Biography of District Attorney Daniel M. Donovan, Jr.

Daniel M. Donovan, Jr. was elected Richmond County District Attorney in November 2003, becoming the first Republican elected District Attorney in New York City in over fifty years. He was overwhelmingly re-elected in 2007 with nearly 70% of the vote, with the endorsement of the Republican, Conservative and Independence parties.

A native Staten Islander, Dan Donovan was educated in local schools and attended St. John´s University where he earned a bachelor´s degree in Criminal Justice. He later attended the Fordham University School of Law as an evening student where he was a member of the Fordham Law Review and earned his Juris Doctorate, with cum laude honors, in 1988.

Prior to being elected District Attorney, Dan Donovan accumulated over two decades of public service to the people of New York. District Attorney Donovan began his career as a prosecutor serving eight years under Manhattan District Attorney Robert M. Morgenthau where he prosecuted major narcotics cases throughout the city and served as senior trial counsel. After leaving District Attorney Morgenthau´s office, Dan Donovan began service to his native Staten Island community in 1996 by serving as Chief of Staff to then-Borough President Guy V. Molinari. In January 2002, Mr. Donovan was appointed Deputy Borough President, serving under Borough President James P. Molinaro.

As a candidate for District Attorney in 2003, Dan Donovan proposed a remarkable agenda for revitalizing an office which had consistently ranked near the bottom of every category measured by the City and State of New York. In the general election, Dan Donovan defeated the Chief Assistant of the outgoing District Attorney, who had held his position for over 20 years.

Under Dan Donovan´s leadership the Staten Island District Attorney´s office has led the City of New York in the conviction of dangerous felons every quarter he has been in office. Donovan´s office has aggressively targeted illegal guns, drunk drivers, sex offenders, domestic violence and those who prey on senior citizens and children. Fulfilling a campaign pledge, Mr. Donovan established the borough´s first formal witness protection program. Dan Donovan´s office has also been in the vanguard of using new technologies and laws to prosecute criminals in our community.

Mr. Donovan has also undertaken an ambitious legislative agenda, calling upon legislators to enact or improve laws where the people of New York are not being adequately protected. Mr. Donovan has been an out-spoken advocate for tougher laws regarding sexual predators, illegal guns, drunk drivers, domestic violence and for repealing the statute of limitations in serious sex offenses.