Rendell, E Gov

sellout

=hornA breaking <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.eenews.net/public/energywire/2013/02/05/1" data-beacon="{"p":{"lnid":"investigation by EnergyWire","mpid":1,"plid":"http://www.eenews.net/public/energywire/2013/02/05/1"}}" data-beacon-parsed="true" class="bn-clickable" style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(13, 190, 152) 0px -2px 0px inset;">investigation by EnergyWire</a> appears to connect the dots between shadowy lobbying efforts by shale gas fracking company Range Resources, and the Obama EPA’s decision to shut down its high-profile lawsuit against Range for allegedly contaminating groundwater in Weatherford, Texas.At the center of the scandal sits former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, the former Chairman of the Democratic National Committee and the National Governors’ Association.Just weeks ago, the Associated Press (AP) broke news that the <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.desmogblog.com/2013/01/16/breaking-obama-epa-shut-down-weatherford-tx-shale-gas-water-contamination-study" data-beacon="{"p":{"lnid":"U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shut down the high-profile Texas lawsuit","mpid":2,"plid":"http://www.desmogblog.com/2013/01/16/breaking-obama-epa-shut-down-weatherford-tx-shale-gas-water-contamination-study"}}" data-beacon-parsed="true" class="bn-clickable" style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(13, 190, 152) 0px -2px 0px inset;">U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shut down the high-profile Texas lawsuit</a> and buried an accompanying scientific report obtained during the lawsuit’s discovery phase in March 2012.That confidential report, contracted out to hydrogeologist Geoffrey Thyne by the Obama EPA, concluded that methane found in the drinking water of a nearby resident could have originated from Range Resources’ nearby shale gas fracking operation.Range Resources — which admitted at an industry conference that <a rel="nofollow" href="http://truth-out.org/news/item/7153:fracking-and-psychological-operations-empire-comes-home" data-beacon="{"p":{"lnid":"it utilizes psychological warfare (PSYOPs) tactics","mpid":3,"plid":"http://truth-out.org/news/item/7153:fracking-and-psychological-operations-empire-comes-home"}}" data-beacon-parsed="true" class="bn-clickable" style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(13, 190, 152) 0px -2px 0px inset;">it utilizes psychological warfare (PSYOPs) tactics</a> on U.S. citizens — launched an aggressive defense against the EPA’s allegations that the company might be responsible for contaminating resident Steve Lipsky’s groundwater.AP <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.desmogblog.com/2013/01/16/breaking-obama-epa-shut-down-weatherford-tx-shale-gas-water-contamination-study" data-beacon="{"p":{"lnid":"explained in its investigation that resident Steve Lipsky","mpid":4,"plid":"http://www.desmogblog.com/2013/01/16/breaking-obama-epa-shut-down-weatherford-tx-shale-gas-water-contamination-study"}}" data-beacon-parsed="true" class="bn-clickable" style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(13, 190, 152) 0px -2px 0px inset;">explained in its investigation that resident Steve Lipsky</a>, who has a wife and three young children, had “reported his family’s drinking water had begun ‘bubbling’ like champagne” and that his “well... contains so much methane that the... water [is] pouring out of a garden hose [that] can be ignited.”In response, the Obama EPA ordered Range to halt fracking. Range was non-cooperative every step of the way, refusing to comply with the legal dictates of the discovery phase and not complying with the censored water sample study implicating the company with groundwater contamination.The new twist <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.eenews.net/public/energywire/2013/02/05/1" data-beacon="{"p":{"lnid":"exposed by EnergyWire’s Mike Soraghan","mpid":5,"plid":"http://www.eenews.net/public/energywire/2013/02/05/1"}}" data-beacon-parsed="true" class="bn-clickable" style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(13, 190, 152) 0px -2px 0px inset;">exposed by EnergyWire’s Mike Soraghan</a> is that Ed Rendell, acting “as a spokesman for Range” Resources, “proposed certain terms” to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson. Exactly what was said remains unclear, but the EPA ultimately dropped its case against Range.  More than a thousand pages of emails obtained by EnergyWire “offer behind-the-scenes insights in a case that has come to be seen as a major retreat by the agency amid aggressive industry push-back and support for natural gas drilling by President Obama.” <h3 style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.4em; font-weight: normal; visibility: visible;"> Rendell: Range’s Chosen One or Rogue Lobbyist? </h3>The emails obtained by  EnergyWire reveal that Rendell intervened directly with Administrator Jackson at some point in 2011, presumably after his term as Pennsylvania’s governor came to a close on Jan 18, 2011. An EPA attorney’s email indicated that <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.eenews.net/assets/2013/02/05/document_ew_06.pdf" data-beacon="{"p":{"lnid":"Rendell said he was there “as a spokesman for Range.”","mpid":6,"plid":"http://www.eenews.net/assets/2013/02/05/document_ew_06.pdf"}}" data-beacon-parsed="true" class="bn-clickable" style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(13, 190, 152) 0px -2px 0px inset;">Rendell said he was there “as a spokesman for Range.” </a>According to the  National Institute on Money in State Politics, <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/contributor_details.phtml?c=90561&i%5B%5D=33" data-beacon="{"p":{"lnid":"Rendell took almost $200,000 from the oil and gas industry","mpid":7,"plid":"http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/contributor_details.phtml?c=90561&i%5B%5D=33"}}" data-beacon-parsed="true" class="bn-clickable" style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(13, 190, 152) 0px -2px 0px inset;">Rendell took almost $200,000 from the oil and gas industry</a> in the run-up to his 2006 electoral victory and while governor, he <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.commoncause.org/atf/cf/%7Bfb3c17e2-cdd1-4df6-92be-bd4429893665%7D/MARCELLUSSHALESTUDY.PDF" data-beacon="{"p":{"lnid":"described himself as the industry’s “best ally.”","mpid":8,"plid":"http://www.commoncause.org/atf/cf/%7Bfb3c17e2-cdd1-4df6-92be-bd4429893665%7D/MARCELLUSSHALESTUDY.PDF"}}" data-beacon-parsed="true" class="bn-clickable" style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(13, 190, 152) 0px -2px 0px inset;">described himself as the industry’s “best ally.”</a> Upon completion of his gubernatorial stint, Rendell immediately fled to the private sector. He currently works both as an <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.elementpartners.com/team-edrendell.html" data-beacon="{"p":{"lnid":"Operating Partner at Element Partners","mpid":9,"plid":"http://www.elementpartners.com/team-edrendell.html"}}" data-beacon-parsed="true" class="bn-clickable" style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(13, 190, 152) 0px -2px 0px inset;">Operating Partner at Element Partners</a> and as a <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.greenhill.com/index.php?option=com_peoplebook&Itemid=131&func=grShowProfile&catid=54&profileid=10000425" data-beacon="{"p":{"lnid":"Senior Advisor at  Greenhill & Co., Inc.","mpid":10,"plid":"http://www.greenhill.com/index.php?option=com_peoplebook&Itemid=131&func=grShowProfile&catid=54&profileid=10000425"}}" data-beacon-parsed="true" class="bn-clickable" style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(13, 190, 152) 0px -2px 0px inset;">Senior Advisor at  Greenhill & Co., Inc.</a>Element Partners <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.elementpartners.com/investment-strategy-our-focus.html" data-beacon="{"p":{"lnid":"describes itself as a firm","mpid":11,"plid":"http://www.elementpartners.com/investment-strategy-our-focus.html"}}" data-beacon-parsed="true" class="bn-clickable" style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(13, 190, 152) 0px -2px 0px inset;">describes itself as a firm</a> that, among other things, provides “services to the energy, industrial, and environmental markets” and “capital for growth, acquisitions, shareholder liquidity, recapitalizations, and buyouts.” It provides investment capital for <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.elementpartners.com/portfolio-energy.html" data-beacon="{"p":{"lnid":"numerous oil and gas industry clients","mpid":12,"plid":"http://www.elementpartners.com/portfolio-energy.html"}}" data-beacon-parsed="true" class="bn-clickable" style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(13, 190, 152) 0px -2px 0px inset;">numerous oil and gas industry clients</a>. Greenhill is a similar firm, <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.greenhill.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=27&Itemid=148" data-beacon="{"p":{"lnid":"describing itself","mpid":13,"plid":"http://www.greenhill.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=27&Itemid=148"}}" data-beacon-parsed="true" class="bn-clickable" style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(13, 190, 152) 0px -2px 0px inset;">describing itself</a> as a “leading independent investment bank focused on providing financial advice on significant mergers, acquisitions, restructurings, financings and capital raisings to corporations, partnerships, institutions and governments.” Like Element, Greenhall also provides investment capital <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.greenhill.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=62&Itemid=155" data-beacon="{"p":{"lnid":"for numerous oil and gas corporations","mpid":14,"plid":"http://www.greenhill.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=62&Itemid=155"}}" data-beacon-parsed="true" class="bn-clickable" style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(13, 190, 152) 0px -2px 0px inset;">for numerous oil and gas corporations</a>.Prior to the completion of Rendell’s final term as governor, three of his former aides abruptly <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.philly.com/philly/news/special_packages/inquirer/marcellus-shale/63656357.html" data-beacon="{"p":{"lnid":"left their jobs to work as shale gas industry lobbyists","mpid":15,"plid":"http://www.philly.com/philly/news/special_packages/inquirer/marcellus-shale/63656357.html"}}" data-beacon-parsed="true" class="bn-clickable" style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(13, 190, 152) 0px -2px 0px inset;">left their jobs to work as shale gas industry lobbyists</a>. Their names: Kenneth Scott Roy, Barbara Sexton, and Sarah Battisti. Sexton, Rendell’s former Executive Deputy Secretary of the PA Department Environmental Protection (DEP), transitioned into a gig <a rel="nofollow" href="http://articles.philly.com/2010-07-13/news/24969499_1_natural-gas-rendell-gas-industry" data-beacon="{"p":{"lnid":"working as a lobbyist for industry giant Chesapeake Energy","mpid":16,"plid":"http://articles.philly.com/2010-07-13/news/24969499_1_natural-gas-rendell-gas-industry"}}" data-beacon-parsed="true" class="bn-clickable" style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(13, 190, 152) 0px -2px 0px inset;">working as a lobbyist for industry giant Chesapeake Energy</a>. Battisti, another of Rendell’s cadre of Deputy Chiefs-of-Staff, <a rel="nofollow" href="http://articles.philly.com/2010-07-13/news/24969499_1_natural-gas-rendell-gas-industry" data-beacon="{"p":{"lnid":"became a lobbyist for BG (British Gas) Group","mpid":17,"plid":"http://articles.philly.com/2010-07-13/news/24969499_1_natural-gas-rendell-gas-industry"}}" data-beacon-parsed="true" class="bn-clickable" style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(13, 190, 152) 0px -2px 0px inset;">became a lobbyist for BG (British Gas) Group</a>. The third, <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.philly.com/philly/news/special_packages/inquirer/marcellus-shale/63656357.html" data-beacon="{"p":{"lnid":"K. Scott Roy, wound up as a lobbyist for Range Resources","mpid":18,"plid":"http://www.philly.com/philly/news/special_packages/inquirer/marcellus-shale/63656357.html"}}" data-beacon-parsed="true" class="bn-clickable" style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(13, 190, 152) 0px -2px 0px inset;">K. Scott Roy, wound up as a lobbyist for Range Resources</a> as Vice President for Government Relations and Regulatory Affairs.<h3 style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.4em; font-weight: normal; visibility: visible;"> Is Scott Roy the Bridge Between Ridge, Rendell, Range and MSC?</h3>In his Range Resources bio, <a rel="nofollow" href="http://neienergy.org/documents/KScottRoy-2011bio.pdf" data-beacon="{"p":{"lnid":"K. Scott Roy describes his former position as Ed Rendell’s “top advisor.”","mpid":19,"plid":"http://neienergy.org/documents/KScottRoy-2011bio.pdf"}}" data-beacon-parsed="true" class="bn-clickable" style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(13, 190, 152) 0px -2px 0px inset;">K. Scott Roy describes his former position as Ed Rendell’s “top advisor.”</a> His official title was Executive Deputy Chief of Staff in the Office of the Governor. <a rel="nofollow" href="http://marcelluscoalition.org/about/executive-committee/" data-beacon="{"p":{"lnid":"Roy also serves on the Executive Board of the Marcellus Shale Coalition","mpid":20,"plid":"http://marcelluscoalition.org/about/executive-committee/"}}" data-beacon-parsed="true" class="bn-clickable" style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(13, 190, 152) 0px -2px 0px inset;">Roy also serves on the Executive Board of the Marcellus Shale Coalition</a>, the gas industry’s aggressive lobbying arm in statehouses located within the Marcellus Shale basin. Prior to serving in the Rendell administration, Roy worked in the office of former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge, who went on to serve as <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/state/marcellus-shale-coalition-hires-ridge-as-adviser-257546/" data-beacon="{"p":{"lnid":"“strategic adviser” to the Marcellus Shale Coalition","mpid":21,"plid":"http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/state/marcellus-shale-coalition-hires-ridge-as-adviser-257546/"}}" data-beacon-parsed="true" class="bn-clickable" style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(13, 190, 152) 0px -2px 0px inset;">“strategic adviser” to the Marcellus Shale Coalition</a> in 2012. It is as yet unclear what role Scott Roy played as one of Range’s hired guns to fend off the EPA lawsuit. Might he have contacted his old boss Ed Rendell for help pressuring the Obama administration to lay off Range? It seems a reasonable question to ask.<h3 style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.4em; font-weight: normal; visibility: visible;"> Range Denies Rendell Worked on its Behalf</h3>Range Resources spokesman Matt Pitzarella (<a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.desmogblog.com/gas-fracking-industry-using-military-psychological-warfare-tactics-and-personnel-u-s-communities" data-beacon="{"p":{"lnid":"of PSYOPs revelation notoriety","mpid":22,"plid":"http://www.desmogblog.com/gas-fracking-industry-using-military-psychological-warfare-tactics-and-personnel-u-s-communities"}}" data-beacon-parsed="true" class="bn-clickable" style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(13, 190, 152) 0px -2px 0px inset;">of PSYOPs revelation notoriety</a>) denied any connection between the company and Rendell.“I don’t know the extent of the governor’s involvement in energy-related matters, but he never functioned as a spokesperson of Range,” <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.eenews.net/public/energywire/2013/02/05/1" data-beacon="{"p":{"lnid":"Pitzarella told EnergyWire","mpid":23,"plid":"http://www.eenews.net/public/energywire/2013/02/05/1"}}" data-beacon-parsed="true" class="bn-clickable" style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(13, 190, 152) 0px -2px 0px inset;">Pitzarella told EnergyWire</a>.Given the ties that bind Rendell to Range, though, the words “plausible deniability” come to mind.Coming full circle, it’s important to remember the human side of this story. Lipsky’s <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.desmogblog.com/2013/01/16/breaking-obama-epa-shut-down-weatherford-tx-shale-gas-water-contamination-study" data-beacon="{"p":{"lnid":"family now pays $1,000 per month for water deliveries","mpid":24,"plid":"http://www.desmogblog.com/2013/01/16/breaking-obama-epa-shut-down-weatherford-tx-shale-gas-water-contamination-study"}}" data-beacon-parsed="true" class="bn-clickable" style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(13, 190, 152) 0px -2px 0px inset;">family now pays $1,000 per month for water deliveries</a>, with life for them changed forever. “This has been total hell,” <a rel="nofollow" href="http://news.yahoo.com/epa-changed-course-oil-company-protested-082012084.html;ylt=AmveX8E14CsKyLcN.JfNSLQS.MwF;ylu=X3oDMTQ2bTdpNTV2BG1pdANUb3BTdG9yeSBTY2llbmNlU0YgRW5lcmd5U1NGBHBrZwM2Yjg2NzM2OC00NWE2LTM1OWMtOTI5MC0wZTE4ZGU2YWVkYWUEcG9zAzEEc2VjA3RvcF9zdG9yeQR2ZXIDNWY2NjY5OTAtNWZiNi0xMWUyLWJlZmUtMzE1ZDMwNTQ3ZGFk;ylg=X3oDMTFzMnBqYnA4BGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANzY2llbmNlfGVuZXJneQRwdANzZWN0aW9ucw--;ylv=3" data-beacon="{"p":{"lnid":"Lipsky told the AP","mpid":25,"plid":"http://news.yahoo.com/epa-changed-course-oil-company-protested-082012084.html;ylt=AmveX8E14CsKyLcN.JfNSLQS.MwF;ylu=X3oDMTQ2bTdpNTV2BG1pdANUb3BTdG9yeSBTY2llbmNlU0YgRW5lcmd5U1NGBHBrZwM2Yjg2NzM2OC00NWE2LTM1OWMtOTI5MC0wZTE4ZGU2YWVkYWUEcG9zAzEEc2VjA3RvcF9zdG9yeQR2ZXIDNWY2NjY5OTAtNWZiNi0xMWUyLWJlZmUtMzE1ZDMwNTQ3ZGFk;ylg=X3oDMTFzMnBqYnA4BGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANzY2llbmNlfGVuZXJneQRwdANzZWN0aW9ucw--;ylv=3"}}" data-beacon-parsed="true" class="bn-clickable" style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(13, 190, 152) 0px -2px 0px inset;">Lipsky told the AP</a>. “It’s been taking a huge toll on my family and on our life.” Determining the truth of what happened with the EPA’s failed investigation and lawsuit against Range Resources won’t change the Lipskys’ predicament, but it would go a long way towards identifying the grasp of the oil industry’s tentacles on Washington.Cross-Posted from DeSmogBlog

like ridge when AG, boosted sewer sludge?

Ed Rendell & Tom Kean.  The

bipartisan pair of former governors (D-PA and R-NJ) co-authored a 2011

op-ed announcing a new panel to craft and monitor a code of conduct for

for-profit colleges. The op-ed failed to disclose that Kean is a partner

in a private equity firm that invests in for-profit colleges. The panel

proved to be nothing more than a public relations stunt when it quietly

disappeared.
==

wiki

Edward Gene "Ed" Rendell (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English" title="Help:IPA for English" style="background: none; text-decoration: none !important;">/</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key" title="Help:IPA for English" style="background: none; text-decoration: none !important;">r</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key" title="Help:IPA for English" style="background: none; text-decoration: none !important;">ɛ</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key" title="Help:IPA for English" style="background: none; text-decoration: none !important;">n</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key" title="Help:IPA for English" style="background: none; text-decoration: none !important;">ˈ</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key" title="Help:IPA for English" style="background: none; text-decoration: none !important;">d</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key" title="Help:IPA for English" style="background: none; text-decoration: none !important;">ɛ</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key" title="Help:IPA for English" style="background: none; text-decoration: none !important;">l</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English" title="Help:IPA for English" style="background: none; text-decoration: none !important;">/</a>; born January 5, 1944) is an American politician who served as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Governors_of_Pennsylvania" title="List of Governors of Pennsylvania" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">45th Governor of Pennsylvania</a>, from 2003 to 2011. Rendell, a member of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Party(United_States)" title="Democratic Party (United States)" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Democratic Party</a>, was elected <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Governors_of_Pennsylvania" title="List of Governors of Pennsylvania" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Governor</a> of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsylvania" title="Pennsylvania" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Pennsylvania</a> in 2002, and his term of office began January 21, 2003. He was recently a member of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Governors_Association" title="Democratic Governors Association" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Democratic Governors Association</a> Executive Committee and served as General Chairman of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_National_Committee" title="Democratic National Committee" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Democratic National Committee</a> during the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,2000" title="United States presidential election, 2000" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">2000 presidential election</a>. Rendell is also a football analyst on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comcast_SportsNet" title="Comcast SportsNet" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Comcast SportsNet</a>'s Eagles Postgame Live, hosted by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Barkann" title="Michael Barkann" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Michael Barkann</a>.

From 2008 to 2009, Governor Rendell was the Chairman of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Governors_Association" title="National Governors Association" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">National Governors Association</a>. He was married to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marjorie_Rendell" title="Marjorie Rendell" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Marjorie Rendell</a>, a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_judge" title="Federal judge" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">federal judge</a> for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Court_of_Appeals_for_the_Third_Circuit" title="United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit</a> until they amicably separated in 2011. Rendell is also a faculty member of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fels_Institute_of_Government" title="Fels Institute of Government" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Fels Institute of Government</a> at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Pennsylvania" title="University of Pennsylvania" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">University of Pennsylvania</a>, and chair of Team Pennsylvania Foundation.

<h2 style="font-weight: bold; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border: none; display: inline; line-height: 1.3; background: none;">Contents</h2>

[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Rendell#" id="togglelink" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">hide</a>] </div>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Rendell#Early_life" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">1 Early life</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-2" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Rendell#Philadelphia_District_Attorney" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">2 Philadelphia District Attorney</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-3" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Rendell#Mayor_of_Philadelphia" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">3 Mayor of Philadelphia</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-4" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Rendell#Governor_of_Pennsylvania" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">4 Governor of Pennsylvania</a>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-5" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Rendell#2002_primary" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">4.1 2002 primary</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-6" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Rendell#2002_general_election" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">4.2 2002 general election</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-7" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Rendell#First_term" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">4.3 First term</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-8" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Rendell#2006_general_election" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">4.4 2006 general election</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-9" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Rendell#Second_term" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">4.5 Second term</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-10" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Rendell#Post-gubernatorial_career" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">5 Post-gubernatorial career</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-11" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Rendell#Presidential_election_involvement" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">6 Presidential election involvement</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-12" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Rendell#Personal_life" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">7 Personal life</a>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-13" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Rendell#Sports_fan" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">7.1 Sports fan</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-14" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Rendell#Gubernatorial_electoral_history" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">8 Gubernatorial electoral history</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-16" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Rendell#References" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">10 References</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-17" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Rendell#External_links" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">11 External links</a></li>

</ul>

</div>

pro death penalty

Rendell called for reinstating the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Assault_Weapons_Ban" title="Federal Assault Weapons Ban" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Federal Assault Weapons Ban</a> in the wake of a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Pittsburgh_police_shooting" title="2009 Pittsburgh police shooting" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">police shooting</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittsburgh" title="Pittsburgh" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Pittsburgh</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Rendell#cite_note-26" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[26]</a>

<h2 style="font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 1.3; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Rendell#Post-gubernatorial_career" class="mw-headline-anchor" aria-hidden="true" title="Link to this section" style="text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: -20px; width: 20px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; text-align: center; user-select: none; margin-right: 0px; background: none;">§</a>Post-gubernatorial career<span class="mw-editsection" style="user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ed_Rendell&action=edit&section=10&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Post-gubernatorial career" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h2>

<p style="margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: 22.4px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Rendell was term-limited for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsylvania_gubernatorial_election,2010" title="Pennsylvania gubernatorial election, 2010" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">election of 2010</a>. He was succeeded by Republican <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Corbett" title="Tom Corbett" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Tom Corbett</a> on January 18, 2011. Following the end of his career as governor of Pennsylvania, Rendell returned to his former law firm, the Philadelphia-based <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballard_Spahr" title="Ballard Spahr" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Ballard Spahr</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Rendell#cite_note-pitt_trib_rev-27" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[27]</a> In January 2011, he accepted a position as an on-air political analyst for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NBC_News" title="NBC News" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">NBC News</a>and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MSNBC" title="MSNBC" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">MSNBC</a>,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Rendell#cite_note-pitt_trib_rev-27" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[27]</a> and the following month took up a position as Senior Advisor at boutique investment bank <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Greenhill%26_Co&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Greenhill & Co (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Greenhill & Co</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Rendell#cite_note-28" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[28]</a> In April 2011, Rendell joined Element Partners, a Philadelphia-based cleantech investment firm, as an Operating Partner.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Rendell#cite_note-29" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[29]</a>

<h2 style="font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 1.3; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Rendell#Presidential_election_involvement" class="mw-headline-anchor" aria-hidden="true" title="Link to this section" style="text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: -20px; width: 20px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; text-align: center; user-select: none; margin-right: 0px; background: none;">§</a>Presidential election involvement<span class="mw-editsection" style="user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ed_Rendell&action=edit&section=11&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Presidential election involvement" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h2>

<p style="margin: 0.5em 0px; line-height: 22.4px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Rendell was a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Kerry_presidential_campaign_VP_selection_process" title="John Kerry presidential campaign VP selection process" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">potential candidate</a> to serve as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate" title="United States Senate" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Senator</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Kerry" title="John Kerry" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">John Kerry</a>'s running mate in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_2004" title="United States presidential election, 2004" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">2004 presidential campaign</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Rendell#cite_note-30" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[30]</a> Rendell's popularity, particularly in the suburban ring of counties around Philadelphia, was a key to Kerry's victory in Pennsylvania, one of the most hotly contested <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swing_state" title="Swing state" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">swing states</a> in the 2004 presidential election.[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">citation needed</a>]

On August 30, 2007, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wall_Street_Journal" title="The Wall Street Journal" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">The Wall Street Journal</a> reported that while Hillary Clinton and other high-profile Democratic politicians were returning contributions from tainted political fundraiser <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Hsu" title="Norman Hsu" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Norman Hsu</a>, Rendell said he intended to keep the $40,000 he had received from Hsu's fund-raising network. The newspaper also noted that last year Hsu hosted a 10-course dinner for Rendell at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Per_se_(restaurant)" title="Per se (restaurant)" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Per se (restaurant)</a> in New York City, where meals cost $250 per person.

On January 24, 2008, Rendell announced his endorsement of Senator Clinton in the latter's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_Rodham_Clinton_presidential_campaign,_2008" title="Hillary Rodham Clinton presidential campaign, 2008" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">race for the White House</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Rendell#cite_note-31" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[31]</a> He stated that, "[Hillary] really cares about moving this country forward. She also has the best health-care plan for America."

==

Former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell took to the New York Daily News <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/yes-fracking-n-y-article-1.1299789">op-ed page</a> Wednesday with a message to local officials: stop worrying and learn to love fracking.

As New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/13/nyregion/cuomo-delays-decision-on-gas-drilling-as-health-study-continues.html">agonizes</a> over whether to allow the controversial natural gas drilling technique, Rendell invoked his own experience as a Democratic governor who presided over a fracking boom. New York state, Rendell argued, has a major part to play in the nation’s fracking “revolution” — and it can do so safely. He rejected what he called the “false choice” of “natural gas versus the environment.”

</div>

What Rendell’s passionate plea failed to note was this: since stepping down as governor in 2011, he has worked as a paid consultant to a private equity firm with investments in the natural gas industry.

The op-ed piece was <a href="http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2013/03/new_york_minute_last_budget_bi.html">widely</a> <a href="http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/politics/2013/03/8528596/democrats-support-oppose-and-muddle-police-oversight-bill">noted</a> <a href="http://statepolitics.lohudblogs.com/2013/03/27/fracking-roundup-anti-frackers-push-martens-on-health-review-pro-frackers-tout-ed-rendells-op-ed/">in</a> other media outlets, and Cuomo wound up <a href="http://statepolitics.lohudblogs.com/2013/03/27/fracking-roundup-anti-frackers-push-martens-on-health-review-pro-frackers-tout-ed-rendells-op-ed/">being asked</a> about it during a radio appearance on Wednesday. The New York State Petroleum Council promptly issued a <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/132689807/Statement-From-Executive-Director-Karen-Moreau-on-Voices-From-Pennsylvania">press release</a> hailing Rendell’s “strong and confident argument.”

Reached Wednesday, Rendell told ProPublica that he should have disclosed to the Daily News his work at the private equity firm, Element Partners, and that the newspaper “should have included it.”

Rendell said the Pennsylvania-based firm pays him about $30,000 per year. Still, he insisted he is not conflicted on the issue of fracking, in which <a href="http://www.propublica.org/series/fracking">water and chemicals are injected</a> deep into the ground to extract previously unreachable natural gas from rock. He said he does not own equity in Element Partners or any fracking companies.

"The only conflict would be if I had a pecuniary interest in the natural gas industry doing well, and I certainly don’t," he said.

Element Partners’ website <a href="http://www.elementpartners.com/portfolio-212-resources.html">lists</a> several investments by the firm in natural gas companies, including a company called <a href="http://www.elementpartners.com/portfolio-212-resources.html">212 Resources</a> that specializes in “fluid management systems” for fracking.

Rendell is also a <a href="http://www.greenhill.com/index.php?option=com_peoplebook&Itemid=131&func=grShowProfile&profileid=10000425">senior adviser</a> at the investment bank Greenhill, which has worked on several <a href="http://www.greenhill.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=62&Itemid=155">large transactions</a> involving natural gas companies. A Greenhill spokesman said Rendell has not been involved in the firm’s work in the energy sector.

"I have no brief for industry," Rendell told ProPublica. He said he supports fracking because of the potential for American energy independence and jobs.

“If we choose to embrace natural gas, it will help us get past a number of significant economic and environmental challenges,” Rendell argued in the Daily News op-ed. “On the other hand, if we let fear carry the day, we will squander another key moment to move forward together.”

Daily News opinion editor Josh Greenman said in an email to ProPublica that he was unaware of Rendell’s relationship with Element, and indeed had been assured by Rendell’s representative that there was no conflict.

“Had I known, I certainly would have disclosed that and conceivably would have made a different judgment on the piece," Greenman said.

The Daily News has <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/yes-fracking-n-y-article-1.1299789">now added</a> a disclosure line to the online version of the op-ed.

This isn’t the first time Rendell has popped up in New York advocating for fracking. The New York Post ran <a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/dem_frack_boost_681K6tOSjmS7xU1vaTGFtO">an interview</a> with Rendell in November in which he said Cuomo would be “crazy” not to lift the fracking ban. That piece didn’t mention Rendell’s ties to the industry either.

Update 4:15 pm:

It’s worth noting that since leaving office, Rendell has been a vocal supporter of fracking around the country. He’s weighed in in support of a regulated fracking industry in venues including <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yULpwlJ2Kdo">Huffington Post</a>; the <a href="http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1522731984001?bckey=AQ%7E%7E,AAABFV5cDUE%7E,YDCV5eG5ctijElwq5Ee5V3HndWm4KbMJ&bclid=0&bctid=1675382138001">Nightly Business Report</a>; a <a href="http://eidmarcellus.org/blog/rendell-to-cuomo/1682/">Manhattan Institute</a> forum; the Austin, Texas, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LP3j-xmMvWY">PBS affiliate</a>; and a Wall Street Journal <a href="http://live.wsj.com/video/ed-rendell-we-need-natural-gas-legislation/BE8BD8B6-B948-41DA-BD5C-6071F98AB238.html#%21BE8BD8B6-B948-41DA-BD5C-6071F98AB238">conference</a> with businessman T. Boone Pickens.

http://www.propublica.org/article/ed-rendell-new-york-fracking-op-ed-disclosure

</div>

Ed Rendell is the Governor of Pennsylvania.

<h2>Contents</h2>

[<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Ed_Rendell#" class="internal" id="togglelink">hide</a>] </div>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Ed_Rendell#2008_election">1 2008 election</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-2"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Ed_Rendell#IDF_Cheerleader">2 IDF Cheerleader</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-3"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Ed_Rendell#SourceWatch_resources">3 SourceWatch resources</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-4"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Ed_Rendell#External_links">4 External links</a>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-5"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Ed_Rendell#References">4.1 References</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-6"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Ed_Rendell#Articles">4.2 Articles</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

</ul>

</td></tr></tbody></table>

<h2>2008 election</h2>

Rendell supports Senator <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Hillary_Clinton" title="Hillary Clinton" class="mw-redirect">Hillary Clinton</a>'s <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Hillary_Clinton:U.S.presidential_election,_2008" title="Hillary Clinton: U.S. presidential election, 2008">bid to become</a> the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Democratic_Party" title="Democratic Party" class="mw-redirect">Democratic Party</a>'s 2008 presidential candidate and has criticized media coverage of Clinton as unfair. On March 31, 2008, Rendell congratulated <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Fox_News" title="Fox News">Fox News</a> on their coverage, telling "Fox & Friends" host <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Steve_Doocy&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Steve Doocy (page does not exist)">Steve Doocy</a>: "I think during this entire primary coverage, starting in Iowa and up to the present, Fox has done the fairest job, has remained the most objective of all the cable networks. ... You actually have done a very balanced job of reporting the news, and some of the other stations are just caught up with <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Barack_Obama" title="Barack Obama">Senator Obama</a>, who is a great guy, but Senator Obama can do no wrong, and Senator Clinton can do no right." <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Ed_Rendell#cite_note-0">[1]</a>

<h2>IDF Cheerleader</h2>

On 12 November 2011, Ed Rendell gave the keynote speech at a Philadelphia gala/fundraiser to support the Israeli armed forces.<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Ed_Rendell#cite_note-1">[2]</a>

<h2>SourceWatch resources</h2>

<ul>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Hillary_Clinton" title="Hillary Clinton" class="mw-redirect">Hillary Clinton</a></li>

</ul>

<h2>External links</h2>

<h3>References</h3>

<li id="cite_note-0"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Ed_Rendell#cite_ref-0">↑</a> Danny Shea, "<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/31/clinton-surrogate-ed-rend_n_94280.html">Clinton Surrogate Ed Rendell Praises Fox News For 'Most Objective,' 'Balanced' Coverage</a>," Huffington Post, March 31, 2008.</li>

<li id="cite_note-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Ed_Rendell#cite_ref-1">↑</a> Philip Weiss, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://mondoweiss.net/2011/11/ed-rendell-keynotes-fundraiser-for-israeli-army.html">Ed Rendell keynotes fundraiser for Israeli army</a>, MondoWeiss, 25 November 2011.</li>

</ol>

<h3>Articles</h3>

</div>

<div id="mw-normal-catlinks" class="mw-normal-catlinks"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Special:Categories" title="Special:Categories">Categories</a>:

<ul>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Category:People" title="Category:People">People</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Category:Democratic_Party_%28USA%29" title="Category:Democratic Party (USA)">Democratic Party (USA)</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Category:Politicians_%28U.S.%29" title="Category:Politicians (U.S.)">Politicians (U.S.)</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Category:United_States" title="Category:United States">United States</a></li>

</ul>

</div>

</div></div>