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Phil Weiser

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Phil Weiser
39th Attorney General of Colorado
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 8, 2019
GovernorJared Polis
Preceded byCynthia Coffman
15th Dean of the University of Colorado Law School
In office
June 2011 – July 2016
Preceded byDavid Getches
Succeeded byJames Anaya
Personal details
Born (1968-05-10) May 10, 1968 (age 56)
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
Heidi Wald
​
(m. 2002)​
EducationSwarthmore College (BA)
New York University (JD)

Philip Jacob Weiser (born May 10, 1968) is an American lawyer and politician who has served as the 39th Attorney General of Colorado since 2019. He is the Hatfield Professor of Law and Telecommunications, executive director and Founder of the Silicon Flatirons Center for Law, Technology, and Entrepreneurship, and Dean Emeritus at the University of Colorado Law School.[1] He previously served in the Obama and Clinton Administrations in the White House and Justice Department.[2][3] A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected Attorney General for the State of Colorado in the 2018 election, defeating Republican George Brauchler on November 6, 2018.[4] He was re-elected in 2022.[5]

Early life and education

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Weiser was born to an Ashkenazi Jewish family. His grandparents survived the Holocaust, and his mother, Estare, was born in the Buchenwald concentration camp in 1945.[6][7]

After high school, Weiser studied political science at Swarthmore College, graduating in 1990 with a Bachelor of Arts with high honors. He then attended the New York University School of Law, where he was an Articles Editor for the New York University Law Review. He graduated from NYU Law in 1994 with a Juris Doctor degree and Order of the Coif honors.[8][9]

Academic and federal government career

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Law clerk and Clinton administration

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After graduating, Weiser served as law clerk to Judge David Ebel of the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals from September 1994 to August 1995. He was then a law clerk to Justices Byron R. White and Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the U.S. Supreme Court from September 1995 to August 1996. Following his clerkships, he was senior counsel to Joel Klein, the Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department's Antitrust Division from 1996 to 1998.[1]

Academia career

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In 1999, Weiser joined the University of Colorado Law School in Boulder as a professor of law and telecommunications. There, Weiser established the national center of excellence in telecommunications and technology law and founded the Journal on Telecommunications & High Technology Law.[1][10] He also founded the Silicon Flatirons Center for Law, Technology, and Entrepreneurship and he wrote and taught in the areas of competition policy, innovation policy, and Internet policy.[11][1][12]

From June 2011 through July 2016, Weiser served as the fifteenth dean of the law school,[13][14] and he was named one of the National Jurist's most influential leaders in legal education.[15] Through the Silicon Flatirons Center, Weiser developed a range of programs to build up CU Boulder's support for entrepreneurship and has linked it to the local startup community.[16][17] Some of the initiatives include Tech Lawyer Accelerator, the Corporate Counsel Intensive Institute and the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative.[18][19]

Obama administration

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Weiser and his family with President Obama in the Oval Office

In 2009, President Barack Obama appointed Weiser as Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Justice Department's Antitrust Division.[20][21] He took the post in July 2009, taking a leave of absence from the University of Colorado Law School.[22] In 2010, President Obama named him senior advisor for technology and innovation to the National Economic Council Director, and he participated in a series of policy initiatives.[23][24][25][26]

Attorney General of Colorado

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Main article: 2018 Colorado Attorney General election

Elections

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Colorado Attorney General Election, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Democrat Phil Weiser 1,281,916 51.6
Republican George Brauchler 1,120,834 45.1
Libertarian William Robinson 81,222 3.3

Weiser was elected Attorney General for the State of Colorado in the 2018 election, defeating Republican George Brauchler on November 6, 2018.[4] Weiser took office in January 2019, becoming the first Democratic Colorado Attorney General in 15 years. Later that same month, Weiser withdrew Colorado from a lawsuit that his predecessor, Republican Cynthia Coffman, had filed against the Clean Power Plan.[27]

In the 2022 Colorado Attorney General election, Weiser was re-elected for a second term, defeating Republican challenger John Kellner and winning over 54% of votes cast.[5]

Tenure

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Catholic Church investigation

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On October 23, 2019, Weiser released the results of an eight-month investigation revealing that 43 Catholic clergy were credibly accused of sexually abusing at least 166 children throughout the state of Colorado since 1950.[28] On October 16, 2020, it was revealed that all three of Colorado's Catholic Dioceses, the Archdiocese of Denver, the Diocese of Colorado Springs, and Diocese of Pueblo, had paid $6.6 million in compensation to 81 victims of clergy sex abuse within the past year, regardless of how long ago the abuse happened.[29]

On December 1, 2020, Weiser's final report revealed that there were an additional 9 credibly accused clergy and 46 alleged victims in both in the Archdiocese of Denver and its suffragan Diocese of Pueblo.[30][31] Statewide, 52 Colorado Catholic priests were named in Weiser's final report as committing acts of sex abuse.[32][33] Prominent Archdiocese of Denver priest Fr. Charles B. Woodrich, also known as "Father Woody," was among those listed.[30][34] Father Woody was known for his work in local homeless shelters.[30][34]

Personal life

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In 2002, Weiser married Heidi Wald, a physician, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and they now live together with their two children in Denver.[35][36]

Selected publications

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Books

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  • Phil Weiser & Jon Nuechterlein, Digital Crossroads: American Telecommunications Policy in the Internet Age (MIT Press 2013) ISBN 9780262140911.[37]
  • Phil Weiser, Stuart Benjamin, Howard Shelanski & James Speta, Telecommunications Law and Policy (Carolina Academic Press 2012) ISBN 978-1-61163-691-8.[38]
  • Phil Weiser, The Jury and Democracy: How Jury Deliberation Promotes Civic Engagement and Political Participation (Oxford University Press 2010) ISBN 0195377311.[39]

Articles

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d Professor Philip J. Weiser faculty profile. University of Colorado. Retrieved September 15, 2017.
  2. ^ Anas, Brittany (April 22, 2009). "CU law professor appointed to Justice Department's antitrust division". Daily Camera. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
  3. ^ "Federal Communications Commission Process Reform Act of 2012". Congressional Record, 112th Congress, 2nd Session. 158 (50): H1610. March 27, 2012. Retrieved September 16, 2017. Former White House adviser Philip Weiser
  4. ^ a b "Salazar Concedes; Phil Weiser To Face George Brauchler For Attorney General In November". Colorado Public Radio. July 2, 2018. Retrieved July 4, 2018.
  5. ^ a b Sherry, Allison (November 8, 2022). "Phil Weiser wins a second term as Colorado attorney general". Colorado Public Radio. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
  6. ^ Luning, Ernest (February 22, 2018). "Holocaust survivor Estare Weiser featured in ad for her son Phil Weiser's attorney general campaign". Colorado Politics. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
  7. ^ Young, Lisa (July 24, 2017). "Attorney General candidate Phil Weiser stumps in Sterling". Journal-Advocate (Sterling, CO). Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  8. ^ "Philip Weiser '94 named dean of the University of Colorado Law School". NYU Law School News. May 31, 2011. Retrieved September 13, 2017.
  9. ^ "Masthead for 1993-94, Vol 68-69". New York University Law Review. Retrieved September 15, 2017.
  10. ^ Journal on Telecommunications and High Technology Law. jthtl.org.
  11. ^ Kata, Sarah (January 20, 2017). "Phil Weiser to lead new innovation, entrepreneurship initiative at CU Boulder". Daily Camera. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
  12. ^ Weiser, Phil (May 11, 2011). "Boulder is for Startups". Obama Whitehouse Archive. Retrieved September 15, 2017. having worked at the University of Colorado Law School and run the Silicon Flatirons Center for Law, Technology, and Entrepreneurship from 1999 until joining the Obama Administration in 2009
  13. ^ Anas, Brittany (May 31, 2011). "CU-Boulder names Phil Weiser dean of law school". Daily Camera. Retrieved September 13, 2017.
  14. ^ Mendoza, Monica (August 24, 2015). "CU Law School Dean Weiser stepping down". Denver Business Journal. Retrieved September 16, 2017. He also organized the Gathering of the Bench and Bar Conference, worked with the White Center to establish the Stevens Lecture, which brought four Supreme Court Justices to Colorado Law
  15. ^ "25 Finalists Named to Most Influential in Legal Education". The National Jurist. November 28, 2012. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
  16. ^ "Weiser to lead Innovation and Entrepreneurship initiative". CU Boulder Today. January 19, 2017. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
  17. ^ Kuta, Sarah (January 20, 2017). "Phil Weiser to lead new innovation, entrepreneurship initiative at CU Boulder". Daily Camera. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
  18. ^ "Inside Clinton's tech policy circle". POLITICO. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
  19. ^ "Philip Weiser to step down as dean of the University of Colorado Law School". CU Boulder Today. August 24, 2015. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
  20. ^ Chopra, Aneesh (March 24, 2010). "Providing Leadership on Standards to Address National Challenges". Obama White House Archives. Retrieved September 15, 2017. Philip Weiser, Deputy Assistant Attorney General for International, Policy and Appellate Matters, Department of Justice
  21. ^ "Press release: Professor Weiser Appointed to Justice Department's Antitrust Division". University of Colorado Law School. April 22, 2009. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
  22. ^ Anas, Brittany (May 31, 2011). "CU-Boulder names Phil Weiser dean of law school". Daily Camera. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
  23. ^ "American Association for the Advancement of Science Agenda" (PDF). Obama White House Archives. December 16, 2010. Retrieved September 15, 2017. Phil Weiser, Senior Advisor for Technology and Innovation to the National Economic Council Director
  24. ^ Chopra, Aneesh (June 15, 2010). "Innovation for America: Technology for Economic Growth and Empowering Americans". Obama White House Archives. Retrieved September 15, 2017. Phil Weiser, Senior Advisor for Technology and Innovation to the National Economic Council Director
  25. ^ Moore, Tom (April 29, 2010). "Phil Weiser appointed as White House Senior Advisor for Technology and Innovation". TimesArrow. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
  26. ^ "President Obama Details Plan to Win the Future through Expanded Wireless Access". Obama White House Archives. February 10, 2011. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
  27. ^ Elliott, Dan (January 30, 2019). "With Democrats in charge, Colorado now backs clean air rule". AP NEWS. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
  28. ^ Schmelzer, Elise (October 24, 2019). "Investigator finds 43 Catholic priests in Colorado sexually abused at least 166 children". The Denver Post.
  29. ^ Padilla, Anica (October 16, 2020). "Catholic Dioceses In Colorado Pay $6.6 Million To Sex Abuse Survivors". CBS 4 Denver. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
  30. ^ a b c Schmelzer, Elise (December 1, 2020). "Further investigation into Colorado Catholic Church IDs 46 more victims, 9 more abusive priests — including Denver's Father Woody". Denver Post. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
  31. ^ Sherry, Allison (December 1, 2020). "Final State Report Concludes More Than 200 Colorado Children Were Abused By Priests, Catholic Church Vows Reform". CPR News. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
  32. ^ Julie Asher, Catholic News Service (December 7, 2020). "Colorado report names nine more priests accused of abusing minors decades ago". Union of Catholic Asian News. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
  33. ^ Paul, Jesse; Brown, Jennifer (December 1, 2020). "52 Catholic priests in Colorado, including iconic Father Woody, abused 212 victims, further investigation finds". The Colorado Sun. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
  34. ^ a b Padilla, Anica (December 1, 2020). "Father Woody Among 9 Additional Priests Named In New Colorado Child Sex Abuse Report". CBS 4 Denver. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
  35. ^ Frank, John (May 11, 2017). "Phil Weiser announces bid for Colorado attorney general with big-time endorsement". The Denver Post. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
  36. ^ "Weddings/Celebrations: Heidi Wald, Philip Weiser". New York Times. November 10, 2002. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  37. ^ Digital Crossroads. MIT Press. February 4, 2005. ISBN 9780262140911. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
  38. ^ Telecommunications Law and Policy. Retrieved June 13, 2017. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  39. ^ The Jury and Democracy: How Jury Deliberation Promotes Civic Engagement and Political Participation. Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press. November 10, 2010. ISBN 9780195377316.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Phil Weiser.
Academic offices
Preceded by Dean of the University of Colorado Law School
2011–2016 		Succeeded by
Legal offices
Preceded by Attorney General of Colorado
2019–present 		Incumbent
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