Another Lobbying Headache for McSame: Ridge failed to disclose working for Albanian government.

[jefferson_dem]

Former Homeland Security secretary Tom Ridge, a national co-chair of John McCain's campaign, failed to properly disclose he was working on behalf of the Albanian government, a Washington newspaper reported Tuesday.

The Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call reported that Ridge, who formed a strategic consulting company after leaving government, signed a $500,000 lobbying contract with Albania in 2006 but didn't file required documents about the deal until this month.

Ridge isn't a registered lobbyist and said he didnt disclose the relationship until his lawyer advised him to do so, although his work on behalf of Albania had been previously reported.

Under federal law, anyone acting as an agent for a foreign government to lobby must register with the Justice Department within 10 days of the agreement and file regular reports on work performed and monies recieved.

Ridge, a former Pennsylvania governor, represented Albania from October 2006 through the end of August 2007 on issues ranging from homeland security to NATO membership, the story by Roll Call's Anna Palmer says.

"Sen. McCain is not aware of the exact circumstances of Gov. Ridge's work as a lobbyist for Albania, an important European ally to this country, in 2006 and 2007," McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds said in a statement to the newspaper.

"However, the governor is in full compliance with the McCain campaign's lobbying policy, which requires that part-time volunteers disclose current lobbying work and agree not to lobby John McCain or his staff on those issues or participate in campaign policy making on that subject," Bounds said.

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/politics/blog/2008/06/another_lobbying_headache_for.html

[blondeatlast]

1. ""Sen. McCain is not aware of the exact circumstances of Gov. Ridge's work as a lobbyist ..."

Where does the buck stop, Senator McCain? I'd say at YOU.

Enough lame excuses and "didn't knows," enough, enough, enough.

[NYC_SKP]

2. He should have used The Google. n/t

[Gidney N Cloyd]

3. Unfortunately, he's admitted to being computer illiterate.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/06/11/mccain-admits-he-doesnt-k_n_106478.html

[NYC_SKP]

4. Correction...."A Google"

:rofl:

"The Google" was GWB.

"A Google" is John:

"You know, basically it's a Google," Mr McCain said, to laughter, when asked how the selection process was going during a 10,000 dollar per person lunch in Richmond, Virginia. "What you can find out now on the internet - it's remarkable."

The two of them...peas in a pod.