In January 2001, Muñiz moved to Florida to become deputy general counsel for Governor Jeb Bush.[6] He left that position in June 2003, moving to the law firm of Gray Robinson. He rejoined the Bush administration in April 2005 as general counsel of the Florida Department of Financial Services,[7] leaving that position in November 2006.
Beginning in December 2006, Muñiz was the policy director of the Republican Party of Florida;[3] in July 2007, he became the deputy chief of staff and counsel in the office of the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, leaving in October 2009. He was managing director at Bancroft Associates, in Washington, D.C., from October 2009 to April 2010, then returned to GrayRobinson.
In January 2011, Muñiz became deputy attorney general and chief of staff to Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi. In 2013, he was involved in the discussions with Bondi that led her to take no action on consumer complaints against Trump University.[8][9]
In January 2014, Muñiz left Bondi's office to join the firm of McGuireWoods, as a partner and lawyer in their Jacksonville office and as a senior vice president of the firm's consulting business in Tallahassee. At that firm, he represented Florida State University against a lawsuit brought by a student who accused quarterback Jameis Winston of raping her.[10][11] The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights investigated the case.[10]
In March 2017, Muñiz was nominated by President Donald Trump to become the General Counsel of the United States Department of Education.[2] He became a senior advisor in the Office of Secretary of the department in February 2018, and was confirmed as General Counsel by the U.S. Senate in April 2018, by a vote of 55–43.[12]
On September 9, 2020, President Trump included him on a list of potential nominees to the Supreme Court.[14]
Publications
Muñiz has written two articles for the James Madison Institute: "Parental Notification of a Minor's Termination of Pregnancy" (published Fall 2004); and "It's Time to Fight Judicial Imperialism" (published August 17, 2005).
Personal
Muñiz married his wife, Kathleen Baur Muñiz, in 2001. The couple has three children.[3]