Meet Michael
Michael Dougherty is running for Attorney General of Colorado on a promise to seek justice without fear or favor, to keep our communities safe, protect your rights, and fight and win the most important battles against Donald Trump and Elon Musk.
Michael and his family moved to Colorado to work in the Colorado Attorney General's office. A few months later, Michael became the head of the Criminal Justice Section for the Attorney General’s Office. Having served on the leadership team there, Michael understands the important role of the Attorney General in fighting for Colorado’s water, consumer protection, workers, public safety, and individual rights. He is passionate about the role and impact of the Attorney General’s Office for all Coloradans.
Michael has served as the elected District Attorney in Boulder County for the past seven (7) years, where he has built a reputation as a leader for Boulder County and throughout Colorado. As District Attorney, his mission is to do justice, enhance community safety, fight for victims, and improve the justice system.
Michael has served the public for his entire career. He has spent decades prosecuting serious cases, while leading hundreds of staff in large public law offices.
One recent example – Michael prosecuted the King Soopers mass murder trial in September 2024. The team he led received broad acclaim for their work in supporting victims and their families, bringing Coloradans together at a time of tragedy, and ultimately, holding the mass murderer accountable.
Prior to moving to Colorado, Michael served as a prosecutor with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office for over 12 years. He specialized in the prosecution of sex crimes and homicide cases. He became the Deputy Chief of the Sex Crimes Unit, where he helped lead the training and supervision of forty-five sex crimes prosecutors. The District Attorney quickly promoted Michael to the executive staff. As the Administrative Assistant District Attorney. Michael helped lead the management, resources, and staffing for an office of over 1300 people. During his time in this key leadership role, Michael continued to prosecute serious cases.
As the head of the Attorney General’s Criminal Justice Section, he supervised several units, including Special Prosecutions, Homicide Assistance for the State of Colorado, Environmental Crimes, Financial Fraud, Securities Fraud, Insurance Fraud, Medicaid Fraud, and the Peace Officer Standards and Training Unit. He led the Colorado DNA Justice Review Project and served on the Colorado Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice, which led criminal justice reform efforts for the state. He left the Attorney General’s Office to become the second-in-command for the DA’s Office in Jefferson and Gilpin Counties, where he served until becoming District Attorney for Boulder County.
Michael has served with numerous groups leading to significant criminal justice reform. Additionally, Michael has helped establish problem-solving courts and diversion programs. Michael recently served as the co-Chair of the Sentencing Reform Task Force. He also served on the School Safety Resource Center Advisory Board for Colorado’s District Attorneys. In 2021, he served as the President for the District Attorneys of Colorado.
Michael is the grandson of Irish immigrants. At an early age, a strong work ethic and love of this country became a part of his fabric. He is the son of loving, hard-working parents. His Dad’s teaching in the public school system instilled a commitment to education and left a life-long impression on Michael. Michael has taught and mentored throughout his career, and he is currently an Adjunct Professor for the University of Colorado School of Law. His Mom, a fierce advocate for the causes and people she cared about, taught him to work hard and fight for what he believed in.
Michael is a proud graduate of Nassau Community College – and went on to graduate from Cornell University and the Boston University School of Law.
An avid ultrarunner and outdoorsman, Michael lives in Boulder with his wife, Antonia, and their two children.
"I will always fight for Coloradans' rights and to keep our communities safe. Together, we'll make Colorado a beacon of fairness and justice -- where no one is above the law."
- Michael Dougherty
Endorsements
Michael Dougherty launched his campaign for Attorney General with the endorsement of over 90 Colorado leaders, including Mayors, District Attorneys, State Representatives, and community leaders from every corner of Colorado.
Jim Bullock, 16th JD District Attorney (Otero, Bent, Crowley Counties)
Matt Karzen, 14th JD District Attorney (Teller, El Paso Counties)
Anne Kelly, 12th JD District Attorney (Saguache, Mineral, Rio Grande, Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla Counties)
Alexis King, 1st JD District Attorney (Jefferson, Gilpin Counties)
Heidi McCollum, 5th JD District Attorney (Eagle, Lake, Summit, Clear Creek Counties)
Sean Murray, 6th JD District Attorney (Archuleta, San Juan, La Plata Counties)
Ben Sollars, 9th JD District Attorney (Garfield, Rio Blanco Counties)
Christian Champagne, Former 6th JD District Attorney (Archuleta, San Juan, La Plata Counties)
Jeff Chostner, Former 10th JD District Attorney (Pueblo County)
Stan Garnett, Former 20th JD District Attorney (Boulder County)
Elaina Shively, Former Deputy State Public Defender, Chief Deputy District Attorney, and Director of Restorative Justice & Diversion
Bruce Conrad, Sheriff of San Juan County
Jaime FitzSimons, Sheriff of Summit County
Curtis Johnson, Sheriff of Boulder County
Reggie Marinelli, Sheriff of Jefferson County
Joe DiSalvo, Former Pitkin County Sheriff
Joe Pelle, Former Boulder County Sheriff
Luzmaria Shearer, Retired law enforcement and community leader in Adams County
Judy Amabile, State Senator
Kyle Brown, State House Representative
Janice Marchman, State Senator
Karen McCormick, State House Representative
Tammy Story, State Senator
Steve Fenberg, Former Colorado State Senator
Edie Hooton, Former State House Representative
Joe Salazar, Former State House Representative
Rollie Heath, Founding member of Progress Now, Former State Senator
Jeni Arndt, Mayor of Fort Collins
Aaron Brockett, Boulder Mayor
Chris Leh, Louisville Mayor
Dennis Maloney, Louisville Mayor
Hollie Rogin, Lyons Mayor
Mark Lacis, Mayor of Superior
Brian Bagley, Former Longmont Mayor
Don Brown, Former Louisville City Council and Former Candidate for Mayor of Louisville
Sam Weaver, Former Boulder Mayor
Matt Benjamin, Boulder City Council Member
Tina Marquis, Boulder City Council Member
Mark Wallach, Boulder City Council Member
Tara Winer, Boulder City Council Member
Claire Carmelia, Westminster City Council
Josh Cooperman, Louisville City Council
Deborah Fahey, Louisville City Council
Rachel Friend, Former Boulder City Council Member
Jill Grano, Former Boulder City Council Member and Community Leader
Val Nosler Beck, Former Wheat Ridge City Council Member
Bob Yates, Former Boulder City Council Member
Claire Levy, Boulder County Commissioner
Ashley Stolzmann, Boulder County Commissioner
Lesley Dahlkemper, County Commissioner of Jefferson County
Cindy Domenico, Former Boulder County Commissioner
Bob Troyer, Former U.S. Attorney
Bernie Buescher, Former Colorado Secretary of State
Frances Koncilja, Former Member of the Colorado Public Utilities Commission
Brad Levin, Former AG Candidate
Jeff Martin, Boulder County Coroner
Nicole Hensel, Former Executive Director of New Era, Running for Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder
Chris Nicholson, RTD Board Member
Lalenia Quinlan Aweida, BVSD Board Member
Jorge Chavez, BVSD Board Member
Andrew Barton, former candidate
Richard Garcia, Former BVSD Board Member and Statewide Leader in Public Education Advocacy
Darryl Brown, Vice President at Boulder Community Health
Geof Cahoon, Labor Leader
Shannon Carbone, Administrative Deputy/Public Information Officer Boulder DA Office
Tom Cosgrove, Community Leader
Chase Cromwell, Former CU Student Body President
Benita Duran, Community Leader
Troy Eid, Leading Attorney and Community Leader
Neil Fishman, Community Leader
Oscar Flores, Community Leader
Tere Garcia, Community Leader
Dave Gross, Trustee of the Boulder Community Health Foundation and a Member of the Board of Directors of CollegeInvest, Former Candidate CU Board of Regents
Doug Hamilton, Attorney and Community Leader
Tatiana Hernandez, Community Leader, Chief Executive Officer of Nonprofit
Jim Hooton, IT CEO, Community Leader, Nonprofit Board Member
Seth Levine, Partner at Foundry, Co-Founder of Goodbread
Nancy Lewis, Victim Services Leader, former Director of COVA
Stuart Lord, Former President of Naropa University and Community Leader
Jake Marsing, Community Leader and Candidate for Longmont City Council
Mardi Moore, Community Leader and Non-profit leader
Reiland Rabaka, Ph.D., Founder and Director, Center for African & African American Studies
Siddhartha Rathod, Civil Rights Attorney and Community Leader
Dawn Reinfeld, Community Leader
Jovita Schiffer, State Senate Candidate
Ian Silverii, Former ED of Progress Now Colorado, Former Denver Post Columnist
Vic Vela, Sr., Community Leader
Nia Wassink, Community Leader
Howard Chou, Community and Democratic Party Leader
Josie Heath, Community Leader
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