Brad Miller
Brad Miller

Brad Miller is a 1979 graduate of Columbia Law School and served as law clerk to Judge J. Dickson Phillips, Jr., of the U. S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals from 1979 to 1980. He is a member of the North Carolina bar and practiced law in Raleigh for more than 20 years. He represented North Carolina in the U. S. House of Representatives from 2003 until 2013.

Columns by Brad Miller
To Protect Independence of Inspectors General, Make Them Part of Congress

Guest columnist and former U.S. Congressman Brad Miller comments on recent reports that the Trump administration hindered and delayed investigations by inspectors general. Mr. Miller argues that to ensure that the inspectors general be able to do their job of preventing abuse of power, corruption, and incompetence, they should be made part of the Legislative Branch, rather than the Executive Branch.

No, Oversight Power Does Not Let Congress Ride Shotgun in Criminal Investigations

Guest columnist and former US Congressman Brad Miller explains why Congress may not intrude on an open criminal investigation, especially not to help political allies who are likely targets. In support, Miller points not only to traditional democratic norms, but also to unequivocal jurisprudence on the limits of congressional oversight.

Presidential Pardon Power May Not Be So Absolute After All

Guest columnist and former US Congressman Brad Miller argues in favor of limits on the president’s power to pardon criminal contempt of court. Miller describes two US Supreme Court precedents on point and explains why circumstances today are radically different from what the Court in those decisions envisioned.

Vouchers, Charters and Public School Debt: Not Just Different Education Policy Priorities

Guest columnist and former U.S. Congressman Brad Miller argues that the Trump administration’s plans to expand charter schools and provide vouchers for religious and other private schools may violate the Contract Clause of the U.S. Constitution. Miller points out that by paying for charters out of traditional public schools’ funds, states have de-prioritized their obligations to the purchasers of public school bonds in violation of the Contract Clause.