Ex-DHS official sets up political consulting practice

Ex-DHS official sets up political consulting practice    Former Department of Homeland Security official Stewart Verdery has formed Monument Policy Group to provide lobbying and government consulting services in the areas of homeland security, technology, tourism and travel, intellectual property and telecommunications.
   Verdery served as assistant secretary for border and transportation security policy from mid-2003 to March 2005. He has been a consultant with the lobbying firm of Mehlman Vogel Castagnetti.
   Verdery said he has 10 clients, including IBM and the Retail Leaders Industry Association.
   As assistant secretary Verdery helped develop policies on immigration and transportation security. Prior to his DHS experience, Verdery served as general counsel to Sen. Don Nickles, R-Okla., then assistant majority leader and also worked for Vivendi Universal, a global media and telecommunications company.
   Since DHS was formed in 2003 several top and mid-level policymakers have joined or formed their own government consulting firms in Washington.