Patrick Miles is a “Democrat” running for Michigan Attorney General. He’s campaigning as a “progressive.” Unfortunately for him, some of us do research. In his previous run for Congress against Justin Amash (which he lost), Miles was pro-death penalty, anti-same sex marriage, and anti-marijuana legalization. Two years after losing a race where he ran to the right of Justin Amash on several issues, Miles sent seven medical marijuana caregivers to federal prison who were in compliance with state law as a federal prosecutor.
Miles has responded to these issues with spin or by flip-flopping. But how will Miles spin the fact that several of the law firms that he’s worked for have been actively involved in anti-union behavior for years? When Miles was a partner at Varnum LLP from 1997 to 2006, the law firm represented several anti-labor cases. He currently works at Barnes & Thornburg LLP. which openly advertises its “union avoidance” services on its website.
2006: Miles’ law firm Varnum LLP represented Kent County in a case against the UAW to fight higher pension costs that union members would have to pay. [Kent County v. UAW Local 2600, Employment Relations Division, Case No. C05 H-192]
1999: Mile’s law firm Varnum LLP tried to challenge the results of a UAW certification election [Keller Die Cast v. UAW AFL CIO, Decided 7/8/99]
And there are many more. Some may ask, if he wasn’t representing these cases himself, why should it matter? Because if you are a partner in a law firm or work for one, you are supporting it financially. As a partner, you are representing the firm and working to advance its interests. And perhaps most importantly, partners personally profit from the firm, including from the union busting division. Miles praised Barnes & Thornburg and their work last year when he joined:
Barnes & Thornburg LLP openly touts their anti-union credentials on their website.
There’s a pattern with Patrick Miles, and it’s not good. When so many of the people he associates with are anti-LGBTQ, anti-union, and he keeps flip-flopping on issues, it begs the question: Who is the real Patrick Miles?