Clinton aide’s firm is fired by Colombia

The Colombian government said Saturday that it had fired Mark Penn’s public relations firm after Penn, the chief campaign strategist for presidential contender Hillary Rodham Clinton, apologized for meeting with Colombian officials pushing a trade deal with the U.S.

Colombian officials said they terminated their contract with lobbying and public relations giant Burson-Marsteller in response to a statement released Friday by Penn, the firm’s chief executive, calling the meeting an “error in judgment.” Clinton opposes the trade deal.

“The Colombian government considers this a lack of respect to Colombians, and finds this response unacceptable,” the Colombian government said in a news release. It added that it would continue its push for a free trade agreement with the United States.

The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that Penn had met with the Colombian ambassador March 31.

Clinton advisors said the meeting was not connected to the Democratic senator’s presidential campaign, but made clear the candidate was not happy to learn of it. Penn later issued the statement expressing regret.

Penn’s political consulting firm, Penn, Schoen & Berland, has been paid $10.8 million so far by Clinton’s campaign.

The Colombian government is trying to secure congressional passage of the agreement signed in 2006 by President Alvaro Uribe and the Bush administration.

According to Justice Department filings, Colombia agreed last year to pay Burson-Marsteller $300,000 to help “educate members of the U.S. Congress and other audiences” about the trade deal.