Ridge spent time off in Arizona with lobbying firm's chairman

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http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archi...

PETE YOST
Associated Press Writer
(01-12) 14:56 PST WASHINGTON (AP) --

As the Homeland Security Department was starting up, Secretary Tom Ridge twice stayed overnight at the Arizona home of a wealthy friend who ran a lobbying firm that was aggressively expanding its homeland security business.

The Blank Rome firm, whose chairman is former Ridge fund-raiser David Girard-diCarlo, hired two of Ridge's aides to lobby the new department, and some of the firm's clients eventually landed lucrative contracts, according to documents and interviews.

Homeland Security officials told The Associated Press they believe Ridge acted ethically because he paid his own way on the trips in November 2002 and April 2003 and never discussed business with Girard-diCarlo.

Some ethics experts say the ties may have created the appearance of a conflict of interest -- something President Bush has ordered his appointees to avoid.