Daniel Kagan

Daniel Kagan
Member of the Colorado House of Representatives
from the 3rd district
Incumbent
Assumed office
March 30, 2009[1]
Preceded by Anne McGihon
Personal details
Born c. 1953
England
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Faye Kagan
Children Abra
Samantha
Ben
Alma mater Yale Law School
George Washington University
Profession Attorney

Daniel Kagan (born c. 1953[2]) is a state representative in the U.S. state of Colorado. Kagan, an attorney, was appointed by a Democratic Party vacancy committee to the Colorado House of Representatives in March 2009 to fill the vacancy caused by Anne McGihon's resignation. He represents House District 3, which encompasses south Denver.[3]

Contents

Biography

Kagan was raised in England, the son of Holocaust survivors who met in a Nazi concentration camp.[1] He emigrated to the United States in 1975 and became a U.S. citizen in 1984.[4] In 1987, he completed his J.D. from Yale Law School.[5]

Kagan and his wife, Faye,[5] live in Cherry Hills Village, Colorado; they have three children, Ben, Sammy, and Abbie. Ben is an aspiring DJ.[1] Kagan and his wife operated a private law practice specializing in the defense of indigents charged with crime. They also acted for civil plaintiffs in suits against insurance companies and other large corporations. He has worked with the American Civil Liberties Union in the past,[6] and as a pilot and pilot instructor.[1] In 1995, Kagan returned to England for a time to work with his family's failing textile company, helping launch urban renewal projects at former mill sites.[6]

Kagan was a delegate to the 2008 Democratic National Convention and a supporter of Hillary Clinton's campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination. He also served as an attorney for the Clinton campaign in Colorado.[7]

Legislative career

2009 appointment

Rep. Anne McGihon announced that she would resign from the legislature, effective March 27, 2009[8] Kagan, who had already filed to run to replace the term-limited McGihon, declared his candidacy for the vacancy appointment.[2]

A vacancy committee, meeting in the midst of a spring blizzard, elected Kagan to the seat over ten other candidates after three rounds of voting; Kagan edged out blogger and legislative aide Aaron Silverstein in the final round of voting to win the seat.[7] Kagan had volunteered in McGihon's legislative office earlier during the legislative session. He was sworn into office on March 30, 2009.[1]

2010 until today

Kagan defeated Christine Mastin in the 2010 general election for a term that will run through 2012. He serves on the House Finance, and House Judiciary committees. Among the bills he has sponsored into law are measures to preserve low income housing, and measures to assist Colorado school based health centers.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Fender, Jessica (31 March 2009). "New legislator takes seat". The Denver Post. http://www.denverpost.com/statehouse08/ci_12033176. Retrieved 2009-04-03. 
  2. ^ a b Staff Report (30 March 2009). "Green Energy for Schools". Denver Daily News. http://www.thedenverdailynews.com/article.php?aID=3760. Retrieved 2009-04-03. 
  3. ^ "State House District 3". COMaps. http://comaps.org/district03h.html. Retrieved 2007-12-17. 
  4. ^ Luning, Ernest (25 March 2009). "HD 3 vacancy committee set to vote Thursday to replace retiring McGihon down". The Colorado Independent. http://coloradoindependent.com/24943/hd-3-vacancy-committee-set-to-vote-thursday-to-replace-retiring-mcgihon. Retrieved 2009-04-03. 
  5. ^ a b David, Gene (31 March 2009). "From England to Statehouse". Denver Daily News. http://www.thedenverdailynews.com/article.php?aID=3776. Retrieved 2009-04-03. 
  6. ^ a b Sealover, Ed (27 March 2009). "Democrats pick attorney Kagen to replace McGihon in Colorado House". Denver Business Journal. http://www.thedenverdailynews.com/article.php?aID=3760. Retrieved 2009-04-03. 
  7. ^ a b Luning, Ernest (26 March 2009). "HD 3 vacancy committee meets to elect successor to McGihon". The Colorado Independent. http://coloradoindependent.com/25100/liveblog-hd-3-vacancy-committee-meets-to-elect-successor-to-mcgihon. Retrieved 2009-04-03. 
  8. ^ Bartels, Lynn (16 March 2009). "State Rep. McGihon stepping down". Denver Post. http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_11924762. Retrieved 2009-03-16.