(Attorney General’s Office Press Release, January 27, 2023)
Boise, ID – Today, Attorney General Raúl Labrador announced the members of the Advisory Committee that will conduct an agency-wide evaluation of the Office of Attorney General.
The Advisory Committee will be Co-Chaired by David Leroy, the former Attorney General of Idaho, and Adam Laxalt, the former Attorney General of Nevada. Chief Deputy Attorney General David Dewhirst and Solicitor General Theo Wold will also serve as co-chairs.
Leroy served as Idaho’s Attorney General from 1979 to 1983. He then was elected Lieutenant Governor and served from 1983 to 1987. After serving as Idaho’s Lieutenant Governor, Leroy was later appointed by President George H.W. Bush to serve as the first head of the Office of the United States Nuclear Waste Negotiator. He has since maintained an active, highly respected private practice in Boise.
Laxalt is widely recognized as one of the Nation’s most accomplished Attorneys General, serving from 2015-2019. To protect the interests of Nevadans, and challenge federal overreach, Laxalt created Nevada’s first-ever Federalism Unit, which successfully challenged illegal Obama Administration actions. An Iraq War veteran, Laxalt also created the Office of Military Legal Assistance—a first-of-its-kind program that provides Nevada’s military members with free legal representation.
Committee members, who are all well-regarded members of the legal, law enforcement, and business communities, will provide their professional insight and suggestions for improving the Office of Attorney General. Committee members will participate in interviewing all staff who have expressed interest in continuing to serve. These interviews are designed to ensure that each employee is the right person, with the right experience, in the right job for the People of Idaho.
“This committee is composed of some of the very best leaders in the U.S. and the State of Idaho. These very talented individuals will give a fair and honest assessment of how we can ensure the Office of Attorney General best serves all the people of Idaho. Their help will be instrumental in making sure we have the best team in place moving forward,” said Attorney General Labrador.
Members of the Advisory Committee:
- David Leroy, former Attorney General of Idaho
- Adam Laxalt, former Attorney General of Nevada
- James Alderman, General Counsel, J.R. Simplot Company
- Phil Broadbent, former General Counsel for Scentsy
- Preston Carter, Givens Pursley
- Michael Colby, Colby Nipper
- Maurice Ellsworth, former U.S. Attorney
- Justin Feffer, Instructor, University of Southern California Safe Communities Institute
- Scott Garrett, CEO, Freedom Northwest Credit Union
- Dana Herberholz, Parsons, Behle & Latimer
- Tony Manu, Bannock County Sheriff
- William Myers III, Holland & Hart
- Thomas Perry, Senior Counsel for J.R. Simplot Company
- Melanie Rubocki, Perkins Coie
- Norm Semanko, Parsons, Behle & Latimer
- O.H. Skinner, Executive Director, Alliance for Consumers
- Mark Taylor, Madison County Prosecutor
- Stephen Thomas, Hawley Troxell
- Paul Watkins, Founding Partner, Fusion Law
- Lincoln Wilson, Dechert LLP
- John Zarian, General Counsel, National Comm’n for the Certification of Crane Operators
- Scott Campbell, Chief of the Energy and Natural Resources Division
- Jeff Nye, Chief of the Criminal Division
- David Dewhirst, Chief Deputy Attorney General
- Theo Wold, Solicitor General
