Shawn Mitchell

For those of a similar name, see Sean Mitchell (disambiguation).
Shawn Mitchell
Member of the Colorado Senate
from the 23rd district
Assumed office
2005
Personal details
Born December 3
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Yvette
Profession attorney
Religion Latter-Day Saint (Mormon)

Shawn Mitchell is a Republican member of the Colorado Senate, representing the 23rd District since 2005. Previously he was a member of the Colorado House of Representatives from 1999 to 2004.

Background

Mitchell received a B.S. magna cum laude from Brigham Young University and graduated from law school at the University of California at Berkeley.

He is now an attorney in a private law practice in Denver and Adams Counties. Mitchell served as Special Counsel to the Colorado Attorney General, where he was a legal policy advisor and one of the top aids to former Colorado Attorney General Gale Norton. He worked on significant litigation, including the Amendment 2 case and First Amendment litigation on issues of church and state. Mitchell also represented Colorado in fighting criminal appeals in the Colorado Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court.

Legislative career

Before serving in the senate, Mitchell served in the Colorado House of Representatives from 1999 to 2004. He was elected in 2005 to serve Senate district 23. Mitchell won his campaign for re-election against Joe Whitcomb in 2008.

Controversy

Mitchell has recently come under fire for "sexist" and "degrading remarks". The comments were made at a formal hearing of the Workers' Compensation committee: Mitchell told a witness, "I just want to pass on a tip that sometimes when I'm in committee and I'm nervous I relieve that by imagining the chairwoman in her underwear." [1]

According to news sources Mitchell apologized saying his remarks were “inappropriate” and “unprofessional”. Senator Morgan Carroll accepted his apology.

Private life

Mitchell is also a columnist for the conservative website Townhall.com. Mitchell is a former Senior Fellow at the Independence Institute, a conservative and free-market think tank in Golden, Colorado Golden. He continues to write and speak often on public policy issues. He is the president of the Colorado Chapter of the Federalist Society. He also served 3 years on the Denver Rocky Mountain News Board of Editorial Contributors.

Mitchell and his wife Yvette have seven children. Their fourth child, Danny, is a wrestler at American University and in 2010 was ranked #19 in the nation at 197 lbs.[2]

Mitchell is an avid and experienced rock climber. In his spare time, he enjoys climbing in Eldorado Canyon.

References

  1. ↑ "Lawmaker Apologizes for Underwear Remark". Channel 13 Denver News. 1999-08-16. Retrieved 2009-10-20.
  2. ↑ Danny Mitchell Wrestling Profile
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