HOMELAND SECURITY -- RIDGE HAS CONFLICT OF INTEREST, SPOKESMAN RESPONDS WITH
'STRING OF EXPLETIVES': Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Tom Ridge had
investments last year in a number of companies with contracts with his
department and others who want to profit from homeland security, a new list of
his assets shows (http://www.politicalmoneyline.com/) . A disclosure form made
public this week shows Ridge held investments in Microsoft, which won a $90
million contract with the department, Unisys, which was selected to manage pilot
programs funded by DHS, and Raytheon, a subcontractor to Accenture, which won a
$10 billion contract for DHS' entry-exit program. In response to telephone
inquiries by Congressional Quarterly, "DHS spokesman Brian Roehrkasse first said
the department did not have enough time to answer questions about the disclosure
form. Pressed further, he shouted an expletive to a reporter and hung up. Later,
in a second telephone conversation, Roehrkasse said, 'I don't know where we are
in the process. I don't know...I can't validate any information you've got,' and
repeated a string of expletives." |
