Ken Salazar
Kenneth Lee Salazar (born March 2, 1955) is an American lawyer, politician, and diplomat who is the United States ambassador to Mexico. He previously served as the 50th United States Secretary of the Interior in the administration of President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously was a United States Senator from Colorado from 2005 to 2009. He and Mel Martínez (R-Florida) were the first Hispanic U.S. senators since 1977; they were joined by Bob Menendez (D-New Jersey) in 2006. Prior to his election to the U.S. Senate, he served as Attorney General of Colorado from 1999 to 2005.
Ken Salazar | |
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Salazar in 2022 | |
| United States Ambassador to Mexico | |
| Assumed office September 14, 2021 | |
| President | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Christopher Landau |
| 50th United States Secretary of the Interior | |
| In office January 20, 2009 – April 12, 2013 | |
| President | Barack Obama |
| Deputy | David J. Hayes |
| Preceded by | Dirk Kempthorne |
| Succeeded by | Sally Jewell |
| United States Senator from Colorado | |
| In office January 3, 2005 – January 20, 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Ben Campbell |
| Succeeded by | Michael Bennet |
| 36th Attorney General of Colorado | |
| In office January 12, 1999 – January 3, 2005 | |
| Governor | Bill Owens |
| Preceded by | Gale Norton |
| Succeeded by | John Suthers |
| Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources | |
| In office 1990–1994 | |
| Governor | Roy Romer |
| Preceded by | Hamlet Barry |
| Succeeded by | James Lochhead |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Kenneth Lee Salazar March 2, 1955 Alamosa, Colorado, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Hope Hernandez |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | John Salazar (brother) |
| Education | Colorado College (BA) University of Michigan (JD) |
| Occupation |
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| Signature | |
On December 17, 2008, President-elect Obama announced he would nominate Salazar as U.S. secretary of the interior. The environmentalist movement's reaction to this nomination was mixed. Previously, Salazar supported the nomination of Gale Norton to Secretary of the Interior, President George W. Bush's first appointee who preceded Salazar as Colorado Attorney General. On January 20, 2009, Salazar was confirmed by unanimous consent in the Senate.
On January 16, 2013, it was reported that Salazar planned to resign his post as Secretary of the Interior in March 2013, but his resignation was delayed pending Senate confirmation of his successor, Sally Jewell. On June 10, 2013, he became a partner in the major international law firm of WilmerHale, and was tasked with opening a Denver office for the firm. On August 16, 2016, Salazar was appointed to head presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's transition team.
In May 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Salazar as the United States ambassador to Mexico. His nomination was confirmed by a voice vote in the United States Senate on August 11, 2021.