significant victories in areas such as clean energy, intelligence community reform, and consumer rights. Additionally, Sozan was the principal point person on Sen. Udall’s groundbreaking work that helped repeal the military’s outmoded “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.
From 2006 to 2008, Sozan served as the legislative director for former Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA), where—among other achievements—he implemented the successful strategy that led to the passage of a modernized GI education bill for post-9/11 veterans. Before that, Sozan served as counsel to Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL).
Sozan also worked as an attorney in the executive branch for the U.S. Department of Justice, as well as at the Federal Communications Commission. Sozan’s private sector work includes practicing law at the international law firm of Arnold & Porter LLP, where he counseled corporate clients in the areas of technology and telecommunications while maintaining an active pro bono practice focused on protecting asylum seekers’ and immigrants’ rights.
Immediately after his graduation from George Washington University Law School, Sozan served as a judicial law clerk on the Virginia Court of Appeals. He graduated from the College of William and Mary with a bachelor’s degree in government.
Sozan has been quoted and his work has been cited in a wide range of media outlets, including The Washington Post, The New York Times, USA Today, Politico, NPR, and MSNBC, and Harvard University Law School republished one of his reports. He also has testified as an expert witness in state legislative hearings.
Mike Sozan discusses the role that Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) is playing in the ongoing January 6 investigation.
What happened on January 6, 2021, was not an accident; Donald Trump invited a violent mob to the Capitol in an effort to overturn a valid election.
Providing new details about the January 6 insurrection, Cassidy Hutchinson testified how Donald Trump tried to hang onto his power by any means necessary.
Donald Trump and MAGA extremists came dangerously close to weaponizing the U.S. Department of Justice in their desperate attempt to overturn the election.
Donald Trump and MAGA extremists are still attacking elections. If they are not held accountable, the United States cannot preserve democracy.
When Mike Pence made it clear he would not give in to Donald Trump's scheme, Trump turned the mob on him.
Center for American Progress expert William J. Roberts explains the weight of the bipartisan January 6 hearings.
Carnage. Chaos. Crime. January 6 was not a random event; it was a coordinated, deliberate conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election.
William Roberts and Michael Sozan outline the evidence presented in the January 6 House Select Committee hearings and argue for stronger protections of voting rights.
Michael Sozan writes on the need to pass the long-stalled Disclose Act.
Bright-line foreign-ownership thresholds would close the loophole on inappropriate election and ballot-related spending by foreign-influenced American corporations.
An ordinance recommended by several of San Jose’s councilmembers would help protect the city’s elections and ballot measures by prohibiting American corporations with appreciable foreign ownership from spending political dollars.
