Gov. Mike Dunleavy has named Stephen J. Cox to be Alaska’s next attorney general.
Cox is a member of the Federalist Society, a conservative legal organization, and has experience in the public and private sector.
During his first term, President Donald Trump appointed Cox in 2020 to be the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas, after having served as a deputy associate attorney general in Trump’s Justice Department for about three years.
Most recently, Cox was a senior vice president for Bristol Bay Industrial, a subsidiary of Bristol Bay Native Corporation.
“From his service in the U.S. Department of Justice to his leadership on complex work here in Alaska, Stephen has demonstrated a wide breadth of experience and steadfast dedication to the rule of law,” Dunleavy said in a written statement.
Juneau Democratic Senator Jesse Kiehl co-chairs the Senate Judiciary committee. He said Cox appears to be a new face in Alaska’s legal community, and he hopes the new attorney general is aware of the state’s unique challenges, particularly in rural Alaska.
“Where you know, there's a real dearth of law enforcement, where a substantial portion of the government services people need are delivered through tribes," Kiehl said. "And tribal law in Alaska is different than in most other states.”
Cox is board president of the Thomas More Classical School, a new private Christian School in Anchorage set to open next year. Kiehl said that as state courts weigh the legality of using public dollars for private schools, Cox may face additional scrutiny.
“I suspect that there will be more than one legislator who who is interested in in the designee’s connection to that,” Kiehl said.
Cox replaces Treg Taylor, who announced his retirement earlier this month. Taylor, Dunleavy’s third attorney general, is widely expected to be a Republican candidate for governor.
Dunleavy’s first two attorneys general both left office in disgrace.
Kevin Clarkson resigned in August 2020 after allegations that he sent unwanted text messages to a younger female state worker.
Clarkson was replaced by Ed Sniffen, who resigned 11 days after his January 2021 appointment. Sniffen's resignation came following inquiries from the Anchorage Daily News and ProPublica over allegations of sexual misconduct with an Anchorage high school student three decades earlier.
Cox said in a statement that he’s worked on Alaska issues since 2011 and feels blessed to live in the state full-time.
“The duties are broad, but the role of the Attorney General begins and ends in Alaska and with its people,” Cox said. “It is a privilege to step into this role, and I am committed to serving with fairness and justice.”
Cox is set to start in his position Friday, Taylor’s last day.
Cox’s appointment is subject to approval by the Alaska Legislature, which is set to gavel in to its next session in January.
