AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has appointed Angela Colmenero to serve as the new interim attorney general, effective July 14.
Colmenero will replace John Scott, who was appointed by Abbott on May 31 after Attorney General Ken Paxton was suspended from office following his impeachment in the Texas House of Representatives on May 27.
Abbott released a statement on Scott's departure and Colmenero's elevation to the role of interim attorney general:
"John Scott faithfully executed his duties as the interim attorney general of Texas, and I thank him for his leadership in stepping up to serve his fellow Texans in this role. 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, an Austin native, has served as Abbott's deputy chief of staff since November 2021 and was the principal deputy general counsel to the governor from September 2018 until filling that role.
Colmenero 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 University of Texas at Austin graduate and earned her law degree from the University of Notre Dame Law School.
The reason behind Scott's departure is currently unclear.