Former 1st District Congressman Ed Whitfield, who resigned earlier this month before the end of his 11th term, is joining a D.C. lobbying firm.
Whitfield is already working at Farragut Partners, which specializes in the energy, health care and telecommunications markets. Farragut's clients include AstraZeneca, BlueCross BlueShield, Comcast, Johnson & Johnson, T-Mobile and the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Farragut’s website cites “deep knowledge and experience” working with petroleum, natural gas and electric power providers. In Congress, Whitfield served as chair of the Energy and Power Subcommittee.
"With Congressman Whitfield joining our firm, we will be well-positioned to better serve existing clients and expand our practice," said Farragut Partners chairman Jeff MacKinnon, in a news release. "As Chairman of Energy and Power for almost six years, Ed was at the forefront and held almost 40 hearings on government and private initiatives relating to energy. His subcommittee paid special attention to the President's Clean Power Plan and the long term impact it will have if it is implemented. His legal, business, government and international experience will be a great fit for our firm and we are excited Ed has agreed to join us."
Whitfield is joining Farragut as a principal partner, but cannot officially lobby for one year. He joins Jeffery Mortier at Farragut, who previously worked with Whitfield for five years as a policy advisor.
The House Ethics Committee rebuked Whitfield earlier this summer for what they characterized as an unintentional failure to prohibit communication between his Congressional staff and his wife, at the time a lobbyist for the Humane Society.
Republican James Comer and Democrat Sam Gaskins are running for Whitfield’s seat. The winner will be sworn in soon after November’s election due to the vacancy.
