Russell Coleman

Russell Matthew Coleman (born January 3, 1976) is an American attorney and politician who is currently serving as the 52nd Attorney General of Kentucky. He previously served as United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky from 2017 to 2021.

Early life and career

Childhood and early career Russell Matthew Coleman was born in Paducah, Kentucky, on January 3, 1976. He spent his childhood in Mayfield as well as rural Daviess and Logan counties. As a troubled teenager, Coleman's parents sent him to the Oneida Baptist Institute, a boarding school in Clay County. Although he attended Oneida for only a semester, Coleman later recalled that his time at the institute was foundational, and helped him overcome feelings of hopelessness and depression.

After graduation, Coleman moved to Washington D.C., and interned for Senator Mitch McConnell. He returned to Kentucky, and graduated with a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 2004. During this time, he also served as a volunteer assistant commonwealth attorney for Kentucky's 12th Judicial Circuit in Oldham County.

U.S. Attorney (2017–2021) Coleman was sworn in as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky by judge David J. Hale in September 2017. On September 22, 2017, following nomination by President Donald Trump and unanimous confirmation by the U.S. Senate, Coleman was sworn in as the United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky by judge David J. Hale.

In February 2019, Coleman penned a guest column for The Courier-Journal reflecting on the opioid crisis and his firsthand experience viewing an autopsy of a suspected overdose victim. Coleman wrote "I recognize that we will not be able to arrest our way out of the drug crisis. But it is equally true that prevention and treatment alone cannot solve the crisis."

Coleman published a second guest column in The Courier-Journal in July 2019. As the homicide rate in Louisville began to increase, he declared Louisville had a violent crime problem. Coleman promised "a more muscular and visible response by federal law enforcement" but said "arresting our way out of this problem is not, alone, a long-term solution. He cited "historic racism that imposed shameful inequities and structural barriers to inherited wealth and opportunity" as issues to be addressed.

Pegasus Institute co-founder Jordan Harris called Coleman "the best prosecutor in America," writing that as U.S. Attorney, Coleman has gained "unparalleled reverence among law enforcement officials and unparalleled fear among law breakers."

In late 2019, Coleman completed meetings with law enforcement and business leaders in all 53 counties of the Western District of Kentucky. The visits, a first for a sitting U.S. Attorney, culminated with guest columns in multiple Kentucky news outlets including the Courier-Journal and in Kentucky Today, declaring "all Kentucky families deserve protecting." "

Coleman was appointed to President Trump's Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice Law Enforcement Recruitment and Training Working Group in February 2020. The working group heard from experts and practitioners with firsthand experience within law enforcement about best practices, challenges, and innovative strategies to address and enhance law enforcement operations and processes, including the recruitment and training of law enforcement.

As protests, riots, and looting struck Louisville in early June of 2020, Coleman penned an op-ed promising a joint response from federal law enforcement in regards to looting. He promised to protect the rights of protestors and tackle the criminals who used the protests as an opportunity to destroy the community, saying "two groups have emerged: one group, the majority of protesters, are forcefully and peacefully demanding that their voices be heard. A second smaller group consists of criminals using the cover of the protests to burglarize drug stores for their controlled substances and gun shops, loot almost half a dozen ATMs, carjack vehicles and shoot at police. This is violence and mayhem, not constitutionally protected protest." By mid-June multiple people were charged federally including multiple defendants who allegedly robbed a pharmacy, one for carjacking, and at least two others who were convicted felons with firearms."

On January 11, 2021, Coleman announced his resignation effective January 20, 2021. In his resignation letter, he expressed his shock for the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol building, and called for every perpetrator to be brought to justice. He returned to Frost Brown Todd as a partner, and remained with the firm until his election as attorney general in 2023.

Kentucky Attorney General (2024–present)

2023 Kentucky Attorney General election

On May 12, 2022, Coleman launched a campaign for Kentucky Attorney General as a Republican. At his announcement, Coleman received “more than 50 endorsements from prosecutors, law enforcement officials and public figures, including former President Trump’s drug czar, James W. Carroll, former Kentucky Commerce Secretary Jim Host, and Louisville Metro Council Member Anthony Piagentini.” He ran uncontested in the Republican primary on May 16, 2023, and he went to face Democratic nominee Pamela Stevenson in the general election on November 7. Coleman defeated Stevenson, and was elected Kentucky's 52nd attorney general.

2027 Kentucky Attorney General election On June 25, 2026, Coleman formally announced his intent to seek reelection at an event in Oldham County. Joined by former attorney general Daniel Cameron and incumbent commissioner of agriculture Jonathan Shell, Coleman stated that he was beginning his campaign with $500,000 cash on hand. He appointed a team of prosecutors and investigators for the city, with their goal being to go after repeat offenders.

Throughout his tenure, Coleman has advocated for Kentucky to end its pause on executions.

Coleman said his proudest achievement has been starting a grant program administered by the attorney general's office which provides body armor to law enforcement officers. Since receiving a $15 million allocation during the 2024 Kentucky General Assembly, the program has provided over 2,000 protective vests to officers, a number Coleman aims to not only increase in coming years, but also expand in scope to include shields, helmets, and ballistic plates. In June 2026, he also filed suit against prediction market companies Kalshi and Polymarket as well as another online gambling site for attempting to circumvent Kentucky's consumer protection and gaming laws. However, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission quickly filed a federal suit against Coleman and Kentucky, arguing that it has the exclusive jurisdiction to regulate prediction markets, and that the state's laws are unconstitutional.