by KYW's Tony Romeo
Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell’s chief spokesman is calling “unfair” a series of news reports about donations made to Rendell by the same contractor that is the focus of a federal investigation of former New Mexico governor Bill Richardson.
The federal investigation of Daniel Rubin’s contributions to Richardson’s campaign forced the former New Mexico governor to withdraw his nomination to be commerce secretary in the Obama administration.
Rubin, it turns out, has also made $40,000 in contributions to Ed Rendell’s campaign, and his firm has a contract with the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Authority (PHFA).
Rendell spokesman Chuck Ardo says there’s been no proof of wrongdoing by Rubin:
“And yet there seems to be a frenzy about the fact that a well known and wealthy Democratic donor has made contributions to the governor. I’m not quite sure where the tire meets the road on this one.”
Ardo says the PHFA acted independently of the administration when it gave a contract to Rubin’s firm.