Democratic Senator Daniel Kagan To Resign

DENVER, CO – By John Herrick for The Colorado Independent. State Sen. Daniel Kagan is resigning from the state legislature after serving for nearly a decade.

The Democrat from Cherry Hills Village said in a statement Wednesday, “it’s time to pass the torch to new leadership.” His statement did not mention his future plans. The resignation is effective Jan. 11.

His statement did not address an accusation that he used a women’s restroom multiple times during the 2017 legislative session, allegations that entangled the senator in controversy for much of the last session.

The decision to resign comes after Democrats retook control of the state Legislature and the governor’s mansion for the first time since 2014. In the Senate, Democrats will have a 19-16 majority when the session gavels in on Jan. 4.

Kagan, who represents the suburbs south of Denver, was appointed to a House seat in 2009 and reelected three times before his election to the Senate in 2016. He served as chair of the House Judiciary Committee and is a member of Senate Judiciary Committee.

The attorney who was born in England focused much of his work in the legislature on criminal justice issues. This record included backing legislation to end the use of jails for mental health holds and opposing funding for expanding state prison capacity.

READ MORE in The Colorado Independent

Sen. Daniel Kagan in the Senate on March 26, 2018. (Photo by John Herrick)