Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller launched his campaign for a ninth term today with events in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, and Dubuque. His official statement, posted below, elaborates on Miller’s recent response to critics of his work and highlights the following “achievements for Iowans in the last three years”:

1. Miller’s “leadership in negotiating the national mortgage servicing settlement with major banks,” resulting in “payment of more than $40 million to Iowa homeowners and funding the Iowa Mortgage Help Hotline, which has helped thousands of Iowans with mortgage foreclosure issues.” (Roughly 6,000 Iowa borrowers received checks for $1,480 as part of the settlement–hardly adequate compensation for losses they suffered because of lenders’ mortgage servicing abuse.)

2. Protecting consumers against various kinds of fraud.

3. Helping to prosecute both violent and white-collar criminals, strengthening laws against child pornography and enticement of minors, improving victim assistance services to Iowans who have suffered from family violence or sexual assault.

4. Saving millions of taxpayer dollars by defending the state in various lawsuits.

5. Protecting the environment through “18 enforcement actions during the last three years involving air pollution, water pollution, and illegal solid waste disposal.”

Miller also promised to work on more issues during his next term, including “abuses by for-profit colleges,” “shoddy debt collection practices,” “ways to strengthen human trafficking and consumer protection laws,” and “the challenges of the e-cigarette.” UPDATE: Radio Iowa posted audio from one of Miller’s press events today.

I have not heard of any Republicans planning to challenge Miller in 2014. He was unopposed in 2006 and defeated Brenna Findley by a comfortable 55.5 percent to 44.4 percent margin in 2010 despite being outspent during the campaign and facing negative television commercials.

Iowans for Miller press release, November 13:

Miller Announces Candidacy for Attorney General

Des Moines, IA – Attorney General Tom Miller today announced that he will seek reelection as Iowa’s attorney general in 2014.  At news conferences in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, and Dubuque Miller issued the following statement:

“With great excitement and deep humility, today I announce that I will seek reelection as Iowa attorney general in 2014.  It has been my high honor and distinct privilege to serve as the state’s attorney general – to serve all Iowans as the ‘people’s lawyer.’  Each day in this office, I am guided by three core principles:  serving all Iowans, always trying to do the right thing, and reading the law in a fair and accurate manner.

“I seek another term based on a record of accomplishment and a commitment to do much more to benefit Iowa in the next four years.

“With an outstanding and experienced staff, I made significant achievements for Iowans in the last three years.

National Mortgage Settlement

“Most notable was my leadership in negotiating the national mortgage servicing settlement with major banks.  The settlement resulted in payment of more than $40 million to Iowa homeowners and funding the Iowa Mortgage Help Hotline, which has helped thousands of Iowans with mortgage foreclosure issues.  The landmark settlement included 49 states, six federal agencies and the five largest banks.   This is an outcome which would be impossible in the current politics of Washington D.C. – it would be similar to 98 Senators agreeing to a controversial bill.

Protecting Consumers

“We have relentlessly battled consumer frauds of all types.  As the result our successful lawsuit against Vertrue Inc, we have crippled the fraudulent buying club industry in Iowa.  We have recovered almost $43 million from several buying clubs that violated consumer protection laws.  This money will be returned to more than 500,000 Iowans, many who are elderly, and the companies are prohibited from doing business in Iowa in the future.

Prosecuting Criminals & Protecting Crime Victims

“In the criminal arena, our Criminal Appeals Division has skillfully handled a record number of appeals.  Our prosecutors have assisted county attorneys with dozens of felonies, including more than 30 murders in the last three years.  We have established a new white collar fraud unit that is working to increase prosecutions of financial exploitation of Iowans.

“We have worked with the Legislature to strengthen laws against child pornography and enticement of minors for sexual exploitation.

“We have enhanced protection for victims of domestic violence by successfully advocating for a new domestic violence strangulation offense and revamping the way we provide victim assistance services to help more victims of domestic abuse and sexual assault.

Defending State Government

“Our lawyers have saved the state millions of dollars in the defense of tort claims, which are claims people file against the state, and other general lawsuits.  One prime example is our unwinding of the film office tax credit mess which saved taxpayers tens of millions of dollars.

Protecting the Environment

“In the area of environmental protection, we brought 18 enforcement actions during the last three years involving air pollution, water pollution, and illegal solid waste disposal.

Looking Ahead: The Next Four Years

“However, we have much more to do and that is why I am asking Iowans for another term.  I wake up and come to work every day excited about what we are doing, realizing there is more hard work ahead, and figuring out how we can do even more.

“We are investigating abuses by for-profit colleges.  We are looking at shoddy debt collection practices.    We are looking at ways to strengthen human trafficking and consumer protection laws.  We are tackling the challenges of the e-cigarette.  The list goes on and on.

“I ask Iowans for their vote and trust.  In a time when voters are sick of gridlock and partisanship, I strive to work in a bipartisan way and to respect and listen to all points of view.  In an era when voters are cynical of politicians who dodge hard issues, I attempt to read law and ‘call them like I see them.’  People may disagree with some of my decisions, but I hope they appreciate that I am doing my best to interpret the law in fair, accurate, and just manner.  In the current politics of showmanship and TV sound bites, I favor a quiet, deliberate, and thoughtful approach to solving problems.

“In my public life, I am guided by the example of my father who served as Dubuque County Assessor – honesty, hard work, respect for all, and a belief that public service is a high calling.  It is a great honor to be the attorney general of Iowa, and if, reelected, I will continue to be guided by the principles of serving all Iowans, respecting the rule of law, and doing the right thing.”

Background Information

Tom Miller was first elected attorney general in 1978.  He was reelected in 1982, 1986, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, and 2010.  In the 2010 election, Miller was outspent by his opponent and outside interests by a 2 to 1 margin (over $1 million difference).  Notwithstanding the financial disadvantage and a poor year for Democratic candidates, Miller was elected with a strong 12% margin.

Miller was born August 11, 1944, in Dubuque, Iowa, the son of the late Elmer and Betty Miller.  He grew up in Dubuque, where his father was the longtime county assessor and an inspiration for Miller’s early interest in public service.  He graduated from Wahlert High School in 1962 and Loras College in 1966, 
and he received his law degree from Harvard Law School in 1969.

After law school, Miller served as a VISTA volunteer in Baltimore, Maryland and then as legislative assistant to U.S. Representative John C. Culver (D-IA). He returned to the Baltimore Legal Aid Bureau as legal education director, and also taught part-time at the Maryland School of Law.  In 1973, Miller returned to live in Iowa. He opened a law practice in McGregor in northeast Iowa and served as city attorney of McGregor and Marquette.  He ran for Attorney General in 1974.

Miller has served as Attorney General since he was first elected in 1978, except for four years when he was in private practice as a partner at the Des Moines office of the Faegre & Benson Law Firm (1991-94).