McCain’s national campaign co-chairman, former DHS Secretary Tom Ridge, sorta kinda forgot to register as a foreign lobbyist for Albania, Roll Call reports (sub. req.):
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. …
After a meeting with Justice and his counsel at Blank Rome, Ridge decided to file his FARA registration.
“Once we were made aware of certain contacts by Gov. Ridge, we advised him to register, which he did,” said Topper Ray, a spokesman for Blank Rome.
FARA prosecutions, or even, as in Ridge’s case, contact by the Justice Department to encourage registration, are unusual, ethics lawyers said.
