Steve Mulroy

Current office and 2026 campaign

Steve Mulroy, a member of the Democratic Party, currently serves as the District Attorney General for Shelby County, Tennessee ¹. He assumed office on September 1, 2022, following his victory in the general election held on August 4, 2022, where he defeated incumbent Republican Amy Weirich with approximately 56% of the vote ⁶⁹. His current term is scheduled to end on September 1, 2030 ¹.

Mulroy’s 2022 campaign focused heavily on criminal justice reform and addressing crime in Memphis, positioning himself as a change from the previous administration's policies ⁴. During the race, he received endorsements from prominent figures, including Bianca Austin, the aunt of Breonna Taylor, who appeared with him to highlight issues regarding police accountability ¹¹. The election was widely characterized as historic, marking the first time a Democrat had been elected to the position in decades ⁸.

Since taking office, Mulroy has overseen an office staffed by 238 employees, including more than 110 prosecutors ³. His tenure has been marked by policy shifts, such as requiring Deputy D.A. approval for dismissals in attempted murder cases and restricting straight probation for aggravated assaults involving firearms ⁵. He has also faced political opposition from Republican state legislators who have introduced bills to audit his office or remove him from power, citing concerns over his sentencing practices and the prosecution of cases related to the Memphis Safe Task Force ¹²¹³¹⁶. Mulroy has refuted claims that he is failing to prosecute violent crime, stating that his office prosecutes gun cases regularly while making case-by-case decisions regarding rehabilitation ¹⁷.

In February 2024, Mulroy denied allegations that his 2022 campaign was funded by billionaire George Soros, a claim advanced by the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund ¹⁴. While he has previously expressed interest in higher office, such as Shelby County Mayor, no official announcement regarding a specific campaign for the District Attorney General position in 2026 has been confirmed in the provided sources.

Background and education

Steven J. Mulroy was born in New York City on April 9, 1964 ². He was raised in Brooklyn, New York, and spent his high school years living in Gulf Breeze, Florida ². Mulroy attended Cornell University, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree with Distinction in All Subjects ³. He subsequently earned his Juris Doctor from the College of William & Mary Law School, graduating Order of the Coif ³.

Career

Steve Mulroy received a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University, graduating with distinction in all subjects, and earned his J.D. from William & Mary Law School, where he graduated Order of the Coif ¹²³. Prior to his election as district attorney, he worked as a federal prosecutor and served as a law professor at the University of Memphis ¹²¹⁹.

In the 1990s, Mulroy served in the U.S. Justice Department in Washington, D.C., first as a civil rights litigator and later as a federal prosecutor ³. He also served on the Shelby County Commission for District 5 from 2006 to 2014 ²¹⁸.

Office history

Steve Mulroy served as a member of the Shelby County Commission for District 5 from 2006 to 2014 ². Prior to his election to the county commission, he worked as a law professor at the University of Memphis and served in the U.S. Justice Department in Washington, D.C., first as a civil rights litigator and later as a federal prosecutor ³.

Mulroy announced his campaign for Shelby County District Attorney General in December 2021, challenging incumbent Republican Amy Weirich ¹⁸. In the general election held on August 4, 2022, Mulroy defeated Weirich with approximately 56% to 42% of the vote, becoming the first Democrat elected to the position in decades ⁴⁹¹⁰. He was sworn into office on September 1, 2022, for an eight-year term that ends on September 1, 2030 ¹⁶. As District Attorney General, Mulroy oversees a staff of 238, including more than 110 prosecutors ³.

Legislative record and accomplishments

Steve Mulroy’s legislative record prior to his election as District Attorney General includes his service on the Shelby County Commission for District 5 from 2006 to 2014 ². During his tenure as a commissioner, he attempted to reverse or re-examine a vote that had stripped funding from Planned Parenthood, though the effort failed with only one other Democrat voting in support while others abstained ¹⁵.

As District Attorney General, Mulroy has implemented specific policy changes within his office’s operations. In his first annual report covering September 2022 to September 2023, he highlighted that deputy district attorneys must now approve any dismissal of cases involving attempted murder or aggravated assault ⁵. Additionally, the office adopted a policy refusing straight probation for aggravated assaults where a gun is pointed at another person ⁵. Mulroy has stated that his focus is on making the justice system fairer to improve street safety, noting that he prosecutes gun cases while making case-by-case decisions to distinguish between violent offenders and those potentially amenable to rehabilitation ⁴, ¹⁷.

Mulroy’s tenure has been marked by significant political opposition from state legislators. Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton and State Senator Brent Taylor have sought his removal from office, with Taylor filing a Senate Joint Resolution to oust him ¹⁶, ¹⁷. The Tennessee House of Representatives passed a bill that would allow the state attorney general to audit and potentially replace Mulroy if he is deemed too soft on crime ¹². These legislative efforts followed criticism regarding the sentencing outcomes of cases handled by the Memphis Safe Task Force, with senators demanding answers over low felony sentencing rates ¹³. In response to backlash regarding racial disparities in his office's policies, specifically concerning convicted felons possessing firearms, Mulroy ended a planned diversion program but continued to face calls for his removal ¹⁶.

Documented disputes and controversies

Steve Mulroy’s 2022 campaign for Shelby County District Attorney General featured a contentious race against incumbent Amy Weirich, characterized by clashes over abortion prosecutions and sentencing laws ⁷. During the campaign, Mulroy received endorsements from prominent national figures and members of Families United, including Bianca Austin, the aunt of Breonna Taylor, who advocated for electing officials supportive of Black and brown communities ¹¹. The election resulted in a decisive victory for Mulroy, who received 56% to 58% of the vote depending on the reporting stage, defeating Weirich, who held the seat for 11 years but did not immediately concede ⁶⁹¹⁰.

Following his election, claims emerged that Mulroy’s campaign was funded by financier George Soros, a label often applied to prosecutors backed by Soros or related political action committees ¹⁴. Mulroy denied these funding claims after the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund revealed Soros as a possible donor ¹⁴.

Mulroy faced significant legislative backlash regarding his prosecution policies, particularly concerning cases involving the Memphis Safe Task Force and gun possession. In response to a letter from Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn and State Senator Brent Taylor demanding answers about low sentencing rates in felony cases, Mulroy refuted claims that he was failing to prosecute these matters ¹³. The Tennessee House of Representatives passed a bill that would allow the state attorney general to audit or potentially replace Mulroy if he was deemed "too soft on crime" ¹².

Republican State Senator Brent Taylor intensified efforts to remove Mulroy from office, filing a Senate Joint Resolution for his ouster after Mulroy ended a planned diversion program for racial disparities in gun cases ¹⁶. Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton also sought Mulroy’s removal, prompting Mulroy to respond that legislators needed to review the facts before making decisions, asserting that his office was prosecuting gun cases on a case-by-case basis to distinguish between violent offenders and those potentially eligible for rehabilitation ¹⁷.

Family

Steve Mulroy has been married to Amy Birkimer since 1991 ². The provided sources do not contain information regarding their children or other family members in politics that are publicly notable figures.

Sources