How they got caught: After lobbyist broke up, ex-fiancee told of illicit dealings to FBI

from a liberal site | Jan 3, 2006 | Jason Leopold

[summer]

Emily J. Miller, former Communications Director for Tom Delay -- Scanlon ditched her to marry another woman; she then talked to the FBI

Michael Scanlon found himself at the center of one of the biggest political scandals in Washington history as a result of cheating and lying—but not the type involving the numerous clients he was paid to lobby Congress for, former coworkers and friends of his ex-fiancee say.

Scanlon was implicated in the Abramoff scandal by his former thirtysomething fiancee, Emily J. Miller, whom he met in the late 1990s while working as communications director for former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX), three former associates who worked with Scanlon at DeLay’s office said. Colleagues say Miller went to the FBI after Scanlon broke off their engagement and announced his intention to marry another woman.

Miller did not return a call seeking comment. Scanlon’s attorney, Stephen Braga, did not respond to phone calls or emails seeking comment. Former coworkers of Scanlon and Miller at DeLay’s office and of Miller at the State Department would speak only under condition of anonymity, saying they did not want to be called as witnesses in a trial.

Miller was DeLay’s young press secretary and as communications director, Scanlon was her boss. The two began a secretive office romance and Scanlon eventually proposed marriage, associates say.

In 2003, Miller left DeLay’s office to work at the State Department. Scanlon departed too, partnering with now-indicted conservative lobbyist Jack Abramoff in lobbying for an array of Indian tribes. As Scanlon’s star rose, troubles between the couple mushroomed.

In May 2004, Miller found herself at the center of attention when—while live on air—she ordered a cameraman for NBC’s Meet the Press to stop filming Colin Powell. A copy of the transcript shows Miller, who also used to work as an NBC staffer, as a brusque press aide. Powell eventually ordered that the interview continue and asked Miller to step aside.

What many people didn’t realize at the time, however, is that during the Powell interview Miller was upset because her fiancee, Michael Scanlon, had broken off their engagement, two of Miller’s former State Department co-workers said. While still engaged to Miller, Scanlon had started an affair with a manicurist and broke up with Miller because he planned to marry the other woman, three of Scanlon’s former associates at DeLay’s office said. They added that the two had numerous public arguments.

But Miller had something on Scanlon. He confided in her all of his dealings with Abramoff, former colleagues said. She saw his emails and knew the intimate details of his lobbying work—work which is now the center of a criminal fraud investigation. After the breakup, Miller went to the FBI and told them everything about Scanlon’s dealings with Abramoff, her coworkers added.

In turning him in, she became the agency’s star witness against her former lover. Scanlon pled guilty in November and is cooperating with prosecutors; Abramoff reached a plea agreement today.

Scanlon's former colleagues did not speak warmly of him, saying he was not a very likable person because of the way he treated others, and that he later became flamboyant with his newfound wealth.

Aside from the Powell interview, Miller also attracted attention after berating a Washington Post Magazine reporter. In 2001, while Miller was working as press secretary to DeLay she told a reporter who was writing a profile about DeLay. "You lied! . . . You betrayed him! You twisted his words! . . . We don't know you. You don't exist. . . . You are dead to us."

A DeLay spokesman told the Post at the time, "Tom thinks Emily did a fine job for him."

[Howlin]

Are we to assume that if he married her, all this was fine with her ane he wouldn't be in trouble?

[summer]

You said it. Needless to say, there will be a movie about this someday...

[Wiseghy]

Sounds like they were both charming personalities. And to think, I was going to give them a nice blender, oh well...

[summer]

LOL...yeah, I guess that would have to pass for the moral in this matter, being political and all.

[summer]

Actually, I meant to write: political sleazes.

[ArtyFO]

Oh my Gawd! We're sunk.

[G Larry]

I think it is probably true.

My question was why was he stupid enough to confide in her about illicit activities?

There are a lot of legal jobs where you can't discuss your work at home. Its not that hard to just shut up.....

...oh....unless your ego is larger than your brain....

[summer]

LOL...

[summer]

My question was why was he stupid enough to confide in her about illicit activities?

Probably because he was being macho and bragging to Emily Miller.

But, the affair with the manacurist maybe didn't involve these disclosures. And, perhaps that's why he realized: better to marry her instead of Miller; the manicurist doesn't care about all this political nonsense.

[sageb1]

Original WaPo article here.

Scroll down for extra cute tidbit on Kerry daughter. :)

[Palladin]

Sounds like an episode of the West Wing. This miller woman--how credible cane she be? She drifts from job to job and from man to man. In the photo up top, she looks like a heroin addict. (More likely coke).

[summer]

That was interesting; thanks. (I had read that before about Kerry's daughter's see-through dress.)

But, there was no connecting any dots in that WP article in terms of how these guys got caught. So, maybe the blogosphere is in fact breaking the news, if this turns out to be true.

[summer]

How credible can she be?

Uh, today in court Abramoff pleaded guilty to criminal acts he admitted committing. So, your question is somewhat off base! :)

[Palladin]

Well, maybe. I'm not sure which charges he pled to, and if any of them had to do with Miller's info.

This is going to be a long, long saga, and many DC sleazes and their 'ho's will be outed.

[zerosix]

I'd say that if the only reason for her to report wrong doing was out of revenge, then she has even fewer morals than Scanlon.

[JustTheTruth]

People close to Tom DeLay - even though they may love his politics and see clearly that he's been railroaded by Ron Earle - are frankly very nervous over the Abramoff situation because they know that Tom has walked the razor's edge historically in terms of what is legal and is considered to be ethical in campaign fund raising.

In other words, don't be too sure that DeLay won't get nailed somehow in this particular ongoing investigation, even though he himself may be convinced that what he did was entirely legal. He is a lightening rod, and he is not exactly squeaky clean in the company he keeps. He is a risk taker, and risk takers sometimes lose in this game.

[perfect stranger]

In May 2004, Miller found herself at the center of attention when—while live on air—she ordered a cameraman for NBC’s Meet the Press to stop filming Colin Powell. A copy of the transcript shows Miller, who also used to work as an NBC staffer, as a brusque press aide. Powell eventually ordered that the interview continue and asked Miller to step aside. link

Aside from the Powell interview, Miller also attracted attention after berating a Washington Post Magazine reporter. In 2001, while Miller was working as press secretary to DeLay she told a reporter who was writing a profile about DeLay. You lied! . . . You betrayed him! You twisted his words! . . . We don't know you. You don't exist. . . . You are dead to us."

[dalereed]

"In the photo up top, she looks like a heroin addict. (More likely coke)."

Don't know about that but she sure looks like a mean bitch!

[CyberAnt]

And .. if this is true .. how does that prove DeLay was involved with Scanlon and Abramoff ..??

[Sockdologer]

Agreed. Suddenly, Lying and cheating on women is bad to liberals? WHat happened to, "Who cares about an affair?"