
Full Name: James Myles
Nick Names: Jim
Office Sought: Congress,
11th Congressional District
Party Affiliation: Republican
Campaign Website:
www.mylesforcongress.com
Campaign POC:
Phone Number: 703-200-5980
Campaign Email: mylesforcongress@gmail.com
Structured Interview Request Sent:
1 March 2022
Structured Interview Response and Date:
3 March 2022
Vetting Panel Selected: Pending
Structured Interview Completed: Pending
Biography: I am a retired Federal Judge with over 35 years of public service with a focus on Social Security and Medicare benefits. I also had the opportunity to serve for a year as a Fellow with the Republican staff on the House Ways and Means Committee, Subcommittee on Social Security, and was awarded a Certificate in Legislative Studies by the Government Affairs Institute at Georgetown University. In an earlier life, I was a United States Air Force Instructor Pilot with over 2100 flight and instructor hours, designated a Master Instructor Pilot in the T-37 jet trainer.
Why you? I can win. I have followed politics my entire life, but given the Hatch Act and 35 years of federal service, I could not participate in partisan activities. My last decade as a federal judge had even greater limitations. But I bring that 35 years of public service and will connect with the voters and be a strong advocate for the 11th District. As a veteran, I will work for a strong defense and protect our service members and their families; as a 25-year federal employee, I will work to hold the “deep state” accountable while we recognize the hard work of so many fine federal workers; and I will draw on my vast experience in Social Security and Medicare benefits to make sure these critical benefits are not reduced and remain payable in full to current beneficiaries and all of you that are paying into these systems today.
What are your priorities? Protecting our children from political indoctrination and sexualization in our public schools. We need parents to become more active and involved in our schools and seek better representation on our school boards. I will use the power of my office to help protect our children. Next would be to stop the reckless federal deficit spending. This is creating a huge debt for our children and grandchildren, and fuels the inflation that we all feel now each and every day, at the market, at the gas station, where we eat, everywhere we go. We are on the road to bankrupting our critical Social Security and Medicare safety nets that so many Americans need and rely on. Next, the cancel culture and the use of the national media to silence conservative voices. All voices must be heard to have a reasoned debate to enact sensible public policies. We also need to address the partisan attacks by the “deep state” on American political opponents. Finally, we must stop the soft on crime policies that enable and embolden the criminal elements in our country and in particular protect the good people and businesses in Virginia’s 11th Congressional District.
Endorsements: Thus far mostly my family and friends. None of my work colleagues over the past 25 years can really provide their voices to who I have been and what I have done given Hatch Act limitations.
Education: I was awarded my Juris Doctor from the University San Diego School of Law, and my Bachelor of Science from Central Michigan University. I was also awarded my Certificate in Legislative Studies from the Government Affairs Institute (GAI) at Georgetown University. I also completed the United States Air Force Squadron Officers School. Prior to that, I completed Undergraduate Pilot Training in the United States Air Force and was rated as a “pilot” and instructed in and flew various aircraft over my military career.
Relevant Employment History: I was an Associate Attorney in private practice in Los Angeles, California, with an emphasis in aviation insurance defense. I joined the Social Security Administration in 1995 as a GS 7 Claims Representative, taking retirement and disability claims from average Americans. I went on to serve over 20 years with the Social Security Administration, as an attorney, a supervisor, on detail as a Special Assistant United States Attorney (Southern District of California), an attorney with the Office of General Council (Program Law), a Special Assistant to the Associate Commissioner (Headquarters), a member of the Appeals Council (Appeals Officer and Acting Administrative Appeals Judge), and then served over a decade as an United States Administrative Law Judge. I first heard thousands of mostly disability benefit claims for the Social Security Administration, and later decided several thousand Medicare benefit claims for Health and Human Services, Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals. I retired December 31, 2021.
Military Experience / Branch / Years of Service / Rank / Type of Discharge:
I entered active duty on October 28, 1982. I completed the Flight Screening Program, Officer Training School, Undergraduate Pilot Training, First Assignment Instructor Pilot Training, and then several years later A-10 flight training. I completed my active duty service as the Chief, Airfield Management at Castle AFB, California. I achieved the rank of Captain and was honorably discharged in August 1990. With the kind help of the Veterans Administration I began law school less than a month later.
Past Offices Held and Tenure: I was a student senator in the 1976 Michigan Student Congress. I was a Fellow and worked for a year with the Republican Staff on the House Ways and Means Committee, Subcommittee on Social Security.
Community Service: I am active at Burke Community Church and am a member of the parking team there. I have participated in several community and charitable outreach efforts. I have also managed and helped to manage several Fairfax Little League teams over the years, and acted as a parent umpire, even behind the plate. Related I have coached Burke Basketball for over a decade, from grade school through junior high, also helping out on occasion as a referee (umpire was much easier!).
Leadership Experience: I was a State Officer in the Michigan Knights of Columbus youth group in high school. After that served nearly 8 years as a United States Air Force Officer, and was selected to serve as an Assistant Flight Commander (No Loss Flight) in Undergraduate Pilot Training at Williams Air Force Base, Arizona. I was selected for the Social Security’s Office of Hearings and Appeals Leadership Development Program and spent a year in leadership developmental assignments across the country. At the program’s conclusion I was selected to serve as the Special Assistant to the Associate Commissioner who led the nations’ 150 hearing offices. I also provided formal training to legal assistants, attorneys and Administrative Law Judges, and was a mentor for several new attorneys and later new Judges. I also served over a decade as a United States Administrative Law Judge, with sole responsibility to conduct evidentiary hearings, swear in witnesses, rule on objections, and decided nearly 10,000 cases over my career.
Personal Strengths: I am honest and someone that you can count on. I have many great friends with relationships cultivated over a lifetime across the world. I am hard working, I try to plan ahead, something I learned as a pilot and try to apply to my life. I enjoy taking a leadership role, but I am very willing to listen to other opinions before making a final decision. I have a keen interest in everyday people, enhanced by my claims work with Social Security and Medicare beneficiaries, and just how difficult life can be for average Americans. I am proud to be a Christian and do my best to be charitable to others less fortunate and try to lead a godly life. I have a beautiful wife (my much better half) with a loving family that support me. My faith and my family are my greatest strengths.
What is the most important thing Virginians need to know about you? I love Virginia and its values but these are threatened by the woke mob that has taken over much of Virginia, especially here in Northern Virginian. We must stop this progressive woke mob mentality now. I am conservative politically, and that aligns with the Republican Party today more then ever. But we are all Americans, with a diversity of ideas and political affiliations that must be respected. Still, we must also respect our history, good and bad, learn from that, and work together for a better shared future for all Virginians. You can count on me to represent all Virginians and put forth my full effort to unite us all around the values that made this State and this Country great!
How would your friends and family describe you? Hard working, honest, opinionated but sociable, well educated, a man of faith and I hope an excellent husband and father.
What are your thoughts on the Constitution as the Law of the Land? I am a strict constructionist, there are ways to change the Constitution, it is not the role of the judiciary to decide on its own what changes, if any, need to be made.
What are your thoughts on religious liberty? I think this is a fundamental right. The secularists/atheist church should not be able to use the power of the government to shut down the religious liberty of others.
What are your thoughts on the preservation of our history? Many have said it better than I, if we do not learn from the failures in our history we are destined to repeat them.
What are your thought on government transparency? The media is no longer interested in providing a full and fair account of what our government is or is not doing. The deep state is a threat that must be addressed.
What are your thoughts on national defense? A strong national defense with secure borders are fundamental obligations of our government. Without these there is no nation, no safety, no security, no liberty, no freedom. I believe in peace through strength.
What are your thoughts on the free enterprise system? Capitalism and free markets are not perfect, but history has shown these are the best way to give everyone opportunity and provide mobility in a society that recognizes and rewards hard work, and through that everyone prospers.
What are your thoughts on the protection of the unborn? We all went through several stages of development after conception. The unborn deserve protection to live the only life they can ever have.
What are your thoughts on the role the family plays in America? We need to restore the primacy of the nuclear family in America. This family structure leads to the best for our country, and these alternative lifestyles are private matters, not to be persecuted but also not forced onto those that favor traditional marriage and the nuclear family. That is best for a healthy society.
What are your thoughts on equal rights, equal justice and equal opportunity, as opposed to equal outcomes? Equal outcomes by its nature would need to be inequitably administered. I believe in equal opportunities, and where those do not exist, we must collectively work to give every American an equal chance. With that comes personal responsibility to make the most of that chance.
What are your thoughts on the 2nd Amendment? That is a constitutional right and a critical one to protect all Americans from criminals and tyrants. I would favor some type of background check but no lists of Americans and their guns, that is a slippery slope that could allow the government to disarm law abiding Americans.
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