"Dems Seek Ridge's Lobbying Correspondence"

[GreenPartyVoter]

WASHINGTON - Two Democratic congressmen on Thursday asked Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge to provide Congress written communications between his department and a lobbying firm run by a longtime friend.

The request stems from an Associated Press story that the day after President Bush (news - web sites) named him secretary, Ridge flew to Arizona and spent several days with a prominent Bush-Cheney fund-raiser, David Girard-diCarlo. It was the first of two trips Ridge made to Scottsdale, Ariz., in late 2002 and early 2003 to stay at Girard-diCarlo's home.

Two of Ridge's homeland security aides left the White House after the first trip and went to work for Girard-diCarlo lobbying Ridge's newly created department. Several of the lobbying firm's clients have been awarded contracts by the department.

"These relationships raise questions about potential conflicts of interest and preferential treatment," Reps. Henry Waxman of California and Bennie Thompson of Mississippi wrote Ridge. Waxman is the ranking Democrat on the Government Reform Committee and Thompson the ranking Democrat on the Homeland Security Committee.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=542&e=1&u=/ap/20050113/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/ridge_lobbyists

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[peacetalksforall]

1. OK, do they do these things because....

1. They think no one will notice?
2. They don't give a damn if anyone notices?

Do they....
1. Feel guilt when they do it?
2. Laugh in our face when they do it?

Are they....
1. Ignorant about the crossing the line/breaking laws?
2. Relish in crossing the line/breaking laws?