Former Colorado district attorney disciplined after lashing out against his office in text message

The former district attorney for Colorado's 22nd Judicial District, Christian Hatfield, has been disciplined by state regulators after texting a staff member at the DA's office in 2024 and calling the office a "pile of steaming diarrhea and hatred," according to state disciplinary documents obtained by CBS News Colorado.

Colorado Governor Jared Polis appointed Hatfield as district attorney in April 2023, covering Montezuma and Dolores counties in southwestern Colorado. According to the disciplinary order, in December of 2024, Hatfield texted a staff member after hours and made the remarks.

The order says Hatfield also said there was nothing another worker "can do to fix the seething hatred."

"All he can do is ask for mercy, as your husband must do, childless," Hatfield added. "It will go on and on without surcease or sorrow and then nothing. Don't tell them. Without children or hope and with hearts full of hate, there is nothing. Not even death will make it better. Only tiny lives, full of tiny resentments nobody cares about in Cortez, Colorado. You cultivate them, but you know. There is nothing to love, ever. Those who don't understand loving our children all day have nothing, just judgment and emptiness". 

State regulators said Hatfield's text message "caused the staff member emotional harm."

He was also found to have violated attorney rules in two other cases, leading to the discipline.

The state discipline calls for a six-month license suspension for Hatfield, which will be stayed if he successfully completes two years of probation, which takes effect Jan. 13, 2026.

Hatfield did not respond to calls, text messages, or an email from CBS Colorado seeking comment.

After being appointed district attorney, Hatfield ran for re-election in November of 2024, but lost to Republican Jeremy Reed.