Peter Groff
Encyclopedia
Peter C. Groff is a member of the Obama administration and a former Colorado
legislator and President of the Colorado Senate. An attorney
, public servant, and political veteran, Groff was elected as a Democrat to the Colorado House of Representatives in 2000, then re-elected in 2002. In 2003, he was appointed to the Colorado Senate, where he represented Senate District 33, which includes northeastern Denver, Colorado
. Groff was the first African-American to serve as Colorado Senate
president pro tem
and Senate President. In May 2009, he was selected by President Barack Obama
to head the faith- based-initiatives center for the U.S. secretary of education.
from the University of Redlands
in 1985 and a J.D.
from the University of Denver
College of Law in 1992. He worked as an assistant to Denver
city council member Allegra Haynes from 1991 to 1994 and then for Denver mayor Wellington Webb
from 1994 to 1997. In 1997, Groff helped found the Center for African American Policy at the University of Denver
, and, since then, has served as the center's executive director, in addition to worked as an attorney with Vaden and Evans, LLC.
Groff is married; his wife, Rev. Regina C. Groff, is pastor of Campbell Chapel AME Church in Denver, and they have two children, Malachi Charles and Moriah Cherie.
In 2000, Groff ran for, and was elected to, the Colorado House of Representatives. After being re-elected in 2002, Groff was appointed to the Colorado Senate in February 2003 to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Sen. Penfield Tate; he became only the 6th African-American state senator in Colorado history, occupying the Senate seat previous held by his father, Sen. Regis Groff.
Sometimes called the "Conscience of the Senate", and regarded as a "pragmatic and deliberative" leader, Groff was named Senate president pro tem
in 2005. Following the resignation of Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald
in November 2007, Groff was tapped to become Senate President, and had already begun handling some of Fitz-Gerald's responsibilities during her Congressional campaign. Groff formally assumed the role of Senate President in January 2008, at the start of the legislative session. He is the highest-ranking African-American elected official in Colorado, and is the first to lead either chamber of the Colorado General Assembly
.
In the 2007 session of the Colorado Legislature, Groff was a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, the Senate Legal Services Committee, and was the chair of the Senate State, Veterans & Military Affairs Committee.
After Senator
Ken Salazar
was tapped by President-Elect
Barack Obama
to be United States Secretary of the Interior
, a number of names came up as a possible replacements for Salazar to be appointed by Governor
Bill Ritter, and Groff was among the names.
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
legislator and President of the Colorado Senate. An attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, public servant, and political veteran, Groff was elected as a Democrat to the Colorado House of Representatives in 2000, then re-elected in 2002. In 2003, he was appointed to the Colorado Senate, where he represented Senate District 33, which includes northeastern Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
. Groff was the first African-American to serve as Colorado Senate
president pro tem
President pro tempore
A President pro tempore is a constitutionally recognized officer of a legislative body who presides over the chamber in the absence of the normal presiding officer...
and Senate President. In May 2009, he was selected by President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
to head the faith- based-initiatives center for the U.S. secretary of education.
Early career
Born in Chicago, Illinois, Groff earned a bachelor's degree in communications with a minor in political sciencePolitical science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
from the University of Redlands
University of Redlands
The University of Redlands is a private liberal arts and sciences university located in Redlands, California. The university's campus sits on near downtown Redlands. The university was founded in 1907 and was associated with the American Baptist Church. The land for the university was donated by...
in 1985 and a J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from the University of Denver
University of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
College of Law in 1992. He worked as an assistant to Denver
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
city council member Allegra Haynes from 1991 to 1994 and then for Denver mayor Wellington Webb
Wellington Webb
Wellington E. Webb is a former mayor of Denver, Colorado. He is a graduate of the city's Manual High School. He was Denver's first African-American Mayor.Webb served as mayor of Denver for 12 years, from 1991 to 2003...
from 1994 to 1997. In 1997, Groff helped found the Center for African American Policy at the University of Denver
University of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
, and, since then, has served as the center's executive director, in addition to worked as an attorney with Vaden and Evans, LLC.
Groff is married; his wife, Rev. Regina C. Groff, is pastor of Campbell Chapel AME Church in Denver, and they have two children, Malachi Charles and Moriah Cherie.
Political career
Groff managed or worked on a number of Colorado political campaigns during the 1990s; he was deputy political director for Roy Romer's 1994 gubernatorial campaign, and chaired the 1998 Denver Public Schools Mill Levy and Bond Campaign and managed Denver councilwoman Allegra Haynes 1999 re-election campaign.In 2000, Groff ran for, and was elected to, the Colorado House of Representatives. After being re-elected in 2002, Groff was appointed to the Colorado Senate in February 2003 to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Sen. Penfield Tate; he became only the 6th African-American state senator in Colorado history, occupying the Senate seat previous held by his father, Sen. Regis Groff.
Sometimes called the "Conscience of the Senate", and regarded as a "pragmatic and deliberative" leader, Groff was named Senate president pro tem
President pro tempore
A President pro tempore is a constitutionally recognized officer of a legislative body who presides over the chamber in the absence of the normal presiding officer...
in 2005. Following the resignation of Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald
Joan Fitz-Gerald
Joan Fitz-Gerald was a Democratic member of the Colorado Senate, representing the 16th District since 2001. She served as President of the Senate, the first woman to hold that office....
in November 2007, Groff was tapped to become Senate President, and had already begun handling some of Fitz-Gerald's responsibilities during her Congressional campaign. Groff formally assumed the role of Senate President in January 2008, at the start of the legislative session. He is the highest-ranking African-American elected official in Colorado, and is the first to lead either chamber of the Colorado General Assembly
Colorado General Assembly
The Colorado General Assembly is the state legislature of the State of Colorado.-Constitutional definition:The Colorado Constitution establishes a system of government based on the separation of powers doctrine with power divided among three "departments": executive, legislative and judicial...
.
In the 2007 session of the Colorado Legislature, Groff was a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, the Senate Legal Services Committee, and was the chair of the Senate State, Veterans & Military Affairs Committee.
After Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
Ken Salazar
Ken Salazar
Kenneth Lee "Ken" Salazar is the current United States Secretary of the Interior, in the administration of President Barack Obama. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as a United States Senator from Colorado from 2005 to 2009. He and Mel Martinez were the first Hispanic U.S...
was tapped by President-Elect
President-elect
An -elect is a political candidate who has been elected to an office but who has not yet been sworn in or officially taken office. These may include an incoming president, senator, representative, governor and mayor.Analogously, the term "designate" An -elect is a political candidate who has been...
Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
to be United States Secretary of the Interior
United States Secretary of the Interior
The United States Secretary of the Interior is the head of the United States Department of the Interior.The US Department of the Interior should not be confused with the concept of Ministries of the Interior as used in other countries...
, a number of names came up as a possible replacements for Salazar to be appointed by Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
Bill Ritter, and Groff was among the names.