Colorado finally has a new U.S. Attorney - The Denver Post

Colorado finally has a new U.S. Attorney - The Denver Post

Denver lawyer John F. Walsh was confirmed by the U.S. Senate Thursday night to become Colorado's next U.S. Attorney.

Walsh, 49, must be formally sworn in before he takes office.

The confirmation came just hours before the Senate adjourned for the August recess. Walsh, who had bipartisan support, waited four months for the full Senate to agree to his confirmation.

Democratic U.S. Sens. Mark Udall and Michael Bennet recommended Walsh for the job and President Barack Obama nominated him in April.

"I am honored to have been confirmed by the Senate to be U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado, and am grateful for the opportunity to return to public service in that role," Walsh said in a statement. "I look forward to starting work soon with the dedicated team at the U.S. Attorney's Office, and with federal, state and local law enforcement throughout Colorado."

Obama had originally nominated Gov. Bill Ritter's former deputy chief of staff Stephanie Villafuerte but she pulled out of the running citing "political attacks" related to her role in the 2006 Colorado gubernatorial campaign.

Walsh grew up in Englewood and attended Stanford Law School. In 1987, Walsh began working as an assistant federal prosecutor in Los Angeles focusing on white collar crime. By 1993, Walsh was chief prosecutor of the major-frauds section.

Walsh came back to Colorado in 1995 and joined the firm Holland & Hart. In 1999 he moved to Hill & Robbins handling complex federal litigation, including cases concentrating in the antitrust, securities and environmental fields.

The Colorado U.S. Attorney's Office is currently headed by David Gaouette who has worked there for more than 20 years.

Gaouette took over after former U.S. Attorney Troy Eid stepped down to work in private practice in January 2009.