Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough

Weekly Washington Wrap

With Congress adjourned for its August recess, the news in Washington this week centered on former political figures.  Former Alaska Senator Ted Stevens died tragically last week in a plane crash that claimed the lives of the pilot and four passengers.  Former Illinois Congressman Dan Rostenkowski also died last week.  Rostenkowski was a powerful chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee who served 15 months in prison after his conviction on fraud charges.  Earlier this week, former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was found guilty on one of the 24 counts against him in federal court.  Blagojevich can face up to five years in prison for that one count (lying to the FBI).  The jury could not decide on the other 23 counts, and now the federal government must decide whether it will re-try the case.  Lastly, this week the Department of Justice formally ended its investigation of former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay.  The six-year probe attempted to connect Congressman DeLay with lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who was convicted of bribery, fraud, and tax evasion and served more than three years in prison.

The political spotlight is also shining on New York City where plans to build a mosque two blocks from Ground Zero have aroused an emotional debate.  Candidates are in full campaign-mode now, and issues like the “Ground Zero mosque” generate a firestorm of political activity.

When Southern Eyes Are Smiling

So it's not the Shamrock Summit – that famous 1985 meeting between Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and US President Ronald Reagan.  The leadership summit held in Quebec City on St. Patrick's Day is remembered for two significant events:  it opened the door to a Free Trade agreement between our two countries and saw Mulroney and Reagan take center stage singing the Irish ditty "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling."

Nonetheless, David and Susan Wilkins (enthusiastic supporters of free trade, by the way) are certainly smiling this week in Dublin, Ireland, as they take part in the 12^th Annual Transatlantic Forum presented by the State Legislative Leaders Foundation (SLLF).

Ambassador Wilkins has been a member of SLLF since his days as the speaker of the South Carolina House of Representatives.  SLLF is a "nonprofit, nonpartisan, independent national organization committed to providing specialized educational and enrichment programs for the leaders of state legislatures."  This group includes some 350 House Speakers, Senate Presidents, Majority Leaders, Minority Leaders and Pro Tempores including South Carolina's own Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell and his wife Cathy.

This year the forum's theme is 'The European Union and the Euro – Prospects for the Future."  The state leaders are examining Ireland's rebounded economy and Europe's banking system – including transaction taxes and regulations.  The former Prime Minister of Ireland John Bruton is addressing the US-Ireland relationship.  The Chairman of London and Oxford Group David Marsh is tackling the euro and the controversial politics of global currency.

Besides enjoying the company of Bobby and Cathy Harrell, the Wilkinses are catching up this week with their old friends and top-notch SLLF staff including Thom Little, Steve Lakis, and Marcia VanderVoort.

A Bit O'Blessing

Here at Team Wilkins we spend most of our time focused on the US-Canada relationship.  But Canada has many close friends across the globe including Ireland.  In fact, according to the Government of Canada, nearly 3.9 million Canadians (that's 13% of the population) claim some Irish ancestry.

So we leave all our Canadian friends – be ye descendants or not – with one of the more famous Irish blessings: 

May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields and,
Until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.