Congressman Gary Miller continues to garner some unwanted attention — today the Wall Street Journal’s John Fund heaps on in the WSJ’s Political Diary e-mail:
GOP Rep. Gary Miller of California was unopposed for re-election last month, so reports that surfaced last year about how Congressional earmarks he sponsored increased the value of real estate he owned in his district never became a campaign issue.
But now Republicans in his overwhelmingly conservative Orange County district will have to start asking hard questions about whether Mr. Miller, who came to Congress in 1998, deserves another term. The Los Angeles Times has run a front-page investigation detailing more examples of his self-dealing in real estate, including paying himself $75,000 in rent for the use of his real estate development firm as a campaign office, even though he had no opponent.
In addition, four former Miller aides recount tale after tale of abuse of his Congressional office, in which he apparently treated staffers like personal valets whom he expected to help his children with schoolwork, lobby ticket brokers for Rolling Stone tickets, and send flowers to family members and friends. "There was never a clear line in the office between what was congressional business and what was just business," one former aide told the Times. "The expectation was that you would do both."
The expectation back in his district now is that scrutiny will be ratcheted up on Mr. Miller, especially with Democrats having taken control of the House. With his seat a slam-dunk for any Republican running, it will be interesting to see how many primary challengers Mr. Miller attracts for 2008 and how early they begin lining up to take him on.
December 13th, 2006 at 12:00 am
I would like to know who these four former aides are that are quoted by Mr. Fund. I’ve known Mr. Miller since he entered the Diamond Bar political arena as a resident of my city. I’ve made trips to DC as well as contacts with his District Office both in DB and Brea. There is something else “afoot” here.