Potomac Flacks: Flack Cameos in House Ethics' Foley Report

December 11, 2006

Flack Cameos in House Ethics' Foley Report

Markfoley2 The House Ethics Committee's full 92-page report in the Mark Foley page scandal is fascinating reading, not least because it shares a few new details about the role that Capitol Hill flacks played in the story.

Per NorthJersey.com, the committee report shows that Matthew Miller, current comms director to Sen. Bob Menendez and formerly comms director for the House Democratic caucus "tried to get reporters to investigate former [Foley] after receiving several e-mails Foley had written to a former House page." Miller shared the emails with reporters for the Miami Herald, St. Petersburg Times and Roll Call and said Friday that "prompting the press to publicize the matter struck me as the most effective way to expose and hence stop clear impropriety by a sitting congressman."

Newsweek, meanwhile, reports that "as a part of a 'gut check,' Miller testified, he shared the e-mails with the 'communications director at the DCCC.' While the DCCC staffer is not named in the report, Bill Burton was (and is now) the DCCC communications director and a top aide to Emanuel. (Burton did not respond to phone calls and e-mails from NEWSWEEK. DCCC spokesperson Sarah Feinberg confirmed that Miller provided Burton with copies of the e-mails.)"

Posted by Matt Mackowiak on December 11, 2006 in Capitol Hill , Crisis Comms | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

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Matt Mackowiak is a Washington, D.C. and Austin,TX-based Republican strategist and communications consultant and President of Potomac Strategy Group, LLC. In his career he has managed a winning Congressional campaign and worked in the U.S. Senate, at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, at a leading international PR firm, on a presidential campaign in Iowa and in White House presidential advance. Follow him on Twitter - @MattMackowiak

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Laura Gross is currently president of Scott Circle Communications. She has served as deputy director of communications at the DNC, was Gov. Howard Dean's Communications Director and she worked in the press office at USAID during the Clinton administration. Her experience also includes time in the PR department of National Public Radio and she was part of Vice President Gore's advance team when he was in The White House.
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Blain K. Rethmeier - Contributor
Blain K. Rethmeier is currently the Senior Vice President for Public Affairs for the American Insurance Association (AIA). Rethmeier joined AIA from the White House where he served as Special Assistant to the President for Communications and directed communications for the National Economic Council and Homeland Security Council. Prior to joining the White House, Rethmeier served as Press Secretary for the Senate Judiciary Committee.
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