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Michelle A. Henry (born 1969) is an American prosecutor who has served as the attorney general of Pennsylvania since 2023. She was appointed to the role by Governor Josh Shapiro to replace him in the role. She previously served under Shapiro as first deputy attorney general, and was the first woman to serve in the role.
Michelle Henry | |
|---|---|
| Attorney General of Pennsylvania | |
| Assumed office March 8, 2023 Acting: January 17 – March 8, 2023 | |
| Governor | Josh Shapiro |
| Preceded by | Josh Shapiro |
| District Attorney of Bucks County | |
| In office January 4, 2008 – January 4, 2010 | |
| Preceded by | Diane Gibbons |
| Succeeded by | David Heckler |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1969 (age 54–55) |
| Political party | Democratic (2023–present) |
| Other political affiliations | Republican (before 2023) |
| Education | Allegheny College (BA) Widener University (JD) |
Originally a member of the Republican Party, Henry formerly served as the district attorney of Bucks County in 2008. She became a Democrat in 2023 after becoming Attorney General.[1] Henry has indicated she will not run for election to a full term in office in the 2024 Attorney General election.[1]
Henry was born c. 1969.[2] She is from Greensburg, Pennsylvania and graduated from Greensburg Salem High School.[1] She completed a bachelor's degree in communication arts with a focus in public speaking at Allegheny College in 1991.[2][3] Henry earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Widener University Commonwealth Law School in 1994.[2] She started her legal career as an intern in the Westmoreland County District Attorney's Office.[1] She clerked for a Lancaster County judge for a year.[3]
Henry was a prosecutor in the Bucks County District Attorney's office for 21 years.[4] She was a Republican.[5][6] In 1998, she became head of the child abuse prosecution.[3] In January 2008, she was appointed as the county's district attorney.[4][7] Henry did not run for election in 2009, instead prosecuting cases as the county's second highest ranking attorney.[4] In December 2016, she was selected by Pennsylvania Attorney General-elect Josh Shapiro as the first deputy attorney general.[4] Beginning in January 2017, she is the first woman to serve in the role.[6]
In January 2023, Henry was selected by now-Governor Shapiro to serve out the final two years of his term as the attorney general.[4][7] She has expressed that she does not view herself as a politician and does not intend to run for election at the end of the term.[1] The Pennsylvania State Senate voted to confirm Henry's appointment on March 8, 2023.[8][9] She was named "Champion of the Year" by the Pennsylvania Court Appointed Special Advocates in April 2023.[10]
On October 11, 2023, Henry issued a statement condemning Hamas following Hamas's attack on Israel.[11]
In 2008, Henry resided in Doylestown Township, Pennsylvania.[5] She lived in the suburbs of Philadelphia for 20 years and as of 2023, resides in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.[1]
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