Peter M. Thomson
NEW ORLEANS – Peter M. Thomson, a New Orleans native and a member of one of Louisiana’s leading law firms, was confirmed last week by the U.S. Senate to be the Inspector General of the Central Intelligence Agency.
After being nominated for the position in May by President Donald Trump, Thomson was reported out favorably by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence with bipartisan support in July.
On Thursday, he was confirmed by the Senate, 51-47.
“I am deeply honored by the opportunity to serve as Inspector General of the Central Intelligence Agency,” Thomson said in a statement. “It is a privilege to return to government service, and I am committed to upholding the CIA’s mission with integrity, accountability, and professionalism.”
Thomson, in his new role, will be responsible for overseeing the Inspector General’s Offices of Audits, Inspections, and Investigations to prevent and detect fraud, waste, abuse, and other forms of misconduct within the CIA.
Doing so will ensure that the agency’s programs and operations are conducted in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
Thomson is a member of Stone Pigman Walther Wittmann LLC. The Louisiana firm, founded in 1929, has been recognized for its corporate, litigation, real estate, and energy practices.
“Peter has been an invaluable member of our Stone Pigman team for over a decade, and we wholeheartedly support him in this exceptional opportunity,” said Michael Walshe, chair of Stone Pigman’s management committee.
“He has consistently exemplified the highest standards of professionalism and public service, and we wish him all the best in his new role.”
Thomson will leave his position at Stone Pigman where his practice focused on white collar criminal defense, internal investigations, corporate compliance, and select civil litigation for more than a decade while also serving as chair of the firm’s white-collar criminal defense practice and co-chair of the firm’s information security practice.
During his legal career, he has tried more than 50 criminal cases to verdict in both federal and state courts, and he has extensive experience in appellate litigation.
Prior to joining Stone Pigman, Thomson was an assistant U.S. Attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice for 23 years. He also served on special assignment at the National Security Agency.
A New Orleans native, Thomson graduated from Tulane University where he received his undergraduate and law degrees.
He is an executive committee member of The Federalist Society’s Criminal Law Practice Group and the New Orleans Lawyers Chapter.
Thomson formerly served as a board member of the Metropolitan Crime Commission of New Orleans and as a member of the Louisiana State Public Defender Oversight Board.
He also previously served for 20 years as an adjunct professor of trial advocacy at Tulane Law School.
This was the second time Trump nominated Thomson for the role.
In 2020, he testified before the Select Committee on Intelligence and was voted out favorably with unanimous consent; however, his nomination was returned under Senate Rules following the results of the 2020 Presidential election.
