On Monday, Governor Greg Abbott appointed Angela Colmenero as the interim Attorney General of Texas, under Article 15, Section 5 of the Texas Constitution.
The appointment becomes effective on July 14 and follows the departure of John Scott, who the governor appointed as the shortterm interim AG in May.
Abbott said Scott “faithfully executed his duties” and thanked him for his leadership in stepping to serve his fellow Texans.
On the appointment of Colmenero, Abbott said, “Today, under authorities granted by the Texas Constitution, I appoint Angela Colmenero to serve as interim Attorney General of Texas. In addition to her time in the Office of the Governor, Angela served under me in the Texas Attorney General’s Office and has firsthand experience on how the agency operates. Angela’s record of experience in state government and expertise in litigation will help her oversee the Texas Attorney General’s Office and serve as our state’s top law enforcement officer as the Texas Senate conducts impeachment proceedings.”
Colmenero, of Austin, was most recently named as Deputy Chief of Staff last month, following the resignation of Jordan Hale, after serving as principal Deputy General Counsel from 2021. Prior to that role, she served as deputy general counsel to the governor starting in 2018. She previously held various leadership positions for nearly a decade at the Texas Attorney General’s Office, including as Chief of the General Litigation Division and Deputy Chief of the Special Litigation Division.
She is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame Law School and the University of Texas at Austin.