Being a press flack can be challenging in general, but I suspect it’s particularly tough when you work for Bush administration officials. After all, how do you defend the indefensible?
In at least one case, by “repeating a string of expletives.”
The Center for American Progress noted today that Tom Ridge, Bush’s Secretary of Homeland Security, has released a mandatory financial disclosure form that reveals Ridge’s investments. Unfortunately for Ridge, it shows investments in a number of companies with contracts with his agency and others who want to profit from homeland security. That’s a definite no-no.
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.
Sounds like Ridge has a bit of conflict-of-interest problem. At a minimum, he should respond to the appearance of impropriety and set the record straight. He should do so, however, without the help of his spokesperson, who didn’t seem to know what to do with a phone call from 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.
Uh, Mr. Roehrkasse? I think it’s time to update that résumé. You’re clearly not prepared to be an administration spokesperson … though you may be prepared to be the vice president.