GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Former U.S. Attorney Patrick Miles Jr. will kick off his campaign for Michigan Attorney General Thursday with events in Grand Rapids, Detroit and Lansing.
He filed paperwork last week to form a campaign committee, but had not officially announced his candidacy. He will join Attorney Dana Nessel as the only Democrats, so far, to announce a run for Attorney General. State Senator Tonya Schuitmaker is the sole Republican candidate thus far. They’re seeking to replace current Attorney General Bill Schuette, who will be term-limited out of office. Schuette announced his candidacy for Michigan governor earlier this month.
Miles served the Western District of Michigan as a U.S. Attorney for five years, after being appointed in 2011 by President Obama. The 49-year-old Miles resigned on January 20, which marked the last day of Obama’s time in office. He was a classmate of Barack Obama at Harvard Law School. Miles also is a graduate of Aquinas College and the Grand Rapids Public Schools.
Miles, a Grand Rapids native, was a practicing attorney for more than two decades before becoming U.S. Attorney. He lost to U.S. Representative Justin Amash in the Third District congressional race in 2010.
A news release issued by Vanguard Public Affairs says of his tenure as U.S. Attorney, “Miles obtained more than 100 convictions involving the sexual exploitation of children. He successfully prosecuted defendants who defrauded hundreds of millions from the government, and put 31 members of the Holland Latin Kings behind bars.”
Miles’ campaign website goes online Friday morning: www.milesformichigan.com .
