Ridge's firms(shills for shale) to get $900,000 for pushing Marcellus drilling

[Bravo Zulu]

HARRISBURG -- Former Gov. Tom Ridge and a team of other officials at his two consulting firms will be paid $900,000 for a one-year contract as strategic advisers to the Marcellus Shale Coalition, coalition spokesman Travis Windle said.

One of the ex-governor's firms, Ridge Global, will earn $50,000 a month, starting now, and another, the Ridge Policy Group, will get $25,000 a month, for 12 months.

Besides Mr. Ridge, Duncan Campbell, who was his chief of staff when he was the U.S. homeland security secretary several years ago, will work with him at Ridge Global, Mr.Windle said. They will do "public outreach and education" about the importance of the natural gas pumped from underground areas of Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania, as well as "coalition building," advising the Marcellus group and speaking at public forum.

Handling the chore of lobbying the Legislature will be two former aides from Mr. Ridge's days as governor (1995-2001), Mark Holman and Mark Campbell, no relation to Duncan.

"That is where the lobbying will be," Mr. Windle said. "The former governor and his team bring an assembly of subject-matter experts to assist our efforts to move forward" with developing the natural gas industry in the state.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10214/1077108-100.stm#ixzz0vU2aYj8F

[Divernan]

1. My god, how the money rolls in!"Public" office has been very good to Tom.

Since he left the office of Secretary of Homeland Security, he has been appointed to so many, many Board Directorships, one wonders how he finds time to do anything except attend board meetings, let along put in all that quality time with his family, his announced reason for leaving public service.


February, 2005 - named to the board of Home Depot; expected compensation of $100,000 yearly.

April, 2005 - appointed to the board of Illinois/Pennsylvania/New Jersey electric utility, Exelon Corporation, with starting director compensation of $35,000 annual retainer, plus a $1,500 meeting fee or per diem fee AND $60,000 in deferred stock units per year

April, 2005, named to Savi Technology Board of Directors.

ONE HAND WASHES THE OTHER!
In 2010, it was reported that Ridge had appeared on MSNBC Hardball With Chris Matthews promoting nuclear energy as part of a "green agenda ... create jobs, create exports," without any revelation by him or the cable channel of his Exelon position. In the report, his cumulative Exelon-derived compensation was put at $530,659; and it was said that, as of March 2009, he held an estimated $248,299 in Exelon stock, according to SEC filings. Exelon was described as "the nation's largest nuclear power company."

November, 2006, Tom Ridge was announced as a Senior Advisor for Deloitte & Touche USA LLP.

In November 2007, Ridge was named to serve on The Hershey Company's Executive Board.

In January, 2008, it was announced that Ridge would serve as a senior advisor to TechRadium, Inc., a leading Texas-based security technology company.

In September 2009, PURE Bioscience, creator of a patented antimicrobial, announced Ridge would serve on its Advisory Board.

I'm sure I've missed some - but I do note that none of these organizations are of the public service/humanitarian type.

[Altoid_Cyclist]

2. Luckily, he probably has a lot of leftover duct tape and plastic to keep all of that money clean.

It isn't exactly reassuring that three of Gov. Rendell's aides have left to take positions with gas drilling companies either.

As a disclaimer, you can probably tell from my signature line that I'm not a big fan of the Marcellus Boom happening in PA.