Colleen Joy Shogan

Born and raised in Greater Pittsburgh, Shogan graduated from Norwin High School.[1] She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Boston College and a PhD in American politics from Yale University.[2]

After earning her PhD, Shogan worked as an associate professor of government and politics at George Mason University. She is the author of Moral Rhetoric of American Presidents, a book on the rhetorical presidency. Shogan later joined the Library of Congress, where she served as assistant deputy for collections and deputy director of the Congressional Research Service. Shogan worked as the vice chair of the Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commission and taught as an adjunct professor in the government department at Georgetown University.[3]

She is the author of eight murder mystery novels, featuring Washington congressional aide Kit Marshall.[4]

The Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee has held two hearings to consider Ms. Shogan's nomination.

In the first hearing, held September 21, 2022, Shogan was questioned by Republican senators about a published scholarly article in which it appeared that she had disparaged several former Republican presidents. She also answered questions regarding the National Archives' role in the recovery of documents from former president Donald Trump's Florida home.[5][6][7] Shogan defended her writing by stating that the senators were taking the specific statements out of context and that the article was intended to show favorably how the former presidents had used specific rhetoric to more effectively communicate with voters. The panel deadlocked in a 7-7 party-line vote and did not advance Shogan's nomination.

In the second hearing, held February 28, 2023, senators again considered her fitness for the role of Archivist of the United States.[8][9][10]

While testifying before the Senate, Senator Josh Hawley brought to the attention of the Senate that, during her September 2022 statements to Senator Portman, she was asked about Twitter statements she's made, which were described as inappropriate and partisan. She asserted that all of her posts were about her dog and her mystery novels. she was read her posts individually by Hawley. She refused to answer questions about these posts.

After the February 28 hearing, it was reported that Senator Hawley had received credible allegations from an unnamed whistleblower who "alleges that Dr. Shogan engaged in a pattern of abusive, retaliatory, and partisan conduct during her time at the Congressional Research Service (CRS), where she directly supervised the whistleblower."[11][12] It was further reported that the allegations were shared with all members of the committee.

On March 15, 2023, the committee voted 8-4 to favorably report Shogan's nomination to the full Senate for consideration.[13]