Special counsel Robert Mueller subpoenaed a former aide to Roger Stone on Thursday morning, the first time the aide’s identity has been put out into the public regarding the Russia investigation.
According to the New York Times, Stone’s one-time go-to guy Andrew Miller was called to appear before a grand jury in relation to Mueller’s ongoing probe.
Attorney Paul Kamenar told the Times he intends to fight the subpoena by arguing that Mueller’s appointment was unconstitutional. This tactic has already been attempted–unsuccessfully–by Paul Manafort‘s attorneys, and is currently being used by an alleged Russian troll farm facing criminal charges from Mueller’s office.
Miller is the third such Stone acolyte who has been subpoenaed by Mueller thus far. John Kakanis and Jason Sullivan were already reportedly called to testify before the grand jury in the wide-ranging electoral interference probe.
A longtime associate of Stone’s, Miller was once described by his political mentor as a “trust fund baby” who’s “like a son to me.”
What is known of Miller suggests the profile of garden variety influence-peddler and New York City politics mainstay with very little regard for political parties or a clear idea of his political orientation.
A little over six years ago, Miller donated $120,000 to Taxpayers for Integrity in Government, an independent third-party group viewed in Florida politics as sympathetic to Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel‘s 2012 election campaign. When pressed as to why he donated to said group, Miller said, “I was just doing my civic duty. Making the world a better place.” When asked where the funds came from, he said, “my bank account.”
After Israel won, the Democratic sheriff hired three of Stone’s and Miller’s associates: Dianne Thorne, Miller’s stepmother, Mike Colapietro, an author who co-wrote a book with Stone, and Miller’s then-girlfriend, Jennifer Hobbs. Thorne and Hobbs have since left those positions. After the resignations, allegations of influence-peddling increased in Broward County; it turns out that Thorne had an “unverifiable” bachelor’s degree. Hobbs and Miller later married.
Miller also once owned a news organization known as the Broward Bugle. The now-defunct media outfit previously described itself as “your new source for political and governmental news.” An unorthodox organization, the Bugle refused to identity its publishers, editors or writers by name.
When the Bulldog questioned Miller about the outlet he owned, Miller said, “I’m nervous talking about this. I don’t want to say something wrong. I’m not the one running it. I know who is, but I’m not at liberty to give any names. It’s above my pay grade.”
Miller previously served as the campaign manager for Kristin Davis‘ Anti-Prohibition Party campaign for governor of New York in 2010. Davis is infamously known in New York City politics as the “Manhattan Madam” and claims to have been in charge of the brothel which provided former governor Eliot Spitzer with high-priced escorts.
In 2016, Stone, Miller, Davis, and others were the subject of a defamation lawsuit filed by another former New York State gubernatorial candidate, Warren Redlich. Redlich ran in the same 2010 election as the Libertarian Party candidate and sued over an anonymous pamphlet which incorrectly identified him as a child sexual predator.
The pamphlet was ultimately deemed defamatory, but Stone was cleared of the allegations as the jury could not determine that he authored it.
Miller also worked on Gary Johnson‘s failed presidential campaign in 2012. Prior to that, Miller worked on Republican Carl Paladino‘s failed campaign for New York governor in 2010 with his mother and his father Timothy Suereth–who once pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit illegal alien smuggling before becoming an informant.
After Democrat Andrew Cuomo easily bested him in the election, Paladino described Miller, Thorne, and Suereth as “con people.”
[image via Mark Wilson/Getty Images]
Follow Colin Kalmbacher on Twitter: @colinkalmbacher
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