John Walsh

John Walsh (Democratic Party) is the Denver District Attorney in Colorado. He assumed office on January 14, 2025. His current term ends on January 9, 2029.

Walsh (Democratic Party) ran for election for Denver District Attorney in Colorado. He won in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Denver’s DA leads a large prosecution office. As Colorado’s U.S. Attorney, I did just that: Over six years, I successfully led the U.S. Attorney’s office. Attorneys General Holder and Lynch recognized my efforts by asking me to chair their national Advisory Committee of U.S. Attorneys.

My wife and I have lived in Denver's Park Hill neighborhood or nearly 30 years, raising three kids, proud DPS graduates. I have spent decades working in Denver’s diverse communities both professionally and personally. I coach the Constitutional Law program at East. I helped found an early childhood nonprofit, Invest in Kids; served on the executive committee of the Colorado Lawyers Committee; and have held leadership roles in the Democratic party, including district co-captain, State Platform chair, and treasurer of AG Weiser’s 2018 campaign. I speak Spanish fluently and have worked extensively with our Spanish speaking community, including as board chair of Escuela de Guadalupe.

I will lead the Denver DA’s office energetically from day one, working with community. All three living Denver DA’s – McCann, Morrissey and Ritter – have endorsed me, along with Denver Mayors Hickenlooper, Webb and Peña.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Community safety depends on earning the trust of the community: I will combine firm, energetic enforcement of the law with aggressive efforts working with the community to prevent crime and improve our criminal justice system.Combatting gun violence is a top priority for me. I will advocate for strengthening our gun laws. I will create a violent crime task force to enforce existing gun laws, and team with federal authorities. And I will work to foster and find funding for youth development programs to keep kids away from guns and violence.

Car and catalytic converter theft has plagued Denver in recent years. I will establish a car theft task force to work directly with city and state task forces, and will focus on organized crime.

On the fentanyl crisis, I will prosecute the cartels bringing drugs into our community, and work to address root causes by expanding drug court, the competency court, and probation programs to get people the treatment they need.Improving our criminal justice system is a top priority for me. As DA, I will expand restorative justice and diversion programs, work to ensure data transparency and the equal application of the law, and work on sentencing reform measures. I strongly support the DA’s Conviction Review Unit, which reviews cases to ensure the integrity of convictions and sentencing.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about keeping our community safe by firm and fair application of the law and working tirelessly with the community to prevent crime. I am also passionate about improving the quality and fairness of our criminal justice system for everyone.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

A District Attorney enforces the criminal law, and has enormous discretion in doing so. That makes the role of the DA crucial to the effective functioning of government and to the rule of law in our country.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Gangbuster, by Alan Prendergast, which describes a Denver DA's fight in the 1920s against organized crime and the KKK; and To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Courage, integrity, judgment, professional experience (here, in prosecution and the legal system), a willingness to listen to and learn from the community, and a relentless work ethic.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Protecting the community by effectively and fairly prosecuting crime, and by working in partnership with the community to prevent crime and improve our criminal justice system.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like to leave a twofold legacy: Much lower crime in Denver, based on a balanced combination of fairly enforcing the law and effectively preventing crime; and a DA's office renowned nationally for the high quality of its work, its fundamental fairness and integrity, and its energy and commitment to public service and the community.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

One Time, One Night by Los Lobos.

What responsibilities of this office do you personally consider the most important?

Seeking to do justice in every case for victims, for the community and doing so fairly and in compliance with the law. The DA must use the wide discretion of the office in charging crimes, arriving at plea resolutions and sentencing recommendations fairly, thoughtfully and effectively.

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

The broader role of the DA in helping develop and implement community safety policy, working with the community, can easily get lost in the daily news on individual cases, but is extremely important.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

Yes. The District Attorney is a lawyer for the people, and has enormous discretion in individual cases and policy setting. Exercising that discretion requires extensive experience in the courts, in public service and in the community.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

Experience, judgment and an abiding sense of justice and fairness for all -- resting on a passionate commitment to the rule of law.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

I have an extensive list of endorsements, including all three living Denver District Attorneys, Democratic District Attorneys around the state, former mayors of Denver and our two US Senators. Additionally, I have earned the support of Pipefitters Local 208, Denver Metro Postal Workers and Denver Area Labor Federation.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

I have spent a professional lifetime prosecuting white collar criminal cases -- financial transparency and government accountability is crucial to me.

Do you support or oppose changes to the current state ballot initiative process? If so, what kind of changes would you consider?

This is not an area over which the DA has authority or responsibility; I do not have changes I would make.

John Walsh did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

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