‘We never compromised on our values and principles’
Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller shares his gratitude with Iowans after serving 40 years in office. He will leave office Jan. 3.
“I’m very thankful to Iowa voters. I feel fortunate to have served 10 terms in a job that I love,” said Miller, who is the longest serving attorney general in U.S. history.
While Miller chalked up many legal victories and other accomplishments in his term, he said he’s most proud of the integrity and dedication of his office.
“We did it our way. We never compromised on our values and principles. That is enormously satisfying to me,” he said. “I’m so thankful to my staff and impressed with their quality of work, their professionalism, and their dedication.”
Miller became known as a leader nationally in consumer protection and leading multistate lawsuits against major corporations.
“I became a big believer in multistates. As a small state, we could not compete with the resources of large corporations,” Miller said. “By working together as state AGs and with the federal government, we were able to accomplish things we could not alone.”
Three cases stand out for Miller, who served as a leader among state AGs in these historic cases:
—The Master Settlement Agreement with tobacco companies in 1998. The settlement created restrictions on the advertising, marketing and promotion of cigarettes, including a ban on targeting children through advertising, and led to reductions in smoking. In the last 24 years, Iowa has received more than $1.4 billion in payments under the settlement. “Before then, the tobacco companies had never paid a dime,” Miller said.
—Challenging the Microsoft monopoly, which led to a settlement in 2002 and changes in the software industry. “This antitrust case was good for competition, good for innovation, good for business, and, most important, good for consumers,” Miller said.
—Recovering $52 billion for American homeowners in the national bank mortgage case in 2012.
More recently, Miller’s office has been a leader in cases against pharmaceutical companies, distributors, pharmacies, and others who contributed to the opioid crisis. The settlements have resulted in new restrictions on the sales and marketing of opioids and are expected to bring in nearly $350 million to Iowa over the next 18 years.
Other accomplishments by Miller include opposing the death penalty, supporting criminal justice reform, creating the nation’s first farm division and fighting consolidation in the agriculture industry, and reforming how sexual assault investigations are done in Iowa.
Miller said he plans to work part time after he steps down.
“I am looking forward to the future. I want to stay active in issues I enjoy. I haven’t had much time off since law school, so I’m looking forward to enjoying some time off.”
