Getty Paul Kamenar, Andrew Miller's lawyer
Andrew Miller is a long-time aide of Roger Stone, the political consultant who is being investigated as part of the Mueller probe into alleged Russian election interference. Last week, Miller refused to respond to a subpoena calling on him to appear in front of a grand jury and was placed in contempt of court.
Miller’s lawyer, Paul Kamenar, told CNN he intended to fight the order to appear in front of the grand jury, and said Miller will appeal the order. Kamenar told CNN that he intends to go to the court of appeals and is prepared to fight all the way to the Supreme Court.
Miller has been subpoenaed again and again to testify, presumably about Roger Stone and what he may or may not have known about allegations that Russia interfered in the 2016 US presidential elections. Miller was first ordered to appear before the grand jury on May 18, when he was also due to turn over documents. He didn’t show up on May 18. A new date was set, and Miller was subpoenaed to appear on June 8. But once again, Miller did not show up. The court then ordered Miller to turn over “certain documents” by June 25 and told him to appear before the grand jury June 29. That’s when Miller and his lawyer, Paul Kamenar, appealed the order.
Here’s what you need to know about Andrew Miller:
1. Miller’s Father Is Reportedly a Convicted Human Smuggler Who Turned Federal Informer
Hm. Appears Roger Stone aide Andrew Miller’s father Timothy Suereth is a convicted human smuggler turned informant t.co/xhbcpQzGUm
Miller’s father is reportedly a man named Timothy Suereth, who was a convicted felon immigrant smuggler. In 2001, marine police in Florida reportedly spotted a ship that seemed to be sinking, with Suereth on board. When they came over to ask if he needed help, Suereth turned them away. But the police persisted, and contacted Sea Tow.
When Seat Tow boarded the boat, they reportedly found 19 illegal immigrants crammed “like sardines” aboard the boat.
Suereth was charged with “conspiracy to commit illegal alien smuggling” and with involvement in a smuggling network operating between the Bahamas and South Florida. After the charges, Suereth pleaded guilty and agreed to help federal authorities in a narcotics smuggling investigation.
Suereth is Miller’s father. The father and son team once collaborated, working together on Carl Paladino’s failed campaign for governor of New York.
2. Miller Worked For Roger Stone Around the Time of the Republican National Convention in 2016, But The Two Men Met At Least Six Years Earlier
Roger Stone aide Andrew Miller refusing to appear before Mueller grand jury despite losing court battle to quash his subpoena. Sealed hearing now underway that could result in him being held in contempt of court. @hsu_spencer @DevlinBarrett
Back in 2016, Miller had a job working for Roger Stone on the fringes of the Republican National Convention. Miller, an experienced political operative, helped Stone arrange media interviews and performed other jobs for him. Stone’s role in Trump’s 2016 campaign is hard to pin down, but he was a key adviser to Trump. He has been credited with convincing Trump to hire Paul Manafort, and even after he formally left the Trump campaign, the two men reportedly spoke constantly and remained in close contact.
Stone and Miller may have first met back in 2010, when Miller — just 26 at the time — was working as campaign manager for Kristin Davis, the former Madam who launched a run for New York governor. Stone reportedly wanted to meet Davis because he thought she was “hot” — and in the course of meeting Davis, he met Miller as well.
3. Miller Once managed the Gubernatorial Campaign of ‘Manhattan Madam’ Kristin Davis
When he was just 26 years old, Miller worked as campaign manager for Kristin Davis, who was running for governor of New York. In 2010 Davis, the former Madam who allegedly supplied former governor Elliot Spitzer with prostitutes, mounted a long-shot campaign for governor of New York. What was her platform? Davis said she wanted to Tlegalize prostitution, marijuana and casino gambling; cut taxes; and balance the state budget.
Davis made friends with Roger Stone, who reportedly “thought she was pretty hot” and wanted to meet her.
And who was Davis’s campaign manager but Andrew Miller, a 26 year old whom the New York Observer described as looking just like Sopranos star Robert Iler.
4. Miller’s Lawyer Says He Has Already Been ‘More Than Cooperative’ With The Mueller Probe
Miller’s lawyer, Paul Kamenar, says Miller has been interviewed by two FBI agents in connection with the investigation into possible Russian interference with the 2016 US presidential election. And Kamenar said that Miller has turned over documents when requested.
“He has been more than cooperative with the special counsel,” Kamenar told Politico.
But Kamenar said that Miller “draws the line” at appearing in front of a grand jury, and indicated that his client has filed an appeal against appearing in front of the grand jury. He said that he is prepared to appeal all the way to the Supreme Court, if necessary.
5. Mueller Has Questioned a Number of Roger Stone’s Associate’s, But It’s Not Quite Clear What He’s Looking For
Miller isn’t the first Mueller associate to be called in for questioning as part of the Mueller probe. Kristin Davis, the Manhattan Madam who Miller once worked for, has also been interviewed by Mueller’s team.
Mueller’s team has reportedly questioned at least a half-dozen other people close to Stone this year. But Stone himself says that Mueller has not contacted him to request an interview.
Mueller’s investigation is not exactly transparent, and it’s hard to say what, exactly, Stone might be investigated for; it’s also hard to say why Miller has been asked to testify in front of a grand jury. At this point, there is a lot of speculation around the issue, but very little actual information.