Tom Ridge May Have A Few Issues

It turns out Tom Ridge is a resident of Maryland, not PA. Way to go GOP. But there's a little more to the story. What lobbying he did isn't clear, as some seminars he wanted to do never came off. That's a nice way to make a half million dollars.

And he filed a year or two late after being contacted by the DOJ. During the interim he was working on issues with the Bush administration. Some former Homeland Security Secretary we have there. On the document Weigle has linked, aside from a Home Depot PAC (he's on their board) his only political donation went to Liebermann. Guess who he met with about Albania? Yep, Liebermann. I guess the Obama team is doing the vetting for the GOP these days.

For almost two years former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge failed to register a nearly half-million-dollar lobbying contract that he had with the government of Albania.

Ridge filed a registration statement on behalf of the country earlier this month after being contacted by the Department of Justice.

 Ridge’s registration was spurred by a DOJ inquiry after press accounts surfaced noting Ridge’s connection to the country.

Ridge’s work on behalf of Albania was well-documented, starting on Dec. 31, 2006, when the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that Ridge “landed an unusual first client in the prime minister of Albania” for his new consulting firm.

The New York Times reported on June 9, 2007, when President Bush visited Albania that Ridge worked “on a range of issues, including the implementation of a national identity card” for the country.

After a meeting with Justice and his counsel at Blank Rome, Ridge decided to file his FARA registration.

On May 7, 2007, Ridge and Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha met with Sens. Joe Lieberman (ID-Conn.) and Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) to discuss “various reforms undertaken by the government of Albania to comply with NATO and EU requirements,” according to the FARA supplemental statement. Ridge and Berisha met with Rep. Jim Costa (D-Calif.) to discuss the same issues on May 8.

Comments

[PA]

My rep, Robert Wexler (D-FL), is also a defacto Maryland resident. He owns a house there, but doesn't own one in FL and he spends the vast majority of his out of session time in MD. His kids go to school in Maryland as well. He dodged this by getting his personal mail delivered to his in-laws house, which is in FL and in his district.

When all of this came to light prior to the last election, he was forced to rent a local apartment to keep up appearances. He still lives in Maryland of course, but now at least there's an address that's not someone else's.

If this phenomenon were investigated in more depth, I'd bet we'd find that a significant percentage of congress (10+%)is prevaricating about their residency.

[mark l.]

wexler?

god bless you. he makes chuck schumer look camera shy. it is as if your district elected the greatest ambulance chaser in hx of politics.

I can't say I would gripe about him living outside and 'far away' from the community he 'serves'.

[gary gulrud]

Not a fan, Tom. No time to 'splain, just beat it.