Padgett Wilson

Padgett "Pat" Wilson was announced February 1, 2005, by Governor Sonny Perdue to serve as Georgia’s Federal Affairs Director in Washington, D.C., "charged with responsibility of promoting the state’s agenda with Congress and federal agencies, securing additional federal monies for the State of Georgia, monitoring and reporting on key federal legislation, and conveying gubernatorial positions to the National Governors Association and other national organizations."

Profiles
Before joining the Office of the Governor, "Wilson, 31, was most recently the director of governmental affairs for Greenberg Traurig, LLP, in Washington, DC. Wilson also worked under the late U.S. Senator Paul Coverdell and U.S. Representative Nathan Deal. He is a member of the University of Georgia National Alumni Association board of directors, president-elect of the Georgia State Society, member of the SEC Capital Kickoff Planning Committee and recipient of the Eagle Scout Award. Wilson received his undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Georgia and attended Friederick-Alexander Universitat in Erlangen, Germany on a political and cultural exchange program." 

Eritrea: Staging the war in Iraq
"Eritrea has hired Greenberg Traurig, the law firm that includes a lobbying team headed by Jack Abramoff, who has close ties to the new House Majority Leader Tom DeLay," Judy Sarasohn wrote in the November 21, 2002, Washington Post.

"Somebody there knows how to pick their lobbyist. 'Their biggest issue is they want to reach out to America and have better relations,' [said] Padgett Wilson, director of governmental affairs at Greenberg Traurig. Wilson note[d] that having a U.S. base in Eritrea would bring in much-needed capital and encourage U.S. companies to do business there, helping the country develop a middle class and 'providing economic stability for U.S. companies',' Sarasohn wrote.

Fundraising with Abramoff
On June 3, 2003, Speaker of the House J. Dennis Hastert’s political action committee held "a $1,500-a-plate lunch at [Abramoff's restaurant] Signatures at which Hastert [was] the featured speaker. Abramoff and two other members of his staff may have been in attendance, as Hastert’s PAC records contributions of $6,250 from the lobbyist and six other members of his firm"--Todd A. Boulanger, Duane R. Gibson, Kevin A. Ring, Shawn Vasell, Neil G. Volz and Padgett Wilson--"shortly thereafter–including a $500 contribution from Boulanger," John Byrne reported in The Raw Story, March 29, 2005.

SourceWatch Resources

 * "Team Abramoff"