Maine Politics: Tardy finds a job

We're snowed in here in Maine, but I'm working on another story having to do with campaign money. Dig around in disclosures, and every once in a while you accidentally run across an interesting item. Here's today's scrap of news, for obsessive politicos:

The highest ranking Republican to have to leave the State House on account of term limits -- outgoing minority House leader Josh Tardy of Newport -- has apparently found new work. He's joined forces with (Democratic) corporate lobbyist Jim Mitchell (George Mitchell's nephew and ex-Gov. Baldacci's cousin) to form Mitchell/Tardy Governmental Affairs. According to a newly-filed lobbyist's registration form, Mr. Tardy will be representing the interests of the Corrections Corporation of America before his former colleagues in Augusta. (Mr. Mitchell's firm has represented CCA for years.)

Even before being sworn into office, Gov. Paul LePage has pledged to help CCA build a private federal prison in Milo. In October, the private prison company contributed $25,000 to help Mr. LePage win the election via the Republican Governors Association Maine PAC.

[Update, 1/24/2011: LePage has nominated a CCA warden to head the Dept. of Corrections.]