Michael J. Bates

Mr. Bates has over thirty years experience lobbying the United States Congress for corporate, trade association and state government clients with a focus on energy, environmental, health care, banking, finance, insurance, bankruptcy, telecommunications, intellectual property, antitrust, professional sports, rail transportation and tax issues.

Mr. Bates joined Prime Policy Group’s predecessor firm, Timmons and Company, in 1979. Prior to his work at Timmons, Mr. Bates was Republican counsel to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce with responsibility for advising Republican committee members about energy, environmental, hazardous waste and rail transportation legislation. Mr. Bates was legislative counsel for Representatives Edward Madigan (R-Lincoln, IL), and James Broyhill (R-Lenoir, NC) and political director for Representative Clarence J. Brown (R-Urbana, OH). Mr. Bates was Assistant Director of Congressional Relations for the Transition of President-elect Ronald Reagan in 1980-81.

Mr. Bates earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Toledo where he was a member of the Moot Court team. He received his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in government with highest honors from Ohio University. Mr. Bates is admitted to the practice of law in the state of Ohio.

Mr. Bates has extensive political campaign experience in presidential, congressional, gubernatorial and state legislative elections. In 1980 the Reagan-Bush Committee appointed Mr. Bates as executive director of Governor Reagan’s presidential campaign in Ohio. Mr. Bates was a consultant for the reelection of President Reagan and Vice President Bush in 1984. He conducted congressional relations for the Dole for President campaign in 1996. Mr. Bates served as a member of the Political Issues Advisory Group for the Bush-Cheney campaign in 2000. Mr. Bates was a legal advisor for the Bush-Cheney reelection campaign in Ohio in 2004. Mr. Bates has been a member of the Republican National Committee’s legal team in Mississippi (2003), Ohio (2004) and Maryland (2006). Mr. Bates assisted the Republican National Committee presenting the 1980, 1996 and 2000 Republican national conventions. Mr. Bates has served as an elected Republican party official in Maryland.

Mr. Bates is a member of the Calvary United Methodist Church in Annapolis, Maryland and has served on the church’s Administrative Board. Mr. Bates is a life member of the Sigma Chi fraternity and was named as the fraternity’s outstanding undergraduate member in the state of Ohio. He is a member of numerous academic, leadership, and legal fraternities. He has been honored by selection to Who's Who in America, Who's Who in the East, and Who's Who Among Emerging Government Leaders. Mr. Bates is a life member of the National Rifle Association.

Mr. Bates was born and raised in the Columbus, Ohio area. He resides near Annapolis, Maryland with his wife Carolyn and three children.