Vermont Business Magazine Christina Nolan, former United States Attorney in Vermont, announced today that she will run for US Senate as a Republican. After leaving the US Attormey's office, Nolan, 42, joined the Burlington-based law firm Sheehey Furlong & Behm PC last April. US Senator Patrick Leahy announced his retirement in November. The result of which was a number of political moves, including the subsequent announcement by Congressman Peter Welch that he would run for the Senate this year and the announcements by several Democratic women their intention to run for Congress. Vermont has never sent a woman to Congress.
Governor Scott, at his weekly press briefing today, said he would support Nolan's candidacy over Democratic Congressman Welch. Scott and Senator Leahy had recommended Nolan's appointment to President Trump when she became US Attorney in 2017. As is customary, US attorneys resign when there is a change of president.
Scott said, "I was very pleased to see her step up. She's a viable candidate. She has a wealth of experience and the right demeanor."
He said, of course, other Republicans could jump into the race. He said he's had a good relationship with Welch going back to their days in the state Senate.
Background from campaign website
A lifelong Vermonter, Christina Nolan is a former United States Attorney who was recommended with bipartisan support from US Senator Patrick Leahy and Governor Phil Scott and confirmed unanimously by the United States Senate – the first woman to hold the position in state history. As Vermont’s top law enforcement officer, Nolan led a team of more than 50 people, including prosecutors and support staff, protecting the safety and well-being of all Vermonters, with a focus on combatting the state’s raging opiate crisis.
Under Nolan’s leadership, the U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted a series of multimillion dollar fraudsters and white-collar criminals, including those in the Northeast Kingdom who perpetrated the EB-5 Ponzi scheme. Her office led the investigation that uncovered an illegal kickback scheme perpetrated by Purdue Pharma to overprescribe highly addictive opioid pain killers. The investigation secured a historic felony conviction and resulted in a settlement of $8.3 billion – the largest ever levied against a pharmaceutical manufacturer.
In her mission to address the growing drug crisis, Nolan chaired the Justice Department’s controlled substances committee, during which she gave trailblazing testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee about the devastating effects of fentanyl.
Nolan also prioritized the range of issues affecting women in Vermont. She used existing federal gun laws to charge domestic abusers, co-chaired the Vermont Human Trafficking Task Force, and co-chaired the Justice Department’s initiative to combat sexual harassment in housing. She also proudly coordinated a group effort, involving the nonprofit organization Jenna’s Promise to open a first of its kind living and working facility for women recovering from violence, trauma, and substance use disorder.
Nolan previously served in Vermont U.S. Attorney’s Office under the Obama Administration as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, focusing her efforts on prosecuting criminal cases involving child exploitation, violent crime, and the trafficking of opioids and other deadly drugs.
Nolan graduated summa cum laude from the University of Vermont and earned her Juris Doctor degree from Boston College Law School where she was a Senior Editor at the BC Law Review.
A third generation Vermonter, Nolan is a native of Westford. She is an avid runner and won a Vermont State Championship at Rice Memorial High School.
Today she lives in Burlington with Jill, her partner of 16 years, and their beloved orange cat, Hank Thomas Nolan.